UN Tourism User Guides for Accessible Travel based on ISO Standard 21902:2021
Cover page of the UN Tourism ISO Guide with recommendations for heritage sites and cultural institutions
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UN Tourism (the UN World Tourism Organisation) offers 6 free guidelines for accessible travel, containing recommendations for key players in the tourism sector.
Accessible Tourism is game-changer for improving mid- and low-season performance; its customers are extremely varied and loyal; it creates jobs and significantly improves reputation of destinations and businesses welcoming all visitors, with or without disabilities.
To help destinations and businesses tap into this potential, UN Tourism and its partners have released six sets of guidelines, produced by UN Tourism, ONCE Foundation and Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE), in collaboration with the European Network for Accessible Tourism and many other partners.
The guidelines put the International ISO 21902:2021 Standard on Accessible Tourism in the spotlight and target these key sub-sectors:
- National tourism administrations and destination management organizations
- Accommodation, food & beverage and MICE companies
- Travel agencies and tour operators
- Transport sector
- Heritage sites and cultural institution
- Organisations and companies working in protected nature areas
All these guidelines offer strategic and actionable recommendations to provide accessible tourism experiences, so every person can enjoy travel and tourism on equal terms.
Accessibility measures bring improvements in comfort, service and the quality of life of visitors and host communities alike.
A collaborative effort
UN Tourism thanks its 15 partners, namely: the European Accessibility Centre-AccessibleEU, European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), Turismo de Portugal, Ministerio de Turismo y Deportes de Argentina, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA), International Association of Executives & Hotel Managers (CIDH), ICOMOS-International Cultural Tourism Committee, IUCN-Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group, National Forest Corporation of Chile, International Air Transport Association (IATA), International Union of Railways (IUC), Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (IUC), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Sage Accessible Travel Solutions and Impulsa Igualdad-Tur4All.
Download the UN Tourism Guides from the Downloads Section of this page.
Reference
ISO 21902:2021 Tourism and related services — Accessible tourism for all — Requirements and recommendations.
The Standard is available for purchase from ISO.org
Abstract by ISO: This document establishes requirements and provides guidelines for “accessible tourism for all” with the aim of ensuring equal access and enjoyment of tourism by the widest range of people of all ages and abilities. It provides information on the key aspects of policy making, strategy, infrastructure, products and services and is addressed to all stakeholders involved in the tourism supply chain, whether from the public or private sector. It applies at local, regional, national and international levels.
Note: Stakeholders include, but are not limited to, public administrations, accommodation services, catering and restaurant services, transport, tour operators and travel agencies, MICE and leisure activities, as well as service providers from other economic sectors related to tourism, travel and destination management, including their contractors and suppliers.