Accessible tourism is the ongoing endeavor to ensure tourist destinations, products, and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical or intellectual limitations, disabilities, or age. It aims to create inclusivity for all, including those traveling with children, people with disabilities, and seniors. Accessible tourism encompasses publicly and privately owned and operated tourist locations. The goal of accessible tourism is to allow those with access requirements to function independently using products following the universal design principle, a variety of services, and different environments.
The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) defines accessible tourism as including, but not limited to, barrier-free destinations, infrastructure, and facilities, transport suitable for all users, high-quality services, and activities that can be enjoyed by all. Accessible tourism involves a collaborative process among all stakeholders, including governments, international agencies, tour-operators, and end-users, including persons with disabilities and their organizations.
The impact of accessible tourism goes beyond the tourist beneficiaries to the wider society, engraining accessibility into the social and economic values of society. Making tourism more accessible is not only a social responsibility but also a business opportunity for destinations and companies to embrace all visitors and enhance their revenues. Evidence shows that making basic adjustments to a facility, providing accurate information, and understanding the needs of disabled people can result in increased visitor numbers.
The three dimensions of accessibility are physical access, sensory access, and communication access. Physical access involves improving spaces and infrastructure to create an environment where citizens can move around freely. Sensory access helps people with sensory difficulties to enjoy tourism experiences, while communication access helps people with communication difficulties to get their message across via tools and trained staff.
In conclusion, accessible tourism is about making tourist destinations, products, and services accessible to all people, regardless of their physical or intellectual limitations, d...
