Access Tourism NZ TOURISM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, AND AGEING BOOMERS IN NEW ZEALAND AND WORLDWIDE

Two new text books on accessible tourism are available through the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) from Channel View Publications. The first is “Concepts and Issues” (eds: Dimitrios Buhalis and Simon Darcy), which sets out to  explore and document the current theoretical approaches, foundations and issues  in the study of accessible tourism.  Professor Nigel Morgan, The Welsh Centre for Tourism Research states that this volume harnesses “the best conceptual  developments on the topic” and that it will “take accessible tourism and universal design debates into the mainstream of academic enquiryand industry practice“

The second volume is “Best Practice in Accessible Tourism” (eds: Buhalis, Darcy, and Ivor Ambrose).  It focuses on policy and best practice in accessible tourism, reflecting the ”state-of -the-art” as expressed in a selection of international chapters. It brings together global expertise in planning, design and management to inform and stimulate providers of travel, transport, accommodation, leisure and tourism services to serve guests with disabilities, seniors and the wider markets that require good accessibility. Chapter 8, written by Sandra Rhodda of Access Tourism New Zealand, describes the state of accessible tourism in this country.  Overall, the book gives ample evidence that accessible tourism organisations and destinations can expand their target markets as well as improve the quality of their service offering, leading to greater customer satisfaction, loyalty and expansion of business.  Accessible tourism is not only about providing access to people with disabilities but also it addresses the creation of universally designed environments that can support people that may have temporary disabilities, families with young children, the ever increasing ageing population as well as creating a safer environment for employees to work. Noel Scott, of the University of Queensland, Australia says that the volume “provides a ‘state-of-the-art” assessment of both theory and practice. This book establishes a new field of study and provides the benchmark against which other contributions will be judged. It integrates the work of all the key players and should be read by academics, managers and government policy makers.”

Hotel News UK reports that hoteliers throughout the United Kingdom have made strides to boost the number of accessible rooms in recent months as London gears up for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.  In doing so, they hope to capitalize on the more than £2-billion (US$3.2-billion) tourist segment for disabled people.  There are more than 1,540 hotels and bed and breakfasts listed on the Government-backed Inclusive London website, which was launched in March 2011 to promote accessible rooms to all tourists visiting the city. There are a further 122 accessible hostels.

A lot of work has gone into improving accommodation access, says Ufi Ibrahim, CE of the British Hospitality Association.  “We’ve been working with tourism organization Tourism for All to raise awareness.  Many hoteliers in London have been doing sort of small quick fixes in order to enable some rooms to be usable for people who have accessibility problems—ramps, for example.”

Other changes are more long-term.   InterContinental Hotels Group, which has 294 accessible rooms in London, invested more than £12 million (US$19.3 million) seven years ago into its portfolio to ensure compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act. The resulting efforts saw the inclusion of tactile signage and ceiling track hoists in select locations. IHG also requires all employees to undergo training programs on how to accommodate guests with disabilities, both during orientation and then once every six months for review.

By summer 2012, there will be 2,667 accessible rooms in London, 1,392 of which will be wheelchair friendly.  But with a potential market of 78 million American and 75 million European disabled visitors, friends and families according to VisitEngland, it is uncertain whether supply will meet demand, Ibrahim said. Hoteliers are ramping up development efforts in an attempt to do just that. Premier Inn plans to open four additional properties before the Games. The group also recently opened the London Stratford Premier Inn, the first among the company portfolio to offer fixed tracker hoisting mechanisms. Hilton Worldwide encourages development of accessible rooms through a flexible room layout, said Alex Humphrey, senior manager of safety and security for the U.K. and Western Europe. “Each hotel has the ability to customize rooms with accessibility equipment to increase the number of accessible rooms, in addition to providing dedicated equipment for those guests with hearing impairments,” he said.

London 2012 reports that all London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic venues will be accessible to people with disabilities and that they are committed to ensuring that there are good accessible transport options for all spectators travelling to the Games.  The London 2012 Games are delivered by two key organisations – the London 2012 Organising Committee and the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Many access improvements and service enhancements have been made for the Games to make public transport much easier for disabled people, older people and passengers travelling with children. National Rail, London Underground, London Overground and the Docklands Light Railway have all enhanced – and continue to enhance – the accessibility of their services.  Across the network, tactile warning surfaces have been, or are being, installed on platforms and staircases, and seats are available on most platforms.   Audio and visual information is available on
many trains and at many stations. A number of stations have wide-aisle, automatic ticket gates, so they can be used independently by travellers using wheelchairs or those travelling with assistance dogs or pushchairs.

