Forever Edinburgh has launched a brand-new Edinburgh: Accessible Highlights Guide in partnership with award-winning Edinburgh-based disabled access charity, Euan’s Guide.
The guide highlights Edinburgh’s leading attractions, experiences and travel tips that provide facilities, products and services for people’s differing accessibility requirements. It supports Forever Edinburgh’s work to promote the city’s kaleidoscope of experiences and offerings as an ideal holiday location for everyone. Forever Edinburgh has worked closely with Euan’s Guide, a leading UK charity that helps disabled people find accessible venues.
The new guidebook reinforces the historical city’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility to allow everyone to enjoy its heritage status. Designed to help disabled visitors enjoy everything the city has to offer, it covers all 11 neighbourhoods of Edinburgh and showcases accessible experiences for all tastes – including Edinburgh’s cultural events and year-round festivals, heritage experiences, museums and galleries, sports and outdoor activities and places to stay, eat and drink.
It also provides essential practical information, such as:
- Details on relaxed sessions and dementia-friendly spaces.
- Venues with ground-level access and flat floors for wheelchair users.
- Location of accessible toilets.
- Audio-described shows and sensory-friendly experiences.
- Links to full AccessAble Guides for applicable attractions.
Cllr Jane Meagher, leader of the City of Edinburgh Council said: “We really want everyone to enjoy our city and to feel safe and included. That’s why I’m pleased to see this joint work with Euan’s Guide, which is a welcome move towards ensuring all visitors can fully experience the joy of our capital.
“The latest estimates indicate 16.1 million people in the UK have a disability, which is around one in four people. We also know that 21.4% of Scots have a long-term illness, disease, or condition. These figures emphasise the importance of accessibility initiatives like this, to ensure inclusivity for all.
“Plus, by enabling those with disabilities to book a stay in Edinburgh more easily and confidently, local businesses will also benefit. Tourism in Scotland by those with an impairment raises a significant £1.69 billion.” *sources: The Department for Work and Pensions’ Family Resources Survey In Scotland; the 2022 Census; VisitScotland.
These figures underscore the importance of accessibility initiatives to ensure inclusivity for all. Additionally, by enabling those with disabilities to book a stay in Edinburgh more easily and confidently, local businesses will reap the financial benefits of a large number of potential visitors.
Antonia Lee-Bapty, CEO of Euan’s Guide said: “Our community regularly tells us that they continue to be excluded from everyday activities, like going for a simple cup of coffee with friends, because of poor or non-existent disabled access information.
“Insights from our 2024 Access Survey report that 78% of disabled people don’t feel confident about visiting new places when it comes to accessibility.
“Businesses don’t appreciate the importance of sharing disabled access information and are undervaluing disabled people in terms of both social inclusion and spending power by neglecting their accessible toilets and parking facilities. That’s why we encourage them to list on EuansGuide.com for free to reach tens of thousands of disabled people looking for great places to go.
“Equally, we want to encourage disabled people to review the Edinburgh places they visit on EuansGuide.com and use our website to find first-hand experiences of disabled access across the city.
“We’re delighted to partner with Forever Edinburgh on this guide, which will allow disabled people to find accurate disabled access information for great places to go in Edinburgh, the city we’re proud to call home.”
Neil Christison, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “Inclusive tourism is a hugely valuable market and a key part of VisitScotland’s responsible tourism activity. More than that, it is vitally important tourism, and events are accessible and inclusive, so that we can be sure to extend the same warm welcome to all visitors and help them create special memories.
“The latest Scotland Visitor Survey shows that while many visitors with access requirements find it very easy to get around Scotland there are clear areas for improvement. A simple and effective way our industry can engage with disabled customers is providing clear, detailed, and easy to access information, such as this new Edinburgh: Accessible Highlights Guide.”
The new guide forms part of Forever Edinburgh’s wider efforts to promote sustainable tourism and ensure Edinburgh is a truly welcoming destination for all. The Forever Edinburgh team continues to upskill through training courses to strengthen its approach to inclusive destination marketing.
This is the first version of Edinburgh: Accessible Highlights Guide, which will be regularly updated. Forever Edinburgh encourages people to send in any feedback or comments they may have to help shape future updates via an online form (see link below) or via email to visit@edinburgh.gov.uk
Alongside the guidebook, visitors can now filter businesses based on accessibility needs via The Official Guide to Edinburgh website edinburgh.org, which also integrates disability-inclusive content across its blogs, listicles, newsletters, and wider destination marketing resources.
The Edinburgh: Accessible Highlights Guide is now available online at www.edinburgh.org/AccessibleHighlights
A large text version of the guide is also available. Feedback on Edinburgh: Accessible Highlights Guide can be given via a form on this webpage.