Accessibility is an important topic in tourism, yet often overlooked. It seems that the main reason for that is lack of knowledge and cooperation between key stakeholders. This Report is therefore created as a brief guideline introducing this topic with particular attention being paid to the Industry - tourism providers - who need to be aware of visitors' specific access requirements and learn how to cater appropriately for their needs, so as to improve their competitiveness and sustainability.
Accessibility is an important topic in tourism, yet often overlooked. It seems that the main reason for that is lack of knowledge and cooperation between key stakeholders. This Report is created as a brief guideline introducing this topic with particular attention being paid to the role of Policy Makers in fostering a suitable environment for cooperation and motivation of all stakeholders in order to lift up the tourism offer and environment for living.
The Foundation for Environmental Education, long recognised through its Blue Flag certification as the global benchmark for sustainable beaches, marinas and boat-based activities around the world, has signed an agreement with ENAT – The European Network for Accessible Tourism non-profit association to work together to promote access for all visitors to beaches, marinas and boat-based activities.
Brussels, 26 June 2018. VisitFlanders, the tourism authority of the Flemish Region of Belgium, hosted a gathering of tourism organisations and professionals at the launch of the new World Tourism for All Quality Programme.
The project, wholly financed by a grant from the Booking Cares Fund awarded to Ms. Xun Ji, a young disabled Chinese woman, will provide accessible tourism information services and cultural experience opportunities for both Chinese and foreign travellers with particular access needs, while at the same time engaging professionals in the travel industry, preparing them for the new caring economy.
The COME-IN! Project aims at valorizing the Central European cultural heritage, making smaller museums, accessible to a wider public of people with disabilities.
TAD is a project funded by the European Union Erasmus+ programme under Key Action 2: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices, (KA202 Strategic Partnerships for Vocational Education and Training), addressing accessible tourism.
An 18-month, EU-funded COSME project that aims to develop and deliver inclusive tourism training and capacity building to improve user experience and sustain inclusive design in tourism.
The Zero Project, an initiative of the Essl Foundation, focuses on the rights of persons with disabilities globally. It provides a platform where the most innovative and effective solutions to problems that persons with disabilities face, are shared. Its sole objective is to assist in creating a world without barriers. We take a solutions-based approach to our work.
The Pantou Accessible Tourism Directory was established initially as a data collection tool for a European Commission study of the supply of accessible tourism in Europe in 2014. It lists tourism suppliers who are able to offer accessible tourism services to customers with specific access needs, older persons, people with disabilities, families with young children and those who have a long-term health condition. Since the end of March, 2017 the Pantou Directory has been opened up to include accessible tourism suppliers based in any country - not only those located in Europe. Suppliers may register free of charge.
NEWSCAT is a project funded by Erasmus + under Key Action 2: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices. It gathers organizations with different and complementary expertise (research bodies, service providers organizations, advocacy and umbrella organizations...) in order to increase the competences of professionals of the tourist sector to cope with this demand.
8 May 2018. This study has undertaken literature reviews, user and experts’ questionnaires, interviews and workshop surveys, analysis of EU legislation, SWOT and Multi-Criteria Analysis, identification of best practices and analyses of case studies. This has led to a mapping of accessibility across the EU Member States (identifying relevant state clusters) for three different sectors: local transport, long-distance transport, and tourism. Specific policies, research priorities and recommendations are made per state clusters and for the EU, which can enhance accessibility in each of the three sectors.
