Portsmouth has been named the most accessible holiday destination in the UK, achieving a score of 78.89 out of 100 in a comprehensive study by Senior Lovers. The coastal city outperformed popular spots like Bournemouth and London, which ranked second and third, while Jersey lagged as the least accessible with a score of just 7.01. The study, focusing on wheelchair accessibility, offers vital insights for travellers with mobility needs planning UK staycations.
The research evaluated destinations based on three key factors: the percentage of wheelchair-accessible hotels, cultural tours, and day trips. Data was standardised on a 0–10 scale, weighted for importance, and combined to produce an overall accessibility score out of 100. The findings highlight significant variations in how UK destinations cater to travellers requiring mobility support, with coastal and rural areas often outshining urban hubs.
Top accessible destinations
The study revealed the following rankings for UK holiday spots:
- Portsmouth scored 78.89, excelling with 64.29% of cultural and bus tours and 66.67% of day trips being wheelchair-friendly. Additionally, 14.77% of its hotels offer accessible facilities, making it a standout for inclusive tourism.
- Bournemouth secured second place with a score of 71.95, with 50% of both tours and day trips accommodating wheelchair users, alongside 21.82% of hotels offering accessibility features.
- London ranked third with a score of 69.62, boasting the highest proportion of accessible hotels at 29.82%. The capital offers over 1,000 wheelchair-friendly tours (46.25%) and 36.51% accessible day trips.
- Liverpool followed with a score of 60.70, where 35.76% of hotels and 44.53% of tours are accessible, though only 12.50% of day trips cater to mobility needs.
- Belfast rounded out the top five with a score of 54.94, leading with 49.70% of hotels offering wheelchair access, alongside 22.34% of tours and 15.03% of day trips.
Lower-ranked destinations included Bristol (27.91), the Lake District (24.01), and Jersey (7.01), where limited accessible day trips and tours dragged scores down. For instance, Jersey had no accessible tours or day trips, and only 8.65% of its hotels were wheelchair-friendly.
Why accessibility matters
Researchers said: “These results reveal stark differences in accessibility across popular UK holiday destinations, giving older travellers or people with mobility needs crucial information for planning trips. Portsmouth’s excellent performance demonstrates how coastal destinations can successfully provide accessible tourism options.” They added: “Rural and coastal spots like the Cotswolds and Bournemouth appear to be making greater efforts to welcome visitors with mobility needs compared to many city locations, like Bristol, Glasgow and Cardiff, which scored much lower in the ranking.”
The study underscores the importance of accessibility for inclusive travel. “Many older people want to stay active and social, and knowing which destinations best accommodate mobility needs removes a major barrier to travel,” the researchers noted. “It is clear that supportive infrastructure in some locations needs to be improved to accommodate those who want to travel but worry about accessibility, and these findings open an important conversation about barrier-free travel and why it is so important.”
Planning an accessible trip
Travellers can use these findings to choose destinations that align with their mobility requirements. Portsmouth’s high percentage of accessible tours and day trips makes it ideal for those seeking cultural experiences, while Bournemouth offers a balanced seaside escape. London’s abundance of accessible hotels suits those prioritising accommodation options. For rural getaways, the Cotswolds (51.87) provides 40.23% accessible day trips, outperforming many cities.
The study, conducted by Senior Lovers, sourced its seed list of destinations from Limitless Travel’s elderly-senior holidays page. Full data cleaning and standardisation ensured accurate comparisons across metrics.