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Accessible Travel to cease trading

Accessible Travel and Leisure is to cease trading.

Owner Andy Wright said it was becoming “increasingly difficult” to compete with large operators which had a “virtual monopoly” on accessible accommodation.

Wright, who suffers from a degenerative illness, said it was also more of a physical challenge for him to run a business and has decided to retire.

The Gloucester-based specialist operator was co-founded by Wright in 1998 after he became a wheelchair user to offer overseas travel to those with accessible needs.

Accessible Travel is a member of the Travel Trust Association (TTA) and all bookings are protected.

The office will remain open to answer queries about existing bookings until September 10 after which time the TTA will take over.

The business employs three staff.

Wright said: “It has become increasingly difficult to provide a high level of service to my clients, while trying to compete with some of the global travel companies, which now have a virtual monopoly on accessible accommodation. Plus, it is now more of a physical challenge for me than it was 20 years ago.

“ATL is financially sound, but I’ve decided that now is the time to retire from tour operations. Otherwise in the future, the business could have been forced to compromise on standards of service and reliability, something I was not prepared to see happen”.

He also said the cost of managing a programme with “complex financial and administrative rules and regulations” increases every year making it more difficult to run the business.

Wright chairs a number of UK airports PRM consultative committees and gives guidance and advice on how best to assist passengers with reduced mobility.

He said he will focus on educating other travel companies on best practice.

“I am immensely proud of what we have achieved in raising the profile of travellers who need and expect guaranteed accessible holiday arrangements, while at the same time, educating our industry colleagues about the importance of providing holidays that are accessible for all,” he said.

“In that regard, I am indebted to both Ali Parker and Frankie Batt, as without their professionalism, care and expertise, it would not have been possible to maintain such high standards for so many years.”

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