Travel websites are facing significant challenges in digital accessibility, according to the WebAIM Million Report 2026. The report, which analysed the homepages of the world's top one million websites, found travel sites average 61.9 accessibility errors per page, compared to the overall average of 56.1. This marks a notable increase from the previous year's average of 51 errors per page.
The report highlights that 95.9% of pages across all sectors fail to meet basic accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2 A or AA. Travel websites, in particular, struggle due to their heavy reliance on imagery, search tools, and complex booking processes. Common issues include low-contrast text, missing alternative text for images, unlabelled form inputs, and empty links or buttons, which hinder users from independently researching destinations and completing bookings.
Nexer Digital's Hidden Journey study supports these findings, revealing that 79% of disabled users encounter difficulties browsing options, 81% struggle with selecting services, and 81% find completing transactions challenging. Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director of Nexer Digital, commented, "Booking travel should be exciting, but for many disabled users it becomes exhausting."
The report also notes a rise in homepage complexity, with an average of 1,437 elements per page, a 22.5% increase in one year. With legislation like the European Accessibility Act now in force, businesses are urged to prioritise accessibility to ensure all travellers can plan and book journeys confidently and independently
This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here.