London 2012 has created maps showing the accessible travel routes and stations within London and across the UK. The UK map and south-east map shows where stations are step-free with assistance available at the station and where there is assistance available at the station, but not necessarily step-free facilities. The London map shows levels of step-free facilities and staff assistance at stations across London.  At some venues, accessible shuttles capable of providing transport to multiple wheelchair users will be provided solely for spectators with accessibility
needs. All venues will have free, managed, secure cycle parking suitable for
all types of cycles, including hand bicycles, recumbent and children’s bicycles.

Information for people with accessibility needs is available on the London 2012 website, and – if you are travelling around London but not to the Games – on the Inclusive London website.

During the celebrations around the countdown of 1,000 days to go to the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, it was announced that Sochi is to become the first city in Russia to be put on the Russian Accessibility Map.  This map will provide information for people with disabilities about access at sport facilities.  Also launched during the 1000-day celebrations was the Accessible Volunteering Program aimed at making Sochi 2014 volunteering centers accessible for people with disabilities. Four such centres were established on 11 June – two centres in Moscow, one in Sochi and another one in Novorossiysk.   Dmitry Chernyshenko, President of the Organizing Committee said: “On 11 June, there were only 1,000 days left before the Paralympic Winter Games, and we started the countdown up to this historic event for Russia. This event is destined to bring about radical change in the attitude of Russian society towards people with an impairment. I am especially happy that our wonderful volunteers gave momentum to the celebration. They are the proof  that, thanks to the Games, we have been training people qualified to support and assist the disabled.  I am happy that on 11 June thousands of Russians joined the festivities, since the basic values of the Paralympic Movement, such as courage, equality, dedication and inspiration, are close to everyone’s heart!”

DisabledGo reports that a new website – My Access London -  has been created in anticipation of next years Olympics and Paralympics.  If you want to find out about the disabled access at venues or attractions across the capital this site has information to over 17,000 venues, including major tourist attractions like the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, London Zoo and the O2 Arena. All have been visited and assessed in person.   The site which officially launches at the beginning of June has been entirely funded and developed by DisabledGo, in response to feedback from disabled people and partner London boroughs who wanted to see an access guide totally dedicated to London.

The website offers an unprecedented choice of personally surveyed access guides.  Access Tourism New Zealand commends DisabledGo’s commitment to never publish self-assessed, non-verified information, that is, information provided by for example tourism venue owners such as accommodation providers or attractions unless it has been independently assessed.   As a research project in NZ has found (Rhodda, 2007), only about a third of tourism operators correctly self-assess their access for people with disabilities.

The number of venues featured on www.myaccesslondon.com will significantly increase during 2011 in the build up to next year’s Olympic Games. In July alone, 2,000 additional venues will be added thanks to new partnerships with London boroughs. If you would like more information about www.myaccesslondon.com please contact Rachel Felton, External Relations Manager. E: rachel.felton@disabledgo.com T: 01438 842710

This North American spring (2011), a company called Up & Away Ballooning will become the first hot air balloon operator in the United States to offer wheelchair using  adventurers the opportunity to soar above the California’s Sonoma County.  Up & Away Ballooning ordered specially-designed easy-access basket from London, designed to include everyone. The basket measures approximately 4 feet by 7 feet and can carry a wheelchair rider and up to three others.  Mike and Patti Kijak, owners of Up & Away Ballooning made the decision to purchase the wheelchair accessible basket in response to numerous inquiries from private individuals and travel agents with clients seeking to experience Northern California’s picturesque Wine Country from a balloon.   “It’s a dream three years in the making,” says Mike.  You can watch a YouTube presentation about ballooning  over Sonoma Valley in a wheelchair here, and listen to a Big Blend radio interview about the project here.  

