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

The Indian Ministry of Tourism has included in its policy plans to make tourism destinations barrier –free.  Both the 2009-2010 Ministry annual report and the 2010-2011 report cover accessible tourism. The Ministry is keen to develop accessible tourism because – as they state – people with different abilities and older persons are now becoming a growing group of consumers of travel, sports and, other leisure-oriented products and services, and wish to tap the potential of this group.   Guidelines have been issued for making  tourist-facilities that are created with
central financial assistance, barrier-free.  Officers deputed for inspections of tourism projects, funded by the Ministry include their observations regarding the accessibility of these projects for disabled persons in their report.

Making the hotels accessible for people with different abilities has been included in the guidelines for approval and classification of 4 and 5 star category hotels.  As part of  Corporate Social Responsibility Activity, the Indian Tourism Development Corporation  will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with M/s Svayam (an initiative of SJ Charitable Trust which is working for the differently abled persons) for launching “Ashok Access” to provide guidance on making Hotels, Museums, Tourist sites user friendly for differently abled persons.

The Ministry has also instituted a new category of Award of Excellence for Most Barrier-Free Monument/Tourist Attraction in the country to encourage other agencies responsible for maintaining monuments/tourist attractions to create barrier-free environment for the promotion of accessible tourism.

The Ministry commissioned a study on the Problems and Prospects of Accessible Tourism in India, which is available on the website.  Amongst the findings is that the size of the access market is 18.11% of India’s population, or 186 million people.  This includes family members of people with disabilities.

Madrid has been working hard to make itself more accessible to visitors with disabilities.  Jesus Hernandez Galen writes that the hotel sector has made huge efforts to make improvements to their facilities (Accessible Tourism in Spain: Arona and Madrid. Chapter 21 in Best Practices in Accessible Tourism, 2012).  In the mid-1990′s the city’s General Plan to refurbish historic buildings emphasized accessibility, and access was also a priority in transport. The city includes development of accessible tourism in its Four-Year plan and in annual action plans. In response to increasing demand for information on accessible tourism by visitors and travel agents (especially form abroad), Madrid’s Tourism Board set up Madrid Accessible.  The political commitment to accessibility is shared by all department heads at the organizational level and is thus high-level.  There has been steady funding for new accessible tourism projects.  the Madrid Accessible project provides accessible tourism information, ensures accessible tourism infrastructure, designs accessible products and services, trains staff, and raises awareness in the tourism sector.

The Accessible Travel Info Point (Infopunt Toegankelijk Reizen) is a service of the Flemish Tourist Board Toerisme Vlaanderen.  It grew out of cooperation with various organisations and services by and for people with disabilities.  The mission of Info Point is to provide information about travelling for people withdisabilities.  To this end, The Tourism Board have just released their 2012 version of “All In: Accessible holiday accommodations in Flanders and Brussels” which covers all the holiday centres, hotels, youth accommodations and campgrounds that have received the accessibility label A (basic accessibility) or A+ (comfortable accessibility) following objective assessments.  Levels of access are described on a Label page.   Now 248 pages long, the brochure includes full page of descriptions of each accommodation about accessibility  in words and pictures.

The brochure is available in three forms: as a browsable document with zoom function, in PDF format (22 Mb), or as a paper version (request a free printed copy at  Accessible Travel Info Point).  Info Point aims to publish a new edition every year.

The tourism sector in Flanders can contact Info Point for background information about accessibility, subsidies available, and guidelines for alterations to improve accessibility. The Flemish Tourist Board’s accessibility policy is presented here.

VisitEngland, national tourist board has launched a new version of the Access Statement Online Tool, aimed at helping businesses cater for visitors with access needs. Access Statements allow for a written, descriptive approach to providing a wide range of information on accessibility. All areas of a business are described from car parking & arrival to toilets.   Visit England says that Access Statements are:

1. A minimum requirement for VisitEngland accommodation and visitor attraction quality scheme members
2. A way to meet obligations under the Equality Act 2010
3. A marketing opportunity which informs visitors in one concise document
4. Necessary as almost one in five of England’s population has a disability and this number will rise as England’s population ages

