Tourism Experiences of People with Disabilities: Voices from Indonesia

Abstract

The implementation of inclusive sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the tourism sector must promote opportunities and experiences for people with disabilities. This study explored the tourism experiences of people with disabilities in Indonesia. This phenomenological study reported on data collected through in-depth interviews with participants whose disabilities impact their lived experiences in tourism. Several themes, grounded in lived experiences, emerged from systematic analysis of the data. These include desire for relaxation, unaccommodated needs, inability to travel alone, unheard voices, and lack of empathy and awareness. These findings strengthen theory by conceptualizing the original voices of the tourism experience through past experiences. The results contribute to growing tourism literature on accessible tourism and the sustainable development goals by presenting insights of the tourism experiences of people with disabilities in the Indonesian context and other developing countries. The voices of disability experience in tourism help to improve the understanding of inclusivity as it relates to tourism experiences, and the need to hear the voices of people with disabilities in tourism planning.