31 Aug
The EC, NZ, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, and Access Tourism
The European Disability Forum is an independent European non-government organisation which has played a key role in ensuring that all relevant EU policies and initiatives take disabled people into account. It reports that the European Commission has just adopted a communication on tourism which proposes to better include people with disabilities. The latest communication from the Commission points out that tourism plays an important role in Europe’s economy. It comprises 1.8 million enterprises, many of these being small and medium-sized businesses. It also points out that transport and tourism is a basic right for all citizens, including people with disabilities. The right to travel and to access tourist activities is enshrined in Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD). The UN CRPD has been signed and ratified by New Zealand, so that these rights exist in this country. However, we have not done a very good job in implementing this (see for example, this post, and this).
CRPD has been signed and is in the process of ratification by the European communities and its Member States. Read more……………
Equal access to transportation
European States Parties committed to “take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to transportation, and facilities and services open or provided to the public.” Developing accessibility of transport and tourism services is necessary in order to achieve an inclusive society, where people with disabilities and their families can enjoy tourist activities together. Accessible services would also benefit other groups, like older persons, families with children, or travellers with heavy luggage. Incidentally, the UN CRPD has been signed and ratified by New Zealand, so that these rights exist in this country.
65 million travelers with disabilities
Accessibility of transport and tourism services is of economic importance for the EU. About 65 million European citizens live with disabilities and are keen to travel and enjoy leisure activities provided they are accessible. In addition, the demographic changes mean that more and more European citizens live longer and healthier and have thus more time at their disposal for benefiting from accessible tourism. Finally, accessible tourism is quality tourism for everyone, with or without disabilities.
What Access Tourism Needs:
- Information in accessible formats;
- Relevant information about accessibility during the journey and on the touristic venues;
- Formal standardization to promote accessible tourism
Background documents on the European Disability Forum website:
Download EDF Position on Accessibility to Tourist and Transport Services for Disabled People
Download EDF Position Paper on Tourism: Framing the Future of European Tourism, 2005
Read the communication from the Commission: Tourism: Keeping Europe the world’s top destination
Contact EDF: Maria Nyman | maria.nyman@edf-feph.org | T: +32 286 51 84