The new version is specifically tailored for restaurants and cafés, and has been created in partnership with the British Hospitality Association (BHA) and the Restaurant Association.  The online tool provides detailed guidance on the information that may be required by people with access needs when visiting a restaurant or cafe.   Businesses are encouraged to write a general introduction describing the location (city centre, countryside, coast), and to summarise any specific services and facilities suitable for people with access needs. In addition, information may also cover the following areas:

• Pre-Arrival – transport services, a description of the streets in the area surrounding the restaurant (e.g. paved/cobbled/level/uneven), information provided in alternative formats such as large print and audio.
• Car Parking and Arrival – car parking, drop off points, alternative entry points, number of steps, handrails and ramps.
• Restaurant & Bar Area – access to the area and layout, lighting, seating and tables, floor surfaces, alternative formats of menus available.
• Outdoor Areas – accessibility of outdoor furniture, service offered to customers in outdoor area, layout (e.g. pavement, terrace, play area).

Additional areas that are covered include: customer toilets, private dining/function space accommodation and future plans for improvement.  Ross Calladine, VisitEngland’s Skills, Welcome & Accessibility Manager said:  “People with access needs require specific information about a venue in advance in order to be able to make an informed decision about whether an establishment can cater sufficiently for their needs. Restaurants, like any other tourist venue, should provide as much information to visitors as possible – this will help to enhance the visitor experience and also highlight areas where the business could improve.”  Camilla Woods, Policy Director, BHA, said “Access Statements are a really effective way for businesses to ensure customers with any specific access needs have the information they need and we are pleased to be able to recommend this new online tool to our members.”

Once a business has created their Access Statement they can then make this information readily available to visitors. Restaurants can promote their statement on their website if they have one, or post it where they have a listing on a company site or a generic ‘restaurant finder’ site. It should also be kept on hand for staff to use when describing over the phone what facilities they have.

UK.  The South West Tourism Excellence Awards 2011/12 have praised Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Roman Baths for the improved accessibility it offers all visitors.  The Romans Baths received a “Highly Commended” in the Access for All award section in recognition of recent development work carried out by the Council to improve access in a wide range of ways and make the experience more inclusive for people with a wide range of different needs.  Councillor Cherry Beath (Lib-Dem,  Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “Physical
accessibility at the Roman Baths has improved enormously with the installation of two new lifts and a complete change in the way visitors can move around the site. Understanding of the ancient monument has also become easier for our visitors with new displays and improved interpretation throughout, and there is a wide range of visual prompts that everyone can recognise.

“We have new interpretation for blind and visually impaired visitors with many tactile exhibits. There is a dedicated British Sign Language audio guide, an inclusive personal audio guide in eight languages, and tours for English and French speaking children. The judges even took into account the inclusive way that we cater for people with particular dietary needs in the Pump Room restaurant.”

Pieter Ghijsels of the Accessibility Policy Group at the Tourism Administration Flanders-Brussels writes that the accessibility of tourism services in Flanders is a key part of the Flemish policy on tourism.  In “Accessible tourism in Flanders: policy support and incentive” (Chapter 3, Best Practices in Accessible Tourism, 2012), he notes that people with disabilities are an important target group for the tourism industry in Flanders.  Tourism Flanders put in place a tourism accessibility action plan in 2001 to improve accessibility, offer training, and gather reliable information about access in Flanders tourism.  The Accessible Travel Action Plan developed a number of subsidies for renovation and new constructions in the Flanders tourism industry.  Subsidies include those to the private sector (e.g., to hotels, campsites, tourism information offices) and to local authorities (for example, to improve beach access, public toilets etc).   In this way, Tourism Flanders invests between 3-3.5 million Euros per year.  The Accessible Travel Info Point (Infopunt Toegankelijk Reizen) provides reliable access information in four languages  for travellers in or to Belgium.  This is backed up by an extensive print travel library in Brussels. The Info Point also offers tourism operators tips on how to make their businesses more accessible.

