Press release -
'Milestone' in accessible tourism
A revolutionary self-catering facility for disabled holiday-makers is to open in Fife next year, Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing announced today (Wednesday 13 August).
Mr Ewing was in Cupar to lay a ceremonial stone to mark the creation of “The Rings” – a cottage with eight wheelchair-accessible bedrooms that has just been granted planning permission by Fife Council.
VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation, says The Rings represents a “milestone” in accessible tourism, becoming one of only a handful of visitor accommodation options in Scotland to offer ceiling hoists for severely disabled guests.
Farm owners David and Moira Henderson expect the cottage, which has received a £165,000 Scottish Rural Development Grant from Scottish Enterprise, will be ready to welcome its first guests by next June.
As well as a range of accessible facilities, Mrs Henderson, a former trained nurse, will be able to organise care support should this be required.
Mr Ewing said: “I am delighted to announce that The Rings will be ready to welcome its first guests next summer. Everybody enjoys a holiday, and those with accessible needs are no different.
“It is important that these needs are catered for and I have no doubt that The Rings will be a fantastic addition to tourism in Fife and I look forward to seeing the finished article.”
“Improving accessibility has real potential to help achieve tourism industry growth ambitions and boost the wider economy, as well as enhancing social equalities.”
Moira Henderson said: “A few years ago, my cousin developed a life-changing paralysing disease. As he deteriorated, he paid to go into a hospice to allow his family to go on holiday – without him. That’s not what holidays are all about – they are about relaxing in a comfortable and suitable environment with family or friends. They are about re-charging batteries, building and strengthening relationships and creating happy memories that last a lifetime. I think The Rings has the potential to change people’s lives.”
Chris McCoy, who heads up VisitScotland’s Accessible Tourism Project, said: “The building of The Rings is a milestone for accessible tourism in Scotland, not just in terms of its excellent facilities, but also the personal support on offer. It won’t be like a hospital but will be a luxury holiday destination for those with access needs. David and Moira have worked extremely hard to make their dream a reality and I am sure that The Rings will serve as an inspiration in the world of accessible tourism.”
Recent figures show that the accessible tourism market is worth more than £370 million to the Scottish economy.
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- accessible tourism
- corporate communications
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors:
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
