When a significant segment of potential holidaymakers feels excluded from mainstream travel, it presents not only a social challenge but a commercial opportunity.
Across the UK, millions of neurodivergent families quietly opt out of breaks that many others take for granted. The reasons are rarely about a lack of desire to travel. More often, they stem from environments that are overwhelming, staff who feel unprepared, and accommodation that has never been designed with their needs in mind.
My Safe Place was created to change that.
Founded by industry veteran Karen Mason, My Safe Place is more than a product line or a marketing initiative. It is a movement towards inclusion within the holiday park sector one rooted in lived experience, decades of professional insight, and a clear recognition that the industry can, and should, do better.
A Conversation That Sparked Change
The catalyst for My Safe Place was deeply personal. Karen, who has spent more than 36 years working within the holiday park industry, was speaking with her brother, a father of three neurodiverse children. His words were simple but devastating.
Because overseas travel felt impossible, the family had tried several UK caravan holidays. Both experiences were so stressful that they vowed never to return to a holiday park again.
For Karen, the comment landed hard. She understood exactly what he meant. Holiday parks, despite their family-friendly branding, are rarely designed with neurodivergent guests in mind. Bright lights, unpredictable noise levels, crowded entertainment venues, unclear signage, rigid check-in systems and staff lacking specialist awareness can turn a hopeful getaway into an exhausting ordeal.
The very features that create energy and excitement for some visitors can become overwhelming sensory triggers for others.
Yet Karen also saw something else — potential.
If parks could be adapted thoughtfully, they would not only become accessible but genuinely welcoming. And if anyone understood how to navigate manufacturers, operators and supply chains to make that happen, it was someone who had spent over three decades in the sector.
Rethinking the Holiday Experience
For many neurodivergent individuals, preparation for a holiday can feel like a military operation. Parents must anticipate every possible trigger, pack specialist equipment, research environments in forensic detail, and develop contingency plans for every scenario. The cognitive and emotional load can outweigh the promise of rest.
My Safe Place challenges that reality by asking a simple question: what if the environment did more of the work?
Imagine arriving at a park where signage is clear, consistent and easy to follow. Where lighting in accommodation can be adjusted to suit sensory preferences. Where décor is calm rather than visually overwhelming. Where quiet zones are available away from high-traffic areas. Where check-in procedures allow flexibility rather than queues and confusion. And where staff understand that a meltdown is not “bad behaviour” but a sign of distress requiring calm, informed support.
Inclusion, as Karen frequently emphasises, is not merely an ethical stance. It is sound business. By widening accessibility, parks expand their customer base, build loyalty within a deeply connected community, and differentiate themselves in a competitive leisure market. Word-of-mouth recommendations within neurodivergent networks carry enormous weight. A positive experience can ripple far beyond one booking.
Designing Safe Holidays That Feel Like Home
My Safe Place was born as the vehicle to turn vision into reality. Months of research followed that initial conversation, with Karen collaborating closely with families, therapists and neurodiversity specialists to ensure authenticity and practicality.
The result is bespoke holiday accommodation designed from the ground up with neurodivergent needs at its core.
Key features include sensory-considered bedrooms with low-stimulation décor, adjustable lighting to reduce harsh glare, carefully planned layouts that minimise clutter, and dedicated quiet spaces. Central to many designs is a specialist neurodiverse safe bed, offering both physical security and soothing reassurance for individuals who require enclosed or protective sleep environments.
Karen has worked alongside established manufacturers and are bringing these designs to market, including Sunseeker Holiday Homes, Beverley Leisure Homes, Omar Group, andaims to work with all holiday home manufacturers in the near future..
This collaboration signals something important: mainstream manufacturers are recognising that inclusive design is not a niche add-on but a forward-thinking evolution of their core offering.
Beyond Accommodation: A Multi-Faceted Approach
My Safe Place also delivers staff training programmes for park teams, equipping them with practical tools to understand, interpret and respond appropriately to neurodiverse guests. This includes guidance on communication differences, sensory sensitivities, de-escalation strategies and the importance of predictability.
The initiative extends into the wider park environment. In some cases, this may involve the creation of sensory rooms or designated calm areas. In others, it could mean improved step-by-step visitor information, visual guides, clearer maps or adjustments to entertainment schedules to offer quieter sessions.
Karen envisions My Safe Place as a consultative, one-stop resource for parks, seeking to improve, and rather than offering a single product they will support parks through the full process from design and sourcing to staff development and marketing.
Importantly, the My Safe Place website will also function as a trusted directory for families, signposting parks and venues that have committed to inclusive standards. For parents who currently spend hours researching suitability, that reassurance alone could transform decision-making.
A Sector Ready for Evolution
The holiday park industry has evolved dramatically in recent decades, embracing luxury lodges, experiential stays and digital transformation. “Inclusivity is the next frontier and we are excited that not only do we have the support of industry giants like Hoseasons, but The National Autistic Society is exploring endorsements for the My Safe Place Southern accreditation scheme and bespoke accommodation. There have also been recent conversations with VisitEngland who are broadly supportive of initiatives that improve accessibility and inclusivity within England’s tourism offer” says Karen Mason
Neurodiversity is not rare. It is part of the fabric of modern society. When parks fail to accommodate this reality, they inadvertently exclude a substantial audience. When they
For an industry built on the promise of creating happy memories, the challenge is clear. True hospitality means designing spaces where everyone can participate and not as an afterthought, but as standard.
