A family's problem finding holiday accommodation to meet the needs of their daughter with disabilities inspired them to set up an online business.
Becky and Phil Hamilton’s seven-year-old daughter Emily has a rare metabolic disorder that affects her balance and mobility.
When the family tried to search out holiday properties in the Ƶ that would be suitable and safe for Emily they discovered there was a complete lack of information and guidance.
The couple, who also have a son Sam, 11, started a review blog and then decided to take matters in their own hands by setting up a website - Accessible Holiday Escapes - which allows disabled users to create very specific filters based on their own needs.
It was only launched in June but has already had thousands of visitors to the site - showing they have tapped into a need from other families.
There are now 70 companies signed up - with Pembrokeshire holiday park Bluestone the latest to join the site.
The list is growing every week with interest already from properties overseas.
Becky, 46, a psychologist from Mold, said: “As our daughter has got older we have found holiday property searches for the four of us increasingly difficult, as there seems to be very little information or search options on-line for accessible and family-friendly holiday properties.
“For us a search isn’t necessarily about ground floor bedrooms or wet-rooms - which seem to be the disability search options on most sites.
“With Emily she is not good with things like depth perception, and she has problems with stairs,
“We found there was no guidance and this would mean working hard to look at all the pictures to identify problems or having to contact owners, it wasn’t easy and there was no central place to go where we could find more information. It is often simple information that would have helped but it was just not there.
“We began a review-style blog of our family adventures theflyingbumblebee.com in 2018 and became part of a large disability community.
“We then realised it wasn’t just us who struggled to find accessible accommodation, so we eventually decided to take the plunge and launch our own website.
“As soon as we started in June there was a lot of interest - a lot of people out there with the same problem.
“We have put our story on there and people are drawn to that, it means we can relate to the problems they are having and people know we have had the same issues.
“The traffic to the site grew and we now have 70 properties signed up which is good in just a few months. We need more though because we want options in every part of the Ƶ.”
She added: “The accessible tourism industry is worth £12 billion in the Ƶ so we hoped the website may be successful as a business, as well as helping travellers like us search for accessible holidays. 95% of travellers with a disability search for access information before having days out or booking holidays, so providing this information can hopefully increase website traffic and bookings for property owners.
“Of the 13.9 million people with a disability in the Ƶ, approximately 8% are wheelchair users, so adaptations may not always be required and it may just be about providing all the information travellers need.
“But as well as being a successful business we want to help people in a similar situation to us. It was this that inspired us to do this in the first place.”
Owners pay a small annual fee to list their property on the site, which has already secured a Theo Paphitis Small Business Sunday Award.
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She added: “The properties that have signed up are seeing the benefit as well in bookings and good testimonials.”
Becky said: “We worked closely with Business Wales during the planning of the website and found the support invaluable, and now continue to work with them as business growth advisors.
“We have lots of plans of ways in which to grow the website over time, and continue to receive support and advice with this.
“We have already been contacted by properties overseas whch is something for the future. Firstly we want to keep building up the business in the Ƶ.
“Social media has been really good for us, there is good community online so people have been sharing what we are doing, which has helped us grow the site.”
