The publication, "International Best Practices in Universal Design: A Global Review" has been named as one of the world's 100 "Best Practices" for 2008 by United Nations - Habitat - Dubai International Award for Best Practices. The Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments (GAATES) has distributed the publication to over 5000 people worldwide. It compares accessibility codes and standards from around the world and is available in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Serbian and the alternate DAISY format.
OAKLAND, California - Under a settlement announced on 26th January, Hotels.com and Expedia.com, two of the world's leading online travel companies, have agreed to add features to their online travel reservation systems so that millions of travelers with disabilities can use their online services to search for and reserve hotel rooms that have the accommodations they need.
South African tourism authorities are knuckling down to the issue of accessible tourism during a month-long visit of leading US disability expert Scott Rains. Dr Rains, a wheelchair-user for 37 years and an advocate for the rights of disabled travellers, will be meeting South Africa's largest disability organisations and tourism bodies during his month-long visit to the country. The aim of his trip is to evaluate the quality of the South African tourism product for disabled and older travellers – and ultimately to build awareness of the importance of good access to the country's tourism industry as a whole.
The INTERREG IVc programme on innovation and environment targets the transnational exchange of experience and good practice between public sector organisations working at municipal, provincial and regional levels in the EU Member States. With the 2nd Call for proposals now open, ENAT is keen to support public authorities in their bids to design and implement transnational projects where accessible tourism is in focus.
A study prepared for presentation at ITB Asia, 24 October 2008, Singapore. With the search for new, long-term oriented, equitable and sustainable social and economic systems now robustly under way, the travel & tourism industry is
extremely well placed to prove that it can be a part of the solution. This study is meant to draw attention to the importance of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Asia Pacific travel & tourism industry. If travel
& tourism is just as important an economic sector as telecommunications, agriculture and manufacturing, it important to recognise the immense contribution of its SMEs to job creation, foreign exchange earnings and poverty
alleviation, as well as their contribution to creativity and innovation.
There are more than 700 million people with some kind of disability worldwide. Although handicapped they love travelling as much as anyone of us. Accessible tourism is not only about wide doors and greater signs – it is also about people. Come and learn about the trends in accessible tourism and about the ways how to deal with seniors and travellers with disabilities.
On 12 July 2005, a Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre Research workshop was held at the New South Wales Department of State and Regional Development, titled Setting a Research Agenda for Disability and Tourism. This report outlines the background to disability and tourism in both the
Australian and overseas settings, and details the process used for the workshop, which has led, in turn, to the prioritised research agenda that forms an integral part of this report.
This document profiles key Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) research into disability and accessible tourism perspectives and issues, an important and growing component of the Australian tourism landscape. The publication, available only in PDF format and free of charge, has been developed with the visitor, service provider, planning agency and industry operator in mind, bringing together summaries, statistics, key findings and recommendations in an easily accessible format.
This edition of the Design for All India Newsletter brings together, for the first time, a range of articles about inclusive, accessible tourism in India. The guest editor is Dr. Scott Rains, who travelled to India in 2008, meeting and working with tourism industry representatives, destination managers and disability groups. Authors of the invited articles include travel agents, travellers, product designers, teachers and planners.
The 18-month CETA Project has been established by ENAT and its partners in the framework of the European Union's programme "...to support initiatives of public and private bodies, or their existing networks, to contribute to enhancing the sustainability and competitiveness of European Tourism especially for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, while allowing for wider economic, social and environmental benefits to be gained.” (European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry, Tourism Unit, 2008).
To better serve the over 1.2 million Americans of short stature - defined as people 4' 10" and under with the medical condition of dwarfism, Microtel Inns & Suites now provides accessibility products preferred by Little People at all of our over 300 hotels currently open worldwide.
The city of Stockholm has set a goal, to be achieved at the latest by 2010, to be the most easily accessible capital of the world. The project, "Easy Access", coordinated by Stockholm City Council, plays an important part in reaching this goal. The gains in adapting Stockholm to meet the needs of disabled persons, thereby making it possible for them to participate fully in the social life of the city, are numerous. A society that extends a welcome to everybody to participate in the city´s life, becomes a community that inspires all and sundry to care for her/his fellow-beings. Increased accessibility for disabled persons to points and places in the city also means ease-of-access for everybody.
