All tourists want unique experiences tailored to their needs and among the more than one billion international tourists that travel each year, a high percentage consists of families with young children and/or seniors, and persons with disabilities or other special needs.
The UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, the global framework for the responsible and sustainable development of the sector, underlines in its Article 7 that all persons should be able to exercise their right to enjoy tourism without hindrance.
For these millions of people to be able to participate in tourism on equal terms, it is crucial that destinations develop universal accessibility measures.
Those destinations that create environments, products and services suitable for all will enhance their supply, enable a better tourist experience and improve the quality of life of the local population and visitors.
The Handbook on Accessible Tourism for All: Principles, Tools and Good Practices is a reference document for the tourism sector, as it proposes guidelines for achieving accessibility in destinations in the most efficient and wellplanned manner possible.
For the UNWTO, this Handbook forms part of its strategy for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism at the global level, encouraging key stakeholders to implement measures that result in greater participation of different population groups in tourism.
The Handbook was enriched by the knowledge the ONCE Foundation has acquired from more than 25 years of professional experience in the implementation of Universal Accessibility and Design for All projects, as well as from the support of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT).
It consists of five Modules that cover the main issues to be considered in the implementation of accessibility in tourism:
- Module I: Definition and context
- Module II: Chain of accessibility and recommendations
- Module III: Main areas of action
- Module IV: Indicators for studying accessibility in tourism
- Module V: Good practices
Download the free ebook here.
