Tourism Accessibility and Inclusive Policy Practice in Protected Landscapes: An Analytical Case Study of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Abstract

Tourists with accessibility needs (TwANs) continue to face barriers to equitable participation in protected-area tourism, despite growing recognition of inclusive tourism and accessibility in some destinations. This study examined tourism accessibility and inclusive policy practices for TwANs in the Serengeti National Park (SENAPA), Tanzania, with particular attention to staff training and evaluation, safety measures and legal compliance, public awareness, and mechanisms for stakeholder feedback. Grounded in the Social Model of Disability, the study employed a qualitative case-study design. A purposive sample of 66 participants comprising TwANs, tourism officers, tour operators, tour guides, and accommodation managers were involved in the study. Data were generated through 43 semi-structured interviews, six focus-group discussions comprising 23 participants, direct field observations, and documentary analysis. Methodological rigor was strengthened through triangulation across these sources and methods to enhance the credibility, dependability, confirmability, and trustworthiness of the findings. TwANs were recruited based on self-identified accessibility needs to capture diverse access requirements beyond visible impairments. Data were analyzed using framework analysis, informed by the study objectives, the Social Model of Disability, relevant literature, and emergent findings. The findings disclose persistent accessibility barriers associated with tourism infrastructure and facilities, staff preparedness, safety and emergency arrangements, information provision, legal and policy implementation, and limited public awareness of different access requirements. These barriers demonstrate that accessibility constraints are shaped not solely by individual impairments but also by environmental, institutional, and attitudinal conditions within the tourism system, particularly in protected landscapes like SENAPA. The study contributes empirical evidence from an African protected-area context and highlights the need for coordinated inclusive tourism policies, universal design principles, staff capacity development, effective regulatory implementation, and participatory planning to promote equitable tourism participation for TwANs in protected landscapes.