DESTI-SMART supports Accessible Tourism for all

DESTI-SMART supports Accessible Tourism for all

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3 and celebrated on 3 December around the world, the DESTI-SMART project partnership expresses its strong support for Accessible Tourism for all, particularly for accessibility as a main componenet of 'Smart Destinatios'.

In particular, ECTN adopts the UNWTO Guide on accessibility for tourists launched today 03.12.2020: 

​ Ensuring accessibility for tourists with specific access requirements can be a ‘game changer’ for destinations around the world as they look to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic. A new set of Inclusive Recovery Guides from the World Tourism Organization, produced in partnership with the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the ONCE Foundation of Spain and Travability from Australia, makes clear the importance of placing inclusivity at the centre of recovery plans and provides key recommendations for achieving this. 

Launched on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the UNWTO Inclusive Recovery Guide – Socio-Cultural Impacts of COVID-19: Issue I Persons with Disabilities, draws on the expertise of UNWTO’s Ethics Culture and Social Responsibility Department and its partners. While much progress has been made, the publication makes clear that persons with disabilities and seniors encounter barriers preventing them from fully enjoying tourism experiences, even more so during the pandemic. Now, as UNWTO leads the restart of tourism globally, this guide outlines steps that governments, destinations and companies should take to build back better, becoming more inclusive and competitive.

The DESTI-SMART project has Accessibility in tourism as one of its four main themes. Tourism accessibility can be combined with low-carbon, sustainable and smart mobility systems, such as electric transport for people with a mobility handicap. Provision of Accessibility for visitors at tourist destinations can involve innovations in technology and is also a contributor to efficiency in terms of sustainable and accessible tourism.

Accessibility is indeed the subject of several DESTI-SMART Good Practices and is included in several partners' Action Plans, toward 'Smart Destinations'.