The Flemish Minister of Tourism annually gives the Gulliver Awards for innovative access initiatives in tourism.  Accessible Flanders (Toegankelijk Vlaanderen) is an accessibility databank listing local government offices, sports facilities, swimming pools, cultural centres and museums, hotels, campsites, hostels and so on that have been professionally assessed for all types of access needs.  Tourism operations can have the assessment done free of charge.  In 2008, recognizing that the indiscriminate use of the universal symbol of access (the white wheelchair on a blue background) by business owners meant that the symbol had little meaning, Tourism Flanders introduced a new, 3-level label for accessible tourism.

The 13^th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP) will be held July 11-13 at the University of Linz, Linz, Austria.  One of the thematic sessions is “Accessible Tourism’, which will be chaired by Franz Puhretmair and Kerstin Matausch (Competance Network), and Dimitrios Buhalis (Bournemouth University). The session will provide a forum to discuss major issues, identify barriers, technologies, strategies and approaches to promote accessible tourism.  Papers will consider aspects of

•  eTourism and disability
• Accessible Tourism websites and accessible Tourism Information Systems (TIS)
• Accessibility information in modern TIS Accessible Travel and Leisure holidays
• Accessibility information / guidelines / audits for tourism products
• Usability and user-interface studies
• Economic evaluations of Accessible Tourism
• Technologies and applications supporting Accessible Tourism
• eAccessibility,
• Universal Design and usability
• eInclusion
• Case studies of eTourism applications for the disabled markets, as well as
• the usage of technology for facilitating disabled tourists before and during their visit

The following is a guest article by Premiki, the first travel agency in Slovenia specializing in accessible tourism.  Premiki is a member of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT).

The social enterprise Premiki is an institute for accessible travel which includes a travel agency for accessible tourism in Slovenia.  It is a result of a number of projects led by ŠENT - the Slovenian Association for Mental Health.  ŠENT was awarded a Ulysses Prize by the UN World Tourism Organization in 2011.

The travel agency operates under the concept of ‘accessible tourism’, which aims to provide tourist destinations, products, services and information accessible to all people without regard to their physical limit, disability or age. Our aim is to contribute to the development of tourism for people with special needs by combining supply and demand for disabled-friendly tourists and creating a network of disabled-friendly tourist suppliers (hotels, attractions, services).

In this context we launched a “disabled friendly” certificate aimed at tourist organizations and  tourism providers. With this brand we want to create an environment where people with disabilities will no longer be deprived of the exploitation of tourism services.  We are a social enterprise that supports sustainable tourism in every way.

Our programs include holidays, short breaks and tailor made round trips,   sightseeings, thematic trips (Slovenian cuisine, wellness, adventure, wine cellar tourism, jeep safaries, festivals, local events and carnivals, ethnology, cultural experiences), and  other services (bus, rent-a-car, guided tours…….). We also provide training in accessible tourism in the tourism sector.

DisabledGo will sponsor the Access for All category at this year’s VisitEngland wards for Excellence.  DisabledGo is an award-winning disability organisation that has been in operation since 2000. They  produce detailed online access guides to a huge range of venues.  There have been nineteen quality applications for the Access for All category.  Welcoming DisabledGo’s sponsorship VisitEngland’s Chief Executive James Berresford said “We are delighted that DisabledGo with its outstanding reputation in providing up to date information on access to all types of facilities including tourism businesses have agreed to sponsor the Access for All Award. It is an honour to have them on board”.

In a video message from the industry Minister for Tourism and Heritage Jon Penrose MP underlined the importance of the Awards to tourism in general and tourism businesses in particular. “You, in the industry, are already well aware of the high contribution tourism makes to the economy as a wealth and job creator. I want, therefore, to concentrate on why participation in this awards scheme is important for your business in particular, and the industry in general.”

Travelling Chair is a social networking website where people with disabilities can rate, review and share information on public venues on accessibility.  The website is new but already carries accessibility information about everything from coffee shops to hotels, from clubs to shopping in Victoria Australia.  Grit Media developed the site after finding it difficult to get information about disabilities access at venues.  They found that online databases tended to be out of date with no more than a picture of a chair to indicate accessibility. Calling venues was problematic as staff would often not understand what was needed in terms of bathroom size, wide doorways, space between tables, etc.  Physically checking places out was just far too time consuming.  What was needed was a detailed, updatable database, easily searchable by types of accessibility and physical location; a place where people who understood accessibility could share information about their experiences and make it publically available.  Hence they developed Travelling Chair.  Everyone is invited to add reviews to the site.