 Contact: Mike Kijak, Email: flightinfor@up-away.com, Phone: 707-836-0171, Toll Free within the states: 1800-711-2998

The new Disability and Sports web page on the United Nations Enable website highlights the unique ability of sport to transcend linguistic and cultural barriers making it an excellent platform for strategies for advancing inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities in society and development. It also draws attention to the universal popularity of sport and its physical, social and economic development benefits that make it an ideal tool for fostering the inclusion and well-being of persons with disabilities. The web page also provides links to publications and other documents on the issue, as well as links to related websites. Along with Member States and civil society, DESA will organize a panel discussion on 27 June at UN Headquarters to discuss issues on how to tap the potential of sports to promote disability-inclusive development and raise public awareness about disability issues. More information: http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1563.

In February, the USA  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of the fourth annual “Building Healthy Communities for Active Ageing Award”.  The principal goal of the Award program is to raise awareness across the US about healthy synergies that can be achieved when communities combine and implement the principles of smart growth with the concepts of active aging.  

What began as an initiative by the World Health Organization in 2007 has now trickled down to cities across the US, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and beyond. In its push for the continued creation of environments that foster social inclusion and social participation, WHO stresses that “Active ageing is a lifelong process, …[therefore] an age-friendly city is not just ‘elderly friendly.’

Smart growth principles include  communities designing places that increase mobility and improve quality of life. Neighborhoods that integrate homes with shops, services, and parks and recreational facilities allow residents—especially older adults—to pursue an interesting and active life without depending on a car.  Active aging takes place when elders regularly participate in structured and unstructured physical activities.  By 2030, the 65 and older population in the United States is expected to reach nearly 20 percent, or more than 70 million.  Communities can promote Active aging by implementing a diverse array of accessible physical activity programs or self-directed activities such as walking and biking to local parks and greenways.

The EPA Achievement Award winners are public sector entities or neighborhood or non-government organizations that demonstrate excellence in building healthy communities for active aging.  One of the 201 winners was the City of Charlotte, North Carolina.  In the last five years, Charlotte has built sixteen miles of greenways, 88 miles of bike facilities and 106 miles of sidewalks have been completed. By retrofitting dozens of streets and adding ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) ramps at intersections, the City has made improvements for pedestrians of all ages and abilities.  The other recipient was Brazos Valley Council of Governments, Texas. Brazos improved biking and walking facilities, developed a wheelchair accessible trail system at Wolf Penn Creek, and a LifeTrail™, a fitness circuit designed to meet the needs of persons of all abilities, amongst other things.

Meanwhile, Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging points out that those 50 and older represent a huge market.  ”While there’s bound to be some segmentation, certain values, principles, and social-economic forces are converging to the point where we can make some predictions for the market as a whole.”  These include growth of “green exercise” and green communities. “Hiking, trail walks, meditation gardens, labyrinths, cycling paths, gardening, and eco tourism will flourish going forward,” says Milner

 Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

 Members of the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF), including Governments of countries in the Pacific region, as well as development organizations, non-governmental and civil society organizations and human rights institutions in the region attended the Second Pacific Regional Conference on Disability. The Conference was held from 4 to 7 April in Auckland, New Zealand, under the theme “Promoting Actions on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in the Pacific Region”. The outcome document included a list of recommendations to all stakeholders to take significant and tangible steps to further implement the Convention and empower persons with disabilities and their organizations. Members of the Pacific Disability Forum called on all Pacific island Governments and development partners to recognize (amongst other things)  the rights of persons with disabilities in recreational, leisure and sporting activities as mandated in Article 30.5 of the CRPD.

Taupō District Council has released a new brochure designed to make it easier for people who have a mobility issue to get around and enjoy what the district has to offer.   The Taupō District Access Brochure is a joint venture between Taupō District Council and the Taupō Mobility Access Reference Group (TMARG). TMARG is a community group who meet regularly to look at access issues in our community on behalf of people with a range of restricted mobility, sight and hearing impairments.  

The brochure will inform community members and visitors to the district of accessible facilities, such as banks, ATMs, accommodation, dining, parking, public toilets, respite care and medical facilities.  The brochure will be available from Taupō district i-Site’s and respite/retirements homes, and will also be on the Taupō District Council website. 

