SA hospitality industry handicapped by inaccessibility

Cape Town – People with disabilities are still hardly considered when it comes to employment or accessibility within the hospitality industry, despite the legal requirements stipulated by the Equality Act and increasing demand by the general public and overseas tourists.
Up to twenty percent of the South African population is directly or indirectly affected by disability, but restaurants, guesthouses and other hospitality providers are still dragging their feet when it comes to complying with the two percent regulations relating to employment of the disabled and access for disabled guests.

“The hospitality industry should be one of the forerunners when it comes to catering for the disabled, considering it’s reliance on and intense interaction with the general public and it’s important position within our economy.” says Rahman Murtuza, head of the newly established Gaming and Hospitality Management Academy in Cape Town.

Murtuza adds, “It is important to remember that the lowest common denominator applies; should a group, or family with one person in a wheelchair go out for a meal, then the whole group could only choose a restaurant with wheelchair accessibility.”

While there is still limited data on disability in South Africa, Americans with disabilities represent the largest single minority, bigger than the Hispanic & Afro-American communities combined and have a net income of over US$1 Trillion spending over US$4.5 Billion annually, although very little of that amount comes to South Africa due to the general levels of inaccessibility.

“Accessibility in restaurants also benefits parents with pushchairs, people with injuries, and tourists with heavy luggage and especially the elderly. It is therefore vital for a service industry that caters to the general public and increasing tourism industry to provide accessibility,” says Murtuza.

Well-known Paarl restaurateur Marc Friedrich, who runs Marc’s Mediterranean Restaurant was surprised when he made his business fully accessible four years ago: “We receive a very noticeable increase in guests with disabilities who bring their family and friends without having to worry about getting into the restaurant with a wheelchair. The disabled community and the people around them certainly increased our clientele and are a substantial part of our regular customers.”

A recent study in the UK showed that 33% of the 55 – 65 year olds can be viewed as being disabled and that they are loyal customers and employees, often returning to places that provide good accessibility.

“The hospitality industry has not gone out of its way to address this problem and needs a paradigm shift in attitude and firmer government guidance if it wants to open up the yet virtually untapped but very lucrative market of disabled tourism,” concludes Murtuza.

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