CLEAR aims to serve as a kick-start mechanism for generating a better attitude towards Cultural Values (CVs), rendering them accessible to all and so seen as assets to local development.
The first international certification programme for accessible tourism destinations has been developed and carried out in Lousã, Portugal by the Belgian Accessibility Office, Toegangelijkheidsbureau (TGB). The Certification Programme is a completely new destination management tool which provides an accurate measure of the excellence of an accessible tourism destination, based on strictly defined criteria.
A new call for proposals aims to support National Tourism Administrations in setting up national awards to reward best practices implemented in the tourism industry that have improved access to all visitors, particularly to people with disabilities.
A new guidance document published by the BBPA provides an essential guide on how to make British pubs as accessible as possible. The guide has been given a warm welcome and a call to action from legendary Paralympian, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson, who has written the foreward.
The European Commission opened the competition on 22 May for the third “Access City Award”, the European Award for Accessible Cities. The annual prize recognises and celebrates cities that are dedicated to providing an accessible environment for all, and for persons with disabilities in particular.
The International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO) and its partners have been chosen by the European Commission to promote social tourism in Europe through the development of a Web platform matching supply with demand.
Best Practice in Accessible Tourism, edited by Dimitrios Buhalis, Simon Darcy and Ivor Ambrose, focuses on policy and best practice in accessible tourism, reflecting the ”state-of -the-art” as expressed in a selection of international chapters. Available now, at 20% discount.
Eight cities have been shortlisted for the prestigious European Access City Award 2012. With 114 entries from 23 EU countries, the jurors had a challenging task identifying the finalists.
Co-hosted by the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Rick Hansen Institute, Interdependence 2012 is an international four-day conference and exposition with a focus on creating accessible communities and furthering spinal cord injury (SCI) research for a cure. Abstracts are now invited for presentations in the theme session on "Making Communities Accessible for All". The two sub-themes are "Accessible and Inclusive Tourism" and "UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities".
Scandic, the Sweden-based hotel group, is intensifying its successful focus on improved accessibility. This year, over 100 new disabled rooms will be added to the portfolio and 2012 there will be even more to meet the large and growing demand. More and more companies and organisations seek rooms and conference facilities that are accessible to all.
Put your city on the European map as a proactive supporter of accessibility for persons with disabilities. The Access City Award sets out to showcase and reward cities with over 50,000 inhabitants which take exemplary initiatives to improve accessibility in the urban environment.
Everyone is welcome at Scandic! We understand that every disability is different. The same is also true of our hotels, and we have implemented smart design in our rooms available for people who have a disability. When you choose to stay with Scandic, you should enjoy the same Scandic standards for accessibility. That's why we have implemented and are continuously improving a common accessibility programme that all our hotels use.