As part of the two year ENAT work programme 2006 – 2007, a study of services and facilities for accessible tourism in Europe was conducted by Toegankelijkheidsbureau (Belgium). This report presents definitions of accessible tourism, the target public and their specific needs, leading to an overview of services and facilities that tourism providers can adopt to improve accessibility.
Prepared by the Irish National Disability Authority, this draft code of practice explains the obligations of public bodies to ensure that, as far as practicable, the whole or part of a heritage site in its ownership, management or control and to which the public has access, is accessible to people with disabilities and can be visited by them with ease and dignity.
An access guide to Tenerife Sur, produced in 2007, covers information bureaux, facilities, transport and accommodations in three languages, Spanish, English, German. 169 pages. It is published by the Municipality of Arona. Arona has taken up the challenge to make its tourist offers available to everyone, including people with disabilities, through the Arona Integral Accessibility Plan.
The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) has registered this week as a non-profit organisation in Belgium. This marks an exciting new phase in its European and international operations.
A major milestone has been reached with the publication this week of the recommendations from the Second International Conference on Accessible Tourism held November 22 - 24, 2007 at the United Nations in Bangkok, Thailand. Sixteen recommendations directed towards governments, public agencies, tourism businesses and academia seek to promote the development of inclusive tourism in the region, targetting a wide range of measures for both specialised and mainstream services.
UK specialist tour operator, Vitalise Holidays is offering destinations as diverse as Peru, Iceland and the Mediterranean in a summer 2008 programme for visually impaired travellers. The brochure is available in large print, Braille, CD and by email in PDF or Word.
In Thailand, the Disabled Peoples' International - Asia Pacific (DPI-AP) and the Asia Pacific Disability Forum (APDF) and partners organised the Second International Forum on Accessible Tourism (ICAT 2007) from 22-24 November 2007.
At a congress held last week by the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), over 200 representatives from international disability organisations, tourist boards and private enterprise came to the overwhelming conclusion that accessible tourism is the fastest-growing business opportunity in the tourism industry.
This week the Marina d'Or beachside holiday resort in the Region of Valencia, Spain welcomes some 200 delegates at the ENAT International Congress on Tourism for All, organised by Fundación ONCE and supported by the European Commission. Guest speakers from North and South America, as well as Australia will complement European presenters from all sectors of the tourism industry, public authorities, NGOs and centres of research and education.
Thanks to the guide Monza per Tutti (Monza for All), Monza, a Lombard city lying 15 km northeast of Milan, can now offer specified information about physical accessibility and a number of accommodations, facilities, restaurants and museums. In this way it will be easier for everyone to plan their visit to Monza.
The Municipality of Arona, Tenerife Sur, has taken up the challenge to make its tourist offers available to everyone, including people with disabilities, through the Arona Integral Accessibility Plan. An access guide to Tenerif Sur, produced in 2007, covers information bureaux, facilities, transport and accommodations in three languages, Spanish, English, German. The Guide has 170 pages and is richly illustrated.
