Figures released this month by VisitEngland from the UK Tourism Survey show that overnight trips made by people who either have or are accompanied by someone with a health condition or impairment contributed almost £2bn to the English domestic visitor economy in 2009.
The New Zealand Tourist Board does not collect any statistics on visitors with physical disabilities or specialist needs. A new private survey will identify visitors' requirements and focus attention on accessible tourism provisions as preparations are under way for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
A new European Award for Accessible Cities has been launched by the European Commission, aiming to promote accessibility for people with disabilities in four areas: the built environment and public spaces, transport and related infrastructures, information and communication, including Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and public facilities and services.
The Regional Algarve Tourist Board (ERTA) has this week revealed its intention to improve facilities in the Algarve for the disabled tourists, aiming to make the region more adequate for their needs and in turn welcome a sector that had previously been unexplored.
The cream of English tourism was marked by the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2010 in Brighton on St George's Day, 23rd April. A total of 46 gold and silver winners were selected from more than 100 regional winners submitted by the nine regions in England. These were assessed by independent assessors and a team of judges to make it through to the national final.
In keeping with the South East of England's unique heritage as the birthplace of disability sport, which began some 60 years ago at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire, Tourism South East is leading on several ground breaking projects and aiming to be the UK’s most accessible region.
There are million-dollar strategies to turn B.C. into an accessible tourism destination. Then there is Hugh Tollett, who does it for free. Before Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. won the right to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Tollett believed the mountain resort town needed to find a way to be more accommodating of people with disabilities. But now he's concerned that without a bump from the Paralympics, the strong business case for putting resources into accessible tourism collapses and puts his work at risk.
Brian Seaman of Tourism for All UK reports: On Friday the 12th March, ITB Berlin, the largest tourism trade exhibition of its kind, hosted a two hour workshop on accessible tourism. Panellists discussed how Europe is meeting the needs of disabled visitors, followed by in-depth Questions and Answers.
For long Vuokatti is known worldwide for its superb sports and leisure facilities. It has been a regular host for all levels of athletes and individuals who enjoy practicing a physical activity in a purely natural and friendly setting. The Elma project is focussed on developing a sustainable, Universally Accessible destination for all.
Make it accessible! A project to promote barrier-free travelling for senior citizens and people with handicaps through innovative marketing strategies based on awareness of specific requirements, needs and active interest in social inclusion.
We are working in a national project (“Puedo Viajar”) funded by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Plan Avanza 2009), which aims to provide information and several services on Accessible Tourism through the internet.
The objective of the project is to develop nature tourism services for a wider scale of customers. Another aim is to support organisations providing nature tourism services in their development of accessible environments and services. In addition, an objective is to launch strategic and persistent development for evaluating, instructing, and classifying accessible nature tourism.
