Accessibility in Experiential Food and Wine Tourism: Perspectives of Visitors with Visual Impairments

Identifier:  TFM:2454

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM2454

Authors:  Bankier, Ariela

Abstract:
This thesis explores how people with visual impairments perceive accessibility in experiential food and wine tourism and examines the implications for experience design. Based on thirteen semi-structured interviews with blind and visually impaired adults, analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis, the study identifies barriers and enablers related to participation, inclusion, and meaning-making. Findings highlight the importance of multisensory engagement, staff training, and the influence of access barriers on participation. The research demonstrates that accessibility and high-quality experiential design are mutually reinforcing and proposes eight principles for inclusive food and wine experience design, reframing accessibility as a constitutive dimension of experience quality.