New Book. Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues

Accessible Tourism has been gradually finding its way into the curricula of university courses in Tourism Management, Disability Studies and related disciplines around the world.

This new publication, due out in December 2010, is an edited collection of contributions by leading researchers and practitioners in this emerging field. It answers the need for a solid and comprehensive textbook for teachers, students, researchers and professionals.

Copies can be ordered in advance at a 20% discount from the publishers.

For further details, visit the publisher's webpage

Download the publisher's announcement in PDF format from the right-hand panel.

Summary

Inclusion, disability, an ageing population and tourism are increasingly important areas of study due to their implications for both tourism demand and supply. This book therefore sets out to explore and document the current theoretical approaches, foundations and issues in the study of accessible tourism. In drawing together the contributions to this volume the editors have applied broader social constructionist approaches to understanding the accessible tourism phenomena. Accessible tourism, as with any area of academic study is an evolving field of academic research and industry practice. As with other areas of tourism, the field is multidisciplinary, and is influenced by various disciplines including geography, disability studies, economics, public policy, psychology and marketing.

Author Biography:
Dimitrios Buhalis is an innovative tourism and hospitality researcher, teacher and adviser who conceptualises technology- enabled strategic management and marketing solutions on a global scale. He is Established Chair in Tourism and Deputy Director of the International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research (ICTHR) at the School of Services Management, Bournemouth University and Professorial Observer at the Bournemouth University Senate.

Simon Darcy is an experienced mixed methods researcher, lecturer and mentor who seeks to bring about strategic organisational change for diversity groups. His expertise in environmental planning, access auditing and operational planning has been used across the events, sport and tourism sectors to effect change for inclusive customer and employee practices. He is an Associate Professor and Research Director in the Faculty of Business’s School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism where he is a core member of the Cosmopolitan Civil Societies research strength.

Readership Level:
Postgraduate, Research / Professional, Undergraduate

Contents:

Chapter 1 - Introduction (Darcy and Buhalis)
Chapter 2 - Conceptualising Disability: Medical, Social, WHO ICF, Dimensions and Levels of Support Needs (Darcy and Buhalis)
Chapter 3 - Accessibility: A Key Objective for the Tourism Industry (Eichhorn and Buhalis)
Chapter 4 - Disability Legislation and Empowerment of Tourists with Disability: The UK Case (Shaw and Veitch)
Chapter 5 - Understanding Tourist Experience through Embodiment: The Contribution of Critical Tourism and Disability Studies (Small and Darcy)
Chapter 6 - Tourism in the Leisure Lives of People with Disability (Foggin)
Chapter 7 - Travelling with and beyond Depression: Women's Narratives of Recovery and Identity (Fullager)
Chapter 8 - Encounters of Disabled Customers on the Tourism Stage (Arola - Edited by Cooper)
Chapter 9 - Blind People's Tourism Experiences: An Exploratory Study (Poria, Reichel and Brandt)
Chapter 10 - Demographic Drivers of Change in Tourism and the Challenge of Inclusive Products (Shaw and Veitch)
Chapter 11 - Ageing Travellers: Seeking an Experience and not just a Destination (Patterson and Pegg)
Chapter 12 - Ageing Travel Market and Accessibility Requirements (Wang)
Chapter 13 - Attitudinal and Experimental Differences of Disabled and Ablebodied Visitors to Heritage Sites (Pearn)
Chapter 14 - Economic Contribution of Tourists with Disabilities: An Australian Approach and Methodology (Darcy and Dwyer)
Chapter 15 - Developing a Business Case for Accessible Tourism (Darcy, Cameron and Pegg)
Chapter 16 - Stakeholder Analysis (Michopoulou and Buhalis) Chapter 17 - Webdesign, Assistive Technologies and Accessible Tourism (Puhretmair and Nussbaum) Chapter 18 - Technology Platforms and Challenges (Michopoulou and Buhalis)
Chapter 19 - Conclusion: A Call towards Universal Approaches to Accessible Tourism (Darcy, Ambrose, Schweinsberg and Buhalis).

334 Pages