The six month project involved auditing every public facility in the CBD of Taupō, Turangi and Mangakino, and giving a rating of poor, moderate or good. Accessible Taupo Project worker Lucinda Stone, together with TMARG member Chance Anderson – who has skills gained from his Barrier Free Audit training – took on the task of checking and rating the facilities.  Access Tourism NZ applauds the fact that assessments of facilities have been done independently.  “Too often in Access brochures, opertors such as accommodation owners rate their own facilities as accessible, when quit frankly, they have no idea of what true access is” said Sandra Rhodda of ATNZ.    ”Kudos to this council for going the extra mile and doing the job properly”.

Production of Taupō District Access Brochure is kindly supported by Lakeland Disability Support Trust.

The Annals of Leisure Research is seeking papers for a special issue that examines the inclusion and citizenship of people with disability in “cultural life” (recreation, leisure, the arts, sport, or tourism).  The purpose is to:

a)      clarify what the terms inclusion and citizenship mean in different cultures;

b)      to place inclusion and citizenship to ‘cultural life ‘(recreation, leisure, the arts, sport or tourism) across discourses relating to economic, social and environmental contexts that affect people with disabilities participation; and

c)       to discuss the terms inclusion and citizenship from the ideological frameworks of government, researchers, providers of service or disability advocacy groups.

Submissions are sought from the consumer (demand), providers (supply) and coordination/regulation (government) sector perspectives. The guest editors invite interested researchers to contribute theoretical, methodological or empirical papers related to the theme of this Special Issue. The topics of potential papers include but are not limited to:

• The role of inclusion and citizenship in the construction of ‘cultural life’(recreation, leisure, the arts, sport or tourism) environments and experiences;
• What is the impact of inclusion/exclusion on the person and their experiences?;
• The social and/or cultural construction of inclusion in ‘cultural life’(recreation, leisure, the arts, sport or tourism) activities and experiences;
• The role of inclusion in the construction of cultural, sub cultural and personal identities of different societies;
• The role of inclusion in the construction and/or deconstruction of the intersection with gendered, ethnic and sexual identities within the experience of ‘cultural life’(recreation, leisure, the arts, sport or tourism);
• How experiences of inclusion compare and contrast between different dimensions of disability (e.g. mobility, vision, hearing, cognitive, sensitivities etc.);
• The impact of inclusion and citizenship within space and place making

Important Dates:

• Abstract deadline: 30 June 2011 to Jerome(at)dal.ca
• Notification of acceptance of abstracts deadline: 1 August 2011
• Submission for double-blind reviewing process: 30 November2011
• Review Process Notification: 30 January  2012
• Special issue publication: June or December 2012

For submission guidelines and more, continue reading……………..

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The Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities (Pac Rim) will this year include a number of themes in the realm of tourism.  These are:

• Best practice for inclusive and accessible tourism which includes destination, products, and services
• Accessible tourism best practices, information, guidelines, audits for tourism products
• Universal design (i.e., design which includes all people) for tourism, sport, and recreation, international accessibility standards, and technologies
• Community tourism as a means to reduce poverty and prevent disability or provide accessibility or services

The Pac Rim conference takes place April 18 and 19^th in Honolulu.   Pac Rim – run by the Centre on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii – has been widely recognized over the past 25 years as one of the most “diverse gatherings” in the world.   Each year the conference hews to its traditional areas which have bred much of the interdisciplinary research and educational advances of the last three decades. But each year new topics are introduced to foment discussion and change. The intent is to harness the tremendous synergy as generated by the intermingling of these diverse perspectives.  The event encourages and respects voices from “diverse” perspective across numerous areas, including: voices from persons representing all disability areas; experiences of family members and supporters across all disability areas; responsiveness to diverse cultural and language differences; evidence of researchers and academics studying disability; stories of persons providing powerful lessons; examples of program providers, natural supports and allies of persons with disabilities and; action plans to meet human and social needs in a globalized world.

The World Leisure Journal announces a special issue on Leisure, Health, and Disability aimed at a wide range of topics. Empirical research (both qualitative and quantitative), systematic reviews, scholarly descriptions, brief reports, and book reviews are invited.

