UK and US hotel web content accessibility: Mandates for action

Abstract

Purpose

Identifying the different user needs and capabilities of individuals online, the aim of this research is to highlight the importance of “web content accessibility” in effective online communication. In particular, identifying the statistical size of disabled and “challenged” individuals in the marketplace, the paper identifies a competitive mandate for considering online accessibility. In addition, a developing legal mandate, based on the idea that access to information also involves access to opportunity and participation, is set out. Having identified the importance of the accessibility issue, the second aim of the research is to provide an assessment of current levels of online accessibility, as well as to compare these with the limited published research in this area.

Design/methodology/approach

Following previous accessibility research, the “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines”, produced by the “Web Accessibility Initiative”, are adopted as the de facto standards for accessibility. Against these standards, a sample of UK hotel web pages was then assessed utilising the software assessment tool, “Bobby”. Given the limitations of the Bobby software to assess web sites against all the de facto standards, additional manual checks were also made.

Findings

The hotel web sites revealed very poor levels of accessibility in both absolute and relative terms. Examining the data collected manually revealed that the poor level of accessibility is likely to result from a lack of awareness of the critical issues and techniques required for providing access. If organisations want to maximise their online reach, then an outside‐in, user‐centred approach is therefore necessary.

Practical implications

Provides a framework as to how organisations might usefully implement a web content accessibility strategy.

Originality/value

Enables web authors to evaluate their content from an accessibility perspective.

Citation

Williams, R. and Rattray, R. (2005), "UK and US hotel web content accessibility: Mandates for action", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 78-87. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110510577699