(Re)Envisioning tourism and visual impairment

Abstract

Tourism scholarship has failed to engage seriously with disability issues. This paper presents a critical analysis of the tourism encounters of individuals with vision problems and the positive impacts these can have on their emotional well-being, as well as the challenges they encounter whilst travelling. Eight focus groups were conducted with four social and support groups for people with visual impairment. Their tourism experiences are discussed under the themes of: embodied tourism encounters; inhospitable tourism spaces; navigating tourism environments. The study is located within the emerging hopeful tourism scholarship paradigm and underpinned by a research philosophy which promotes dignity, respect, equality and social justice in and through tourism scholarship and practice.