Sample topics may include:

•  Models of disablement and their implications for leisure and health research
• Intersections of aging and disability
• Disability demographics and statistics as they apply to leisure behavior and services
• World Health Organization’s ICF and its implications for leisure and health services
• Research on service provision for individuals with disabilities (including therapeutic
• recreation)
• Policy and systemic issues relating to disability, health, and leisure
• Medical and health-related travel and tourism
• Accessible travel and tourism
• Trends and issues in leisure and health service provision for individuals with disabilities
• Research and service gaps in leisure and health for individuals with disabilities
• New methodologies for researching leisure, health, and disability phenomena
• Technology’s impact on the equalization of opportunities for those with disabilities

 For more information, continue reading……………….

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Visitors to London with specific accessibility needs will soon find it easier to plan and make the most of their stay in the capital using information from a new website – Inclusive London – launched today.  People planning a trip to the city will be able to use InclusiveLondon.com to find out about the accessibility features of hotels, restaurants, pubs, shops, museums and tourist attractions, the 2012 Games venues and more.   The user-friendly site, which will continue to run after the Games, allows people to post reviews and give feedback about the accessibility facilities offered by a place they have visited. Businesses are being encouraged to log on and sign-up to the site so they can register their details and advertise the accessible facilities they offer. The plan is for the site to become a first port of call for people who will be planning a trip to the capital in 2012 and beyond.  The spending power of disabled people in the UK is estimated to be in the region of £80billion each year.

 “At the Beijing Games in 2008 the Mayor said that the next Games in London would be the most accessible ever. I also want everybody to have the same opportunities to experience the wonders of this great city whenever they come, whether it is experiencing a great event or touring its wonderful attractions from its museums and theatres to its shops and restaurants.  This is a first for a host city and I am confident that as users add information to the site it will become a valuable one stop shop to help visitors with specific access needs to get around the capital and make the most of their stay,” said Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes.

Chris Holmes, Director of Paralympic Integration at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), and a former Paralympian said: “InclusiveLondon.com is a fantastic tool that will help us to deliver the most accessible and inclusive Games ever. The site is an invaluable resource for anyone with additional access needs, whether you’re a sports fan planning a trip to the city or simply someone who wants to soak up the party atmosphere during the Games.”

Joyce Cook, Chair of Level Playing Field, said: “One of the biggest challenges faced by any travelling disabled sports fan is to find reliable information on accessible accommodation, tourist spots and travel around a city. We very much welcome this new website which will most definitely be of great help to disabled travellers visiting London 2012 for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Grant Kennedy, Chief Executive of Direct Enquiries (which operates a national guide to accessible businesses – Inclusive Britain – which receives millions of hits every week), said: “Direct Enquiries are delighted to work in partnership with the GLA on this exciting project. InclusiveLondon.com will provide valuable information to millions of people who require specific access and facilities. This site will lead to disabled and older people having greater choice and will assist companies to improve their service for a wider audience’.

Inclusivelondon.com can filter search results by various accessibility features, such as whether a location has wheelchair or pushchair access, if there are hearing loops available, if there are baby changing facilities, whether assistance dogs are welcome and details of parking and toilet facilities. It can also help people plan their trip to the capital by providing a direct link to the Transport for London Journey Planner.  It has been developed by the London 2012 team at City Hall working with Direct Enquiries.   InclusiveLondon.com can be accessed via VisitLondon.com, the capital’s official visitor organisation which receives around 1.5 million visits a month.   Currently more than 7,700 locations have accessibility information against them.  Business and individuals are being actively encouraged to visit the site and add information that is available. Over the course of the next year the information will be increased, and organisations involved in the hospitality industry will be contacted to ask them to add their details.  Individuals are also being urged to play their part and add information and review the places they have visited.

With the European Union  estimating the Access Tourism market in Europe to be worth €80B, it is foolish not to take the chance to look make the Vuokattin region of  Finland  a destination of choice for everybody to enjoy regardless of their physical capabilities.   So says Danny Silva, Project Manager of the ELMA project at Vuokatti For All.    The  ELMA Project is committed to serving the region and all those who select Vuokatti and Kainuu as their destination of choice whether it be for holiday, business or any other reason.  It aims to create a high level sport and leisure environment for people with disabilities (PwDs).   “In my personal opinion (although influenced by proven research) sport is a pleasurable and healthy activity for all and Vuokatti’s main potential is sport and leisure tourism and the fact that a barrier-free sport and leisure environment is a rare but very desired thing, we now have the tools to become unique and a sought out destination” says Silva.    ELMA want to support all individuals and inspired entrepreneurs who look to develop in the Accessibility markets.   Silva reminds people that being accessible is not just about ramps and elevators but also about hospitality, friendliness, security, support and lots of fun.

