Following the European Commission's Mandate/M371 this Final Report provides an overview of current and future European service standardization activities, bringing together the results of all 11 projects into an overall comprehensive analysis. The report: Summarizes the methodology and activities undertaken; Outlines the overall findings from the research and seminars, highlighting: details of standardization work already started at the CEN level; details of standardization work to start following the feasibility work and needs for future service standardization activities; Provides recommendations and conclusions, Outlines the next steps.
The Study on the Competitiveness of the EU tourism industry - with specific focus on the accommodation and tour operator & travel agent industries - was commissioned by the Commission and run by Ecorys. Disclaimer : The views and propositions expressed in the study are those of the experts and do not necessarily represent any official view of the European Commission or any other organisations mentioned in the Report.
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.
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.
The toolkit describes the background to the EC Regulation on the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air. Published in February 2007, it is written principally for members of EDF, providing an overview of the regulation and its transition into full effect in July 2008.
The Package Travel Directive (PTD), which came into effect in 1990, is aimed at protecting consumers in the area of package travel. Some of the most important rules concern the liability of package organisers and retailers, who must accept responsibility for the performance of the services offered. The Commission is now inviting comments from consumers and businesses as part of its review of the PTD.
Te BBC reports that Air France may prevent obese economy passengers from boarding its planes for "safety reasons". It said that, under new rules, if a flight was full an overweight person who did not fit into a single seat might have to take another plane.
American lifestyle magazine, New Mobility, has named Dr. Scott Rains "Person of the Year, 2009". This special recognition goes to Dr. Rains "...for all he does to ensure that people with disabilities can boldly go where everyone else has gone before - and beyond..."! Congratulations, Scott, from the ENAT Members!
Over 30 of the presentations and speeches given at the 2nd ENAT International Congress in Vienna are now available for downloading. They include keynote addresses, workshop reports and case studies from many countries on a variety of subjects.
ENAT Congress attendees who may have booked flights to/from Vienna with SkyEurope will have to find another airline. SkyEurope announces it has suspended all operations.
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.
ENAT is putting forward plans to develop a 'Consensus Document' of specifications for accessible transport and tourism services for disabled people. The proposal aims to bring together industry, public authorities, disability NGOs and consumer organisations under the auspices of a CEN Workshop Agreement to identify good practices and agree on a set of basic guidelines. A draft document describing the planned 14-month workshop and how to participate is now available for downloading. Interested organisations are invited to provide their comments on this draft by 30th November 2008.
