Forming a barrier-free environment in hospitality establishments organizational approaches and modern practices

Abstract

Abstract. The article examines the development of a barrier-free environment in hospitality establishments as a systemic management category encompassing physical space, digital channels, service procedures, and corporate culture. It substantiates the transition from the medical model of disability to social and legal models, which necessitates rethinking barrier-free accessibility as an organisational management system rather than merely an architectural requirement. Five core concepts are delineated – accessibility, barrier-free environment, universal design, inclusive hospitality, and reasonable accommodation – and their managerial significance as maturity levels of an establishment is substantiated. The international regulatory framework is analysed, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, EU Directive 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act), ISO 21542:2021 and ISO 21902:2021, WCAG 2.1, and EN 301 549, alongside the Ukrainian regulatory landscape comprising the National Barrier-Free Strategy to 2030, DBN V.2.2-40:2018, and DSTU EN 301 549:2022. Three organisational instruments for implementing barrier-free environments are systematised: accessibility audit as a dual-circuit process for evaluating physical and digital environments; inclusive corporate culture integrated into the HR cycle; and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for various guest-need scenarios. The practices of leading international chains (Hilton, Marriott, Accor) are examined in the context of multichannel accessibility and destigmatised design. A gap between regulations and practice is identified, including the paradoxically low level of web accessibility among higher-category hotels. For the Ukrainian context, where armed aggression has caused a shock increase in the number of persons with disabilities (exceeding 3 million as of 2023), the study proposes an integrated barrier-free hospitality management system model combining universal design, reasonable accommodation, and continuous auditing, enabling post-war reconstruction to serve as an opportunity for systemic implementation of inclusive hospitality.