 ELMA is also working with Snowpolis – a unique technology park with 27 companies specialising in wellness and sport – to coordinate the “Able Access for All Exchange” program (AAAE).  The AAAE is a European Union Calypso Project  for low season tourism exchanges for PwDs and others to travel to Europe’s holiday spots.  The AAAE will involve 2 other member states: Portugal and Cyprus.  Snowpolis will coordinate the activities of this project and the participating countries. The activities aim at studying, testing and proposing the possibilities of creating tourism exchange programs between organizations of different member states whilst using specific target groups to experience unique programs of the visited countries and promote low seasonality as a key period for a holiday.

UK companies have been urged by the CEO of People 1^st  – the sector skills council for the hospitality, leisure, tourism and travel industries – to ensure their services are “disability-friendly” and accessible ahead of the London Olympics and Paralympics 2012.  Brian Wisdom said that businesses would be short-sighted if they do not make moves to improve accessibility, as more than 20% of Britons have a disability.  The estimated annual purchasing power of people with disabilities in the UK is £80 billion.  BBC commentator and Paralympic gold medallist Marc Woods notes that there are simple steps businesses can take to welcome people with disabilities.  These include being friendly and respectful, because 66% of disabled people choose businesses renowned for good customer service and 83%  percent have taken their business to a more accessible competitor.

According to the London Organising Committee of the Games, thousands of applications to become Games Maker volunteers have been received from disabled people.  A new campaign to train 200,000 hospitality and tourism staff ahead of the Games has been launched by People 1st with backing from VisitEngland.  The WorldHost training programme includes learning modules on serving customers with disabilities. It covers topics such as knowing the right language to use and being aware of feelings, misconceptions and biases

Planning is well underway for the 18^th International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA 2011) in Christchurch, New Zealand, and registration is now open.   The conference is being held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, July 4-8 2011. The International Symposium on Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA) is held every second year to provide physical activity professionals with an opportunity to share their knowledge and experience.   Adapted physical activity (APA) is a professional branch of kinesiology / physical education / sport & human movement sciences, which is directed toward persons who require adaptation for participation in the context of physical activity.  ISAPA programmes include research presentations, building sessions for the discussion of new ideas, practical workshops for new activities and an international film contest. In addition to the ISAPA, regional conferences are held regularly by the Asian, European, and North American regional organizations.  International Symposia are held alternate years.  ISAPA adds new details regularly to their website about New Zealand, visa requirements, accommodation, and biographies and photos of keynote speakers.   

If you have any queries about ISAPA 2011 please contact them by emailing isapa2011@tcc.co.nz or visit the website at www.isapa2011.com.

Equal treatment and equal access for Europeans with disabilities in all spheres of life – that is the goal of the European Commission’s new European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, which was unveiled in Brussels on the 15 November.  The plan outlines how the EU and national governments can empower the one-in-six (80 million) people in the European Union with disabilities so they can enjoy their rights.  Specific measures over the next decade range from the mutual recognition of national disability cards, the promotion of standardisation to a more targeted use of public procurement and state aid rules.  The strategy includes a list of concrete actions and a timetable.   It focuses on eliminating barriers and includes “Participation” as one of the eight main areas for action.  Participation includes the right to full access to cultural, recreational, and sports activities, and the Commission will work to “improve the accessibility of sports, leisure, cultural and recreational organisations, activities, events, venues, goods and services including audiovisual ones”.

The Commission will regularly report on the plan’s achievements and progress complying with its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities which it has signed.  The Convention specifies participation in cultural life, recreation, and sport as a right, including the right to access tourism venues and services (Article 30). 

The commission “will also consider proposing a “European Accessibility Act“, which would set EU standards for products, services, and public buildings.”

In a first for New Zealand, The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute at Auckland University of Technology has created a Research Programme Area in Access Tourism headed by Sandra Rhodda. 

