EDEN European Destinations of Excellence Award 2013 - Accessible Destination Winners

Accessible tourism was the theme of excellence for the 2013 EDEN competition.

Destinations awarded under this theme have succesfully implemented a tourism offer based on an overall approach to accessibility for tourists regardless of their special needs, limitations, disabilities or age.

View the European Commission's EDEN Destinations website.

The following main aspects of accessibility have been especially taken into consideration for the award:

• the destination is barrier-free (infrastructure and facilities);
• the destination is accessible by transport means suited for all users;
• the services provided are of high quality and delivered by trained staff;
• the activities, exhibits, attractions allow participation by everyone;
• the marketing, booking systems, web sites and services provide information accessible to all.

In addition, destinations had also to fulfill the general criteria of EDEN destinations:

• be “non traditional”, with a low number of visitors (in comparison with the national average);
• manage their tourism offer in a way to ensure social, cultural and environmental sustainability;
• be managed by a partnership between the public authorities responsible for the management of the destination and all those involved in tourism in and around the area
• have in place or under preparation a marketing management structure and a defined strategy for sustainable tourism development.

The call for proposals was launched by the European Commission in March 2012.

Participating countries have therefore selected the winning destinations among the candidate destinations, and the winners officially awarded in Brussels on 12 November 2013.

Further information

Visit the ENAT webpage with a round up of some of the published results of national EDEN Accessible Tourism awards.

Watch the EDEN Destinations 2013 YouTube video

Read the European Commission Press Release of 11 November 2013, on the 2013 EDEN Awards.