EU Study: Mapping and Performance Check of the Supply of Accessible Tourism Services in Europe

The European Commission (Directorate General Enterprise and Industry, Unit E2 - Tourism and Cultural Instruments) has commissioned a study to assess the presence and the performance of accessible tourism services and facilities along the tourism supply chain, examining best practices and tools to foster tourism accessibility.

The study will analyse supply chains and performance in all the EU Member States and will propose recommendations and priorities for actions to increase and improve the supply of accessible tourism services.

The study, which started in February 2013, is being carried out by a partnership comprised of EWORX S.A. (Greece), Valdani Vicari Associati (VVA, Milan) and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT, Brussels).

The study will involve interviews with key stakeholders, desk research and surveys to identify "best practices" across the supply chains.

In addition, a new European “Tourism for All online Register” service will be set up, enabling tourism suppliers to present their accessible accommodation, venues, attractions and services. ENAT members and their partners will take an active part in creating, populating and validating the European map of accessible tourism for all, giving customers direct access to the information they need to plan their accessible holidays and trips.  

Results of the study will be presented at a European stakeholder workshop in 2014 and via the Internet. At the workshop event the conclusions and recommendations from the study will be discussed with sector actors. The European Commission will present its proposals for policy actions and initiatives at European level, following on from the study. 

Partners

• EWORX S.A., Greece (Lead Partner)
• Valdani Vicari Associati (VVA), Italy
• European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), Belgium

Budget: € 248,567.  Financed under the EU Preparatory Action on Tourism and Accessibility for All, funded by the European Parliament and managed by the European Commission DG Enterprise and Industry, Unit E2 - Tourism and Cultural Instruments.  

Duration: 12 months plus extension to November 2014. Results are expected in February/March 2015.

Further information

Read the research tender specifications at the European Commission website

Download the EU Accessible Tourism Supply Study Fact Sheet in PDF Format from the right-hand panel.

If you are working in the tourism sector or are engaged in accessible tourism services - or if this subject interests you as a customer or for any other reason, please get in touch with research team.

We look forward to hearing from public authorities, business owners and managers, researchers and NGOs in all European Union Member States that are interested in this study and the Tourism for All online Register.
 

To contact the researchers, please use the ENAT Contact page

Download the Final Report (2015) and Annexes here: http://www.accessibletourism.org/?i=enat.en.reports.1740