Accessibility Flaws Rife in Travel Sites, Hinders Users
Travel websites are plagued by accessibility issues, posing significant barriers for users with disabilities, reveals a report from AudioEye. The 2025 Digital Accessibility Index, assessing 400,000 web pages across 15,000 websites, identified an average of 297 accessibility problems per website in Q4 2024, potentially affecting 1.3 billion people globally who live with disabilities.
In the U.S., where one in four adults reported a disability in 2022, digital accessibility is not just a nicety but a legal necessity with real implications for business, according to AudioEye’s CEO, David Moradi. The report highlights that neglecting website accessibility can frustrate customers and elevate legal risks.
AudioEye scrutinized 53,230 pages from 1,609 hospitality and travel sites, evaluating elements such as booking systems and reservation confirmations. Common issues identified include inadequate color contrast, missing alternative text for images, unclear links, and inaccessible forms.
Such obstacles complicate or outright prevent people with disabilities from planning and booking travel online, turning what should be an exciting process into a source of frustration. Specific challenges noted in the report include:
- Color Contrast: Over 85 instances of poor color contrast per page make navigation difficult for those with vision impairments.
- Alt Text: An average of nearly 27 images per page lacked accessible alternative text, crucial for screen reader users.
- Keyboard Navigation: More than seven keyboard navigation issues were found per page, hindering efficient site traversal.
- Link Clarity: Pages averaged over five vague links each, complicating the user experience.
- Form Accessibility: Commonly, four non-accessible forms, buttons, or labels were found per page, complicating independent booking.
The index serves as a stark reminder that when digital accessibility is overlooked, it excludes a significant portion of the population from fully participating in travel planning, resulting in fewer options and a diminished experience for those with disabilities.
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