Europe’s leading Accessible Travel organisation, Tourism For all UK is teaming up with the global travel community on Tripbod.com.  The aim is to find as many local people as possible with a knowledge of accessibility in their area to become ‘Tripbods’ and offer their local knowledge to visitors.  Tourism For All’s Carrie-Ann Fleming, says “it’s all about empowering truly independent travel. Connecting with a like-minded local Tripbod before you arrive means you get straight to the knowledge source you need. Disabled people already have all the knowledge they need gained from experiences, good or bad, to offer others with similar concerns invaluable local travel advice and information.”  Tripbod’s founder Sally Broom points out that every product listed on Tripbod has an accessibility rating.

The announcement comes within days of Easyjet hitting the news for two cases of discrimination against disabled travellers and Broom acknowledges the timeliness of the partnership. “These cases reflect poorly on the travel industry and we want to show another side of the story. 2012 is a massive year for travel in the UK and it would be both a shame and a failure if visitors are unable to enjoy fully their visit due to poor information.

Fleming adds, “The initial focus of the partnership will be on recruiting Tripbods in the UK with a knowledge of local accessibility, but the existing Tripbod network is global and we are welcoming everyone everywhere with a passion for independent accessible travel to join us. What’s more, we will be offering simple and effective training for Tripbods who want to help disabled travellers but need a bit more advice and support.”

Anyone interested to learn more can visit www.tripbod.com/accessibletravel
or email hello@tripbod.com.

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.”

WorldHost is a customer service training programme that has already been used to train nearly one million people worldwide. It was developed by British Columbia tourism authoritiesfor the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010.  People 1st, a UK disabilities NGO, with the support of VisitEngland (English Tourism Board), has developed the programme for the UK market, including additional learning modules on serving customers with disabilities, service across cultures and welcoming tourists to the country.  The 785-bedroom Strand Palace hotel in London has become the first organisation in the UK to be awarded WorldHost Recognised Business status, with over 80% of its front-line staff having been trained to WorldHost customer service standards.

  VisitEngland, the national tourist board, recently launched a new version of the Access Statement Online Tool, aimed at helping businesses cater for visitors with access needs.  This new version is specifically tailored for pubs and has been created in partnership with the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA). BBPA – the UK’s leading organisation representing the brewing and pub sector – has members who account for 96% of the beer brewed in the UK and operate around half of Britain’s 51,000 pubs.

The online tool provides detailed guidance on the information that may be required by people with access needs when visiting a pub.   VisitEngland requires any business that is part of the quality assessment schemes for accommodation and attractions to have an Access Statement.   The national tourist board is also working with partners like the British Hospitality Association to provide tailored guidance for the many varied experiences visitors can have when on holiday in England.

The new tool encourages businesses to write a general introduction describing the location (city centre, countryside, coast), and to summarise any specific services and facilities suitable for people with access needs. In addition, information may also cover the following areas:

Pre-Arrival – transport services, a description of the streets in the area surrounding the pub (e.g. paved/cobbled/level/uneven), information provided in alternative formats such as large print and audio.

Car Parking and Arrival – car parking, drop off points, alternative entry points, number of steps, handrails and ramps.

Bar & Bar Area and Dining Area/Restaurant – access to the area and layout, lighting, seating and tables, floor surfaces, alternative formats of menus available.

Beer Garden/Outdoor Area/Smoking Area – accessibility of outdoor furniture,
service offered to customers in outdoor area, layout (e.g. pavement, terrace, play area).

Additional areas that are covered include: public toilets, accommodation and future plans for improvement.

Ross Calladine, VisitEngland’s Skills, Welcome & Accessibility Manager notes that people with access needs require specific information about a venue in advance in order to be able to make an informed decision about whether an establishment can cater sufficiently for their needs.   “Pubs, like any other tourist venue, should provide as much information to visitors as possible – this will help to enhance the visitor experience and also highlight areas where the business could improve” said Calladine.

