Holiday park launches inclusive travel pack

A holiday park operator is aiming to make travel less stressful for families with neurodiverse children through a new planning pack.

Verdant Parks has launched a pilot Predictability Pack at Riverside Holiday Park in Wooler, Northumberland, which bosses say is a UK first.

The pack has been developed with special educational needs and disabilities experts to help families understand what to expect before and during their stay.

It includes visual, step-by-step guides covering the journey, arrival, check-in, accommodation and on-site facilities, including neurodivergent-friendly information about Riverside’s Daisy Caravan.

Families can download the pack in advance or access copies when they arrive at the park.

It also includes details of quiet zones and busier times at facilities including The Canny Owl bar and restaurant, play area and swimming pool, helping guests plan around potential sensory triggers.

Karen Mason, director at My Safe Place Southern, who worked with Verdant Parks on the Predictability Pack, said: “Predictability is incredibly important for many neurodivergent guests because uncertainty can quickly become overwhelming. 

“The Predictability Pack was created to provide clear information, reduce anxiety, and help guests feel prepared and confident before they even arrive. 

“By making experiences easier to understand and navigate, we can create a more inclusive environment where every family has the opportunity to fully relax and enjoy their stay at Riverside Holiday Park.” 

The launch follows Verdant Parks’ introduction of its purpose-built neurodivergent-friendly Daisy Caravan, created with Sunseeker Holiday Homes and My Safe Place Southern.

Employees at Riverside Holiday Park have also undergone training to better support neurodivergent guests and their families.

Verdant Parks hopes to roll out the Predictability Pack across its other ten holiday parks in future.

Jonathan Alcock, chief marketing officer of Verdant Parks, added: “At Verdant Parks, we feel passionately that the outdoors plays a powerful role in creating more inclusive holiday experiences for families. 

“Holiday parks can provide the perfect place for neurodiverse children to explore and engage at their own pace and rhythm in the great outdoors without overstimulation, while making great memories as a family that last a lifetime.

“We’re incredibly proud to introduce our new Predictability Pack at Riverside Holiday Park as this our flagship park for inclusive travel. 

“We already offer a wide range of accessible and wheelchair friendly accommodation across our parks, but our neuro-divergent friendly Daisy Caravan and Predictability Pack are truly gamechangers, allow us to go that one step further to champion neuro-inclusive travel. 

“We’ve invested a lot of time to ensure that the Predictability Pack is a useful guide for families and that it can really enhance the holiday park experience to help families plan ahead with confidence to feel at ease.

“Our long-term goal is to drive more neuro-inclusive and accessible travel across our full portfolio of 11 parks, so our focus is very much on the success of our new Daisy Caravan to help fulfil guests needs and pave the way for all parks and bolster our accessible accommodation across all our locations.”

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