Dutch policies and their implications for different actors in the disability tourism network

Recent political changes in the Netherlands have influenced the lives of people with disabilities. Also, disability tourism must deal with this changing political context and the implications of it. Disability tourism is a unique form of tourism which is specifically designed to meet the needs and wants of the participants involved. In the Netherlands, multiple disability-related tourism organisations are active. They are indispensable in making holidays possible, because they offer customised holidays with special care. In addition to these organisations, funders are important actors on which most organisations depend, also because there is usually no government support. Qualitative methodology in the form of desk research and interviews has been used to examine the influence of current policies related to disabled people on disability-related tourism organisations and their funders in the Netherlands. This research provides a better understanding of the influence of politics on the day to day activities of the included actors. Also, it can be a learning tool for organisations as well as funders by providing a comparison of several experiences and ways to deal with them. The recommendations of organisations and funders can be relevant for the government to improve the process of policy changes.