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive, British Beer & Pub Association said that the association was delighted to work with VisitEngland on this tool. “Access Statements are a great way for pubs to ensure customers with any specific access needs have the information they need.   Whilst it is not always easy for pubs to adapt what are often historic buildings, great service and accurate information are key in ensuring that as many people as possible enjoy Britain’s pubs. This tool will play a valuable role in enhancing pubs as the home of great hospitality in the UK.”

Once a business has created their Access Statement they can then make this information readily available to visitors. Pubs can promote their statement on their website if they have one, or post it where they have a listing on a company site or a generic ‘pub finder’ site. It should also be kept on hand for bar staff to use when describing over the phone what facilities they have.

Leicester City Council has joined online access guide DisabledGo to provide a guide
to Leicester for anyone who wants to know more about disabled access in the area.  The guide covers more than  1,000 venues including cinemas, hotels, parks, leisure centres, council offices, high street stores, restaurants, and tourist attractions, amongst other things.  The guide will enable people to find out not only whether venues have accessible toilets or parking close by but also specific details such as whether there are tactile or Braille markings in lifts or on doors, the dimensions of toilets, the positioning of fixtures and fittings, and whether they can request information in large print or Braille.

Commenting on the launch of the guide, Dr Gregory Burke, Chief Executive of DisabledGo noted that it will make a real difference to both residents and visitors to the City who have access concerns, empowering them to find services and venues that suit their own specific requirements.  The online guide will provide benefits for business too, helping them reach more customers by publicising the access they offer.

Current figures estimate that there are 11 million disabled people in Britain who spend £80 billion each year, numbers that every business should take notice of. All businesses that take part also receive Disability Awareness Manuals, designed as a 20 minute introduction to disability and access.

All of the information provided in the online version of DisabledGo-Leicester will also be available on the ‘Looking Local’ service on the red button on local TV, so that if people don’t have access to a computer at home, they can still get the information they need.

Montreal Gazette: Kéroul of Quebec, Canada is an organization which works to ensure that the approximately 900,000 Quebecers who have mobility restrictions can enjoy the best of the province – without travel restrictions. Kéroul is short for “Québec roule” (Quebec moves on wheels).  Based in Montreal and sponsored by the Quebec government, Kéroul rates and certifies the province’s cultural and tourism sites and its lodging establishments according to their accessibility. Kéroul’s produces a travel guide, the Accessible Road. The Accessible Road lays out interesting tourist venues with compelling photos and helpful lists of where to go and what to do when you get there. A leader in travel for the physically challenged, the Accessible Road was honoured in 2011 with the Ulysses Award for Innovation by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The map of the Accessible Road encompasses Montreal, Quebec City and the countryside. It has dozens of hotels, inns, campsites, cycling trails, parks and wilderness experiences, museums and cultural venues, all with adapted facilities, and all recommended by Kéroul. “These are our ‘coups de coeur,’ these places are as good as it gets,” said Monique Bouchard, project director of Kéroul’s Accessible Route.  “They have features that make them accessible and their staff members are trained to welcome people with physical restrictions.”

Kéroul’s map also explores outdoor adventure. The rugged region of Mauricie, a land of forests, mountains and lakes, is a new-for-2011 addition to the Accessible Road. The Parc National de la Mauricie attracts nature lovers for wildlife observation, picnics and trails – endorsed for their manageable terrain, which is suitable for wheelchairs. Bicycle paths are prized by Kéroul because they are easy to navigate for someone cruising in a motorized wheelchair.

Next time you’re eating out, take note of the sound as well as the flavours.  The Acoustical Society of New Zealand is creating a rating system for the acoustic environment of cafes and restaurants in New Zealand.  The CRAI (Cafes and Restaurants Acoustic Index) rating system aims to provide people with the ability to match the type of eating experience they want with the acoustic environment.  Everyone can rate eateries they have been to.  Submitted data is analysed to give a 1–5 star rating, and there is a growing list of rated restaurants.  The CRAI rating sheet is available here and filled-in forms can be sent to the society or emailed using addresses on the form, or can be submitted online.  Feedback on the form itself is also sought.