 NZTRI’s Access Tourism programme aims to research and develop Access Tourism in NZ.  Access Tourism is tourism, travel, and hospitality for people with permanent or temporary disabilities, seniors, parents with strollers, and any person with a need for improved access.  This is an interdisciplinary research area that addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by Access Tourism.

The Access Tourist already represents a sizeable proportion of our tourism markets.  Between 17 and 20% of the population in our main markets already report a disability, and this percentage is bound to grow because the large Baby Boomer cohort is ageing and disability increases with age.  Those aged 45 or older already comprise almost half of our domestic and international visitors (and over 70% of our cruise ship visitors).

Areas of interest include:

• Research and policy development
• Understanding the Access Tourism market
• Awareness promotion and education of government and industry to the potential of Access Tourism
• Access Tourism product development and marketing in NZ
• Promotion of cooperation in a developing Access Tourism sector, including in the public and private sector
• Access Tourist satisfaction and motivation
• Economic and social benefits of Access Tourism
• Access Tourism as an important factor in tourism sustainability
• Relationship of Access tourism to Health, Wellness, and Medical Tourism
• Opportunities for Access Tourism legacy development around major events such as RWC2011

Guest article by Anna Huebner, Masters student at the Aalborg University in Denmark and intern at the New Zealand Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology

In July 2011 the Olympic Committee will decide if Munich will be admitted to the selected circle of cities to host the winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2018.  After almost 80 years, Munich and its surroundings may again become the scene for the  games. Moreover, the city could become the first to host the Winter Paralympics in Germany after their official introduction in Örnsköldsvik/Sweden in 1976.   In former times, sport events for the physically disabled significantly lagged behind the fame of those carried out for the ‘non-disabled’. In 1988, the term ‘Paralympics’ became an official designation. The term  para-lympics was used to stress the movement of the Games taking place para-llel to the Olympic Games and to recognize their equal importance in the sports world. Undoubtedly, the Paralympics have gained momentum over the past two decades. From 250 participants from 17 nations in 1960, Vancouver welcomed over 500 sportsmen from more than 45 nations earlier this year, competing in five major disciplines (Alpine Skiing, Ice Sledge Hockey, Biathlon, Cross-country Skiing and Wheelchair Curling).

While there have been some problems with Munich’s bid, their application has experienced a major upswing last week with the announcement of the first ‘friend of the bid’, the Riessersee Hotel & Spa in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. ‘Friends of the bid’ is a recently-launched concept to engage local stakeholders in the Olympic application. According to Juergen Bruehl, managing director of Munich 2018, such partnerships demonstrate “that major regional tourism organizations acknowledge the enormous legacy potential of hosting the Games in 2018”. The Riessersee Hotel & Spa is to bring a significant enhancement to the bid, particularly with regard to the Paralympics. 50% of the hotels’ rooms are already wheelchair accessible and, if Munich wins the bid, major replacements will follow to become 100% barrier-free. Gert Zinn, manager of the Hotel Riessersee & Spa, highlights that the area aims to create “the most inclusive Winter Games ever”. Comments like this will be a driving force behind the bid and will also strongly promote ‘Barrier Free Winter Sports Tourism’ to Germany’s Alps region.  However, one of Munich’s bid competitors, Annecy, already has a reputation for barrier free winter sport. “We should point out that it was in the Haute-Savoie department, at the Grand Bornand resort, that the first Disabled Alpine Skiing World Championships were organized in 1974”, says Egdar Grospiron, the managing director of the Annecy bid.  “Since then, the region has undertaken many actions to improve competitive and leisure sports possibilities for people with disabilities.”

The attention given to the Paralympics by the bidding cities may also indicate that these Games have, indeed, significantly gained in popularity among audiences. This popularity will be accommodated with the greatest media coverage ever of the event with more than 100 hrs on the public broadcasting channels ARD and ZDF in Germany.  The city may have an advantage over its competitors not necessarily because Germany led the medal table at the Paralympics in Vancouver 2010 (in front of Russia and Canada), but because of Munich’s concept of guaranteeing the ‘inclusivity’ of the Paralympics and of combining winter sports culture, innovative technological ideas and sustainability.