ICC Wales in partnership with The Business of Events have joined forces to gather detailed insight from venues and organisers nationwide to build a clearer picture of current challenges, practices, and ambitions.
The extensive UK-wide research project into accessibility and inclusion across the business events sector has been launched to increase awareness and drive meaningful change, with the support of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Events.
With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) now in force across the EU, venues and organisers in the international events sector face growing pressure to ensure they are welcoming and fully inclusive for all delegates.
Supported by award-winning disability inclusion and accessibility expert Dr Shani Dhanda, the research invites venues and planners to take part in a short, anonymous survey, sharing honest insights into how accessibility is currently approached and where improvements are needed.
The findings will feed into a report due to be launched later this year, featuring research and commentary from delegates with both visible and non-visible disabilities.
The goal is to provide actionable insight that venues, organisers, and suppliers can use to create lasting change, rooted in lived experience and real-world application.
Discussing the importance of the research, chief executive of ICC Wales and The Celtic Collection, Julie Hammond said: “While the UK is no longer part of the EU, the European Accessibility Act sets a new benchmark that venues simply can’t ignore – especially those working with international clients.”
The whitepaper will align with the EAA and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), covering areas such as venue infrastructure, digital access, sensory needs, neurodiversity, and emerging AI-driven solutions. It will also draw on ICC Wales’s experience of hosting accessible events such as the Kidz to Adultz exhibition and the SQLBits Data Conference.
The venue survey is now live and can be accessed here. This will close on 31 July 2025.
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