From an interview with Ross Calladine
When Ross Calladine began his career in tourism, he never expected to become one of the UK’s most influential voices in accessibility. But after joining VisitBritain/VisitEngland in 2008, a new opportunity emerged—one that would reshape not only his career but also the tourism landscape across the country.
“I identified that the needs of disabled people and others with accessibility requirements were not being adequately met,” Ross explains. “This represented an opportunity for the tourism industry.”
With no defined roadmap in place, Ross built a strategic program from the ground up and became a champion for this crucially important area.
In January 2024, he was named Accessibility and Inclusion Lead at VisitEngland, a dedicated role he worked more than a decade to carve out.
Building Momentum Without a Budget
Change, however, wasn’t easy.
“Resource and capacity have always been a challenge,” Ross admits. “For many years there was very little, or no budget allocated to this area of work.”
Instead of waiting for funding, Ross formed partnerships with like-minded organizations. He found creative ways to drive progress by embedding accessibility into broader programs, including his previous role as Head of Business Support. His efforts culminated in impactful projects that inspired destinations and businesses to think differently about inclusion.
Prior to accepting his dedicated senior role as Accessibility and Inclusion Lead, he spent almost 11 years as Head of Business Support, which meant strategic leadership and delivery of his accessibility work went alongside leading several other major programs such as VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
Milestones Worth Celebrating
Ross’s résumé reads like a blueprint for transforming tourism.
“Having worked in this field for almost 17 years, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of delivering a wide range of initiatives. These have ranged from initiating a conference on ‘Unlocking the Purple Pound’ in 2015 to holding a ‘think tank’ event for key stakeholders that led to me establishing England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group (EITAG), a group I continue to convene quarterly.”
In 2011, he piloted a new approach to developing accessible itineraries—work that caught the attention of the European Commission and led to a national Access for All project.
From 2014 to 2016, VisitEngland partnered with seven destinations and 56 businesses, generating £32.7 million in incremental economic impact—nearly triple their original goal. The success didn’t stop there.
“Following this success we then ran the North York Moors Accessibility Project from 2021 to 2023.” The campaign won Digital PR Campaign of the Year 2023 at the TravMedia Awards, while a YouTube campaign in the Netherlands earned over nine million impressions and 8.2 million views—far exceeding targets.
Another standout achievement is the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Toolkit for Businesses, developed with design agency Mima. “The landing page was the third most visited page across the VisitEngland/VisitBritain industry website in 2024,” Ross notes. A companion toolkit now helps accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) build accessibility into their destination strategy.
In recognition of his work, Ross was appointed Disability and Access Ambassador for the tourism sector by the UK Government in 2022. In this role, he continues to advocate for improvements in the accessibility and quality of services across the industry.
Fueled by Injustice—and Hope
What drives Ross after nearly two decades of work in accessibility?
“It is the ongoing injustice and inequality that disabled people experience daily,” he says. “Also, the fact that 50% of people who identify as disabled did not take a holiday in England in the last 12 months, compared to 35% of non-disabled people.”
“My family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances—anyone with accessibility requirements who seek equitable experiences—should be able to find them,” he says.
“Tourism should be for everyone and tackling barriers is everyone’s responsibility.”
The Road Ahead
Ross isn’t slowing down anytime soon. VisitEngland continues to lead the industry towards delivering more accessible and inclusive tourism experiences for all—driving growth of the Tourism Purple Pound, currently worth £14.6 billion in England annually. In 2025 and beyond, he plans to continue leading VisitEngland’s charge toward a more inclusive industry by:
- Upskilling businesses to deliver accessible experiences.
- Supporting our new portfolio of LVEPs to develop and promote accessible tourism in their destinations.
- Hosting England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group.
- Leading initiatives to improve the holiday planning experience for visitors with a wide range of accessibility requirements.
His five-year vision? “To lead the work program from strength-to-strength, supporting destinations and businesses across England to break down more barriers and see more people enjoying all that England has to offer.”
Advice for the Next Wave of Accessibility Leaders
For those looking to follow in Ross’s footsteps, he offers practical advice.
“At a time where some narratives may discourage a focus on inclusion, redouble your efforts,” he urges. “Be confident that whilst accessibility and inclusion is the right thing to do ethically (and often a legal responsibility), the Purple Pound means that it’s great for business.”
And perhaps most importantly: “Excellence does not require perfection. You will never be accessible to everyone, but you can always be accessible to someone. So, aim for continuous improvement, offering everyone a warm welcome and great customer service to deliver memorable visitor experiences.”
With that mindset—and leaders like Ross Calladine paving the way—the future of accessible tourism in England looks brighter than ever.
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