ICC Wales hosts Accessibility Conversation for Disabled Delegate Experience

ICC Wales has hosted a discussion on a new Access All Areas report that examines how well business events are serving disabled delegates and where venues are falling short of their own accessibility ambitions. The conversation brought together ICC Wales representative Amy Phillips and accessibility specialist Dr Shani Danda to explore why a gap persists between stated venue intentions and the lived experiences of disabled attendees.

The session, recorded live at ICC Wales, focused on practical steps venues and organisers can take to improve accessibility, many of which do not require major investment. It also highlighted the commercial and legal drivers for action, positioning accessibility as both a compliance requirement and a business opportunity for the wider events sector.

Discussion explores Accessibility Report finding

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The Access All Areas report, which informed the conversation, looks at how disabled delegates experience conferences, exhibitions and other business events. While the discussion did not disclose all report details, it underscored a consistent theme: many venues and organisers express strong support for accessibility but do not consistently translate those intentions into practice on the event floor.

Phillips and Danda outlined how this intention gap manifests at different stages of the delegate journey, from researching an event online to navigating a venue and engaging with its content. They noted that disabled attendees often encounter incomplete information, unpredictable support and environments that do not fully account for different access needs.

Venue Intention and Delegate Experience Gap

The speakers emphasised that the difference between what venues say they provide and what delegates actually experience remains a central challenge. Policies and statements about inclusion may be in place, but disabled delegates frequently report barriers that contradict those commitments.

This can include physical obstacles, communication issues or a lack of clarity about what support will be available on site. Danda highlighted that disabled delegates still need to exert significant effort to confirm basic arrangements, despite venues presenting themselves as accessible. The discussion suggested that closing this gap requires more consistent implementation rather than solely new policy language.

Focus on Practical and Low-Cost Improvement

Phillips and Danda devoted much of the conversation to actions venues and organisers can take without extensive capital expenditure. They pointed to several areas where incremental operational changes can significantly improve the delegate experience.

One priority is clear online information about accessibility provisions. The speakers argued that many barriers can be reduced simply by giving delegates accurate, detailed and easy-to-find information about access routes, facilities, assistance options and content formats before they arrive.

Providing straightforward accessibility pages or sections on event and venue websites
Describing step-free routes, lifts, accessible toilets and parking arrangements in practical terms
Outlining how to request specific support in advance of an event

They also pointed to content accessibility as another area where incremental progress is possible. Adding captions to presentations and video content was highlighted as a relatively low-cost step that can benefit deaf and hard-of-hearing delegates, as well as attendees who process information more effectively with visual reinforcement.

Role of Quiet Space and Environmental Adjustment

The conversation further explored how environmental factors can influence accessibility for delegates with a range of conditions, including sensory sensitivities and neurological differences. The provision of quiet space within or near event areas was cited as a tangible way to support those who may find busy exhibition halls or conference foyers overwhelming.

Such spaces do not necessarily require significant refurbishment. The speakers suggested that repurposing existing rooms or areas as designated calm zones for limited periods during an event can provide meaningful relief for some delegates. This approach can make large venues feel more manageable and signal that organisers recognise diverse access requirements beyond physical mobility.

Commercial and Legal Driver for Accessibility Work

Beyond the ethical dimension, Phillips and Danda discussed the commercial case for improving accessibility. They noted that disabled delegates represent a sizeable audience for conferences, exhibitions and business events, and that accessible environments can be a differentiating factor when organisers are selecting venues.

Venues that reduce barriers may see benefits in delegate satisfaction, repeat bookings and reputation within the events market. The discussion indicated that accessibility is increasingly viewed as part of overall event quality, with implications for revenue, client relationships and brand positioning.

Legal obligations were also referenced as a structural driver for change. While specific legislation was not detailed, the speakers reiterated that venues and organisers must consider disabled delegates in their planning and operations, not as an optional extra but as a core compliance requirement. This legal context frames accessibility as an essential operational issue, rather than a discretionary enhancement.

Implication for Venue and Organiser Practice

The ICC Wales discussion positioned the Access All Areas report as a prompt for venues and organisers to re-examine how they plan, communicate and deliver accessibility measures. The conversation suggested that many improvements lie in consistent execution and attention to detail across the event lifecycle.

For venues, this can involve systematically reviewing how information is communicated online, how staff are briefed on accessibility procedures and how spaces are allocated to meet diverse needs. For organisers, it can require integrating accessibility considerations into programme design, speaker guidance and audience engagement formats.

Phillips and Danda concluded that while achieving full accessibility across every event scenario is complex, closing the gap between intention and experience is achievable through targeted, practical steps. By focusing on clarity, predictability and relatively simple operational changes, the events sector can make measurable progress for disabled delegates while meeting commercial and legal expectations.

The ICC Wales session adds to a growing body of industry discussion around accessibility in business events, reinforcing the message that meaningful change does not always depend on large budgets, but on deliberate and sustained attention to disabled delegates’ real-world experiences.