The Prince Edward Island (Canada) government is encouraging tourism operators in the province to verify whether their properties are fully accessible for people with disabilities. The program is being launched to ensure when people with disabilities go to businesses and accommodations, they get what they’re expecting. The province has signed on with Quality Tourism Services (QTS) which will independently verify the accessibility of a property. QTS already evaluates hotels and B&Bs on the Island for a number of factors, and will now inspect properties and give them a designation, either limited or full mobile accessible, and sight or hearing accessible. “We’re hoping over time that is going to give a level of comfort to the consumers that are going into that business,” said Roxanne Carmody of QTS, “that if they’re looking for a symbol, they’re looking for the Access Advisor symbol, because they know it has been verified and they know what they’re getting.”

Any operator who wants to have an accessibility symbol in the Tourism Guide will have to go through QTS and get evaluated. For the 2012 guide, while the inspections are being done, all operations that now say they are accessible will get a partial accessibility symbol. In 2013, only ones that have gone through the Access Advisor program will be able to have those symbols in the guide. Tourism PEI said it’s important for people to get what they are expecting. QTS has already evaluated more than 100 Island properties.

The Italian Ministry of Tourism has created a Manifesto promoting Accessible Tourism (English and Italian versions).   It is part of its commitment to put into effect Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  Article 30 – Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport – includes that States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life, including enjoying films, theatre and other cultural activities, in accessible formats;  access to places for cultural performances or services, such as theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries and tourism services, and, as far as possible, enjoy access to monuments and sites of national cultural importance; and access tourism venues.

Chairman of the Italian Agency for Tourism (ENIT), Matteo Marzotto said that accessibility means lack of architectural, cultural and sensory barriers.  “It relates to people with particular needs, not only regarding movement but also chronic health issues (people with food and environment allergies, the blind, the deaf or mentally disabled people, small children and the elderly, etc.). The involvement of all these visitors and their families in tourism has a great numerical as well as psychological, impact”.

Following the signing in Vicenza, in May 2011, the new Italian National Tourism Code (Decree 79 of 5/23/2011) was passed into law, to be in force from 21 June.  This marks a major step forward in the Italian legislation on Accessible Tourism.  The Minister of Tourism, Michela Vittoria Brambilla is Chair of the Executive Council Board of the UN World Tourism Organisation and in that role in Nairobi in July 2011 has proposed to 154 countries and 400 other WTO member organizations to sign up to the Manifesto. The first interested countries can sign the document already from the next UNWTO meeting which should take place in Cambodia in October.

The first international NGO to support the Manifesto is the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT).  ENAT Board Member, Dr. Angelika Laburda signed the Manifesto on behalf of ENAT at the Gitando 2011 Feira da Vicenza trade fair on 25th March 2011, along with the Minister. Laburda said that the document raises awareness of the importance of providing accessibility for all tourists.

The Rolling Rains Report writes that the first international certification programme for accessible tourism destinations has been developed and carried out in Lousã, Portugal by the Belgian Accessibility Office, Toegangelijkheidsbureau (TGB).

The Accessible Tourism Destination Certification Programme or ATDCP is based on an extensive audit of the Destination Management Organisation’s accessible  tourism policies, infrastructure, transport, services and visitor information, and includes accessibility assessments of the outdoor environment, overnight accommodation, attractions, and activities and offers for visitors including persons with disabilities, older persons and families with small children.

Designed and developed by accessibility and tourism experts, TGB Belgium, the ATDCP is a completely new destination management tool which provides an accurate measure of the excellence of an accessible tourism destination, based on strictly defined criteria.

The Accessible Destination Certification Programme involves assessment meetings with destination managers coupled with on-site audits and document analysis, thus building a picture of the capacity and level of achievement of the accessible destination.  Each element of the assessment is scored against a set of indicators, thus enabling managers to track the destination’s performance over time and allowing for benchmarking across any number of destinations.

The Programme also provides a tailor-made Action Plan for destination managers, with priorities for improvements to be made in the different facets of the accessible destination.  The Action Plan aims to ensure that the destination will continue to develop and improve its offers to all visitors, giving them fulfilling, accessible experiences, whatever their interests and regardless of their age or abilities.  The TGB Accessible Tourism Destination Certificate is valid for two years, after which time it must be renewed through a re-assessment process.

For background on this advance, see the European Network for Accessible Tourism website.