Press | ENAT

European Appointment for Ireland in ENAT Board: Paudie Healy, Killarney

Ivor Ambrose — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 09:59:40 GMT

28.6.2017, Brussels. The European Network for Accessible Tourism is delighted to announce that Mr Paudie Healy, Universal Access, Ireland has been elected to its European Board of Directors today in Brussels.

Managing Director of the European Network for Accessible Tourism non-profit association (ENAT) Mr Ivor Ambrose went on to say that “Mr Healy brings a wealth of expertise and competence to the European Board in tourism for all and he will play a key part in the new four-year strategy on the development of the European organisation globally”.

Mr Healy said he was delighted to be elected to the 11 member European Board of Directors and thanked all the countries that voted for him. “I look forward to contributing to the ongoing development of tourism for all and especially to the development and roll out of the first global accreditation programme for tourism service providers by the European Network for Accessible Tourism and also to contributing to the European organisation’s growth and expansion strategy globally”.

Photo by ENAT. From left to right: Paudie Healy CEO, Universal Access Ireland, Anna Grazia Laura, President, European Network for Accessible Tourism, Efi Kalampoukidou, President, Federation of European Tourist Guides Associations, Ivor Ambrose Managing Director, European Network for Accessible Tourism, Girma Anuskeviciute, European Commission Tourism Unit.

The mission of the European Network for Accessible Tourism is to make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all travellers and to promote accessible tourism around the world.

European Appointment for Germany in ENAT Board: Rüdiger Leidner, DBSV

Ivor Ambrose — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 09:59:00 GMT

Rüdiger Leidner, photographed at the "Barrier-free Tourism Day", ITB Berlin 2016.

28.6.2017, Brussels. The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) is delighted to announce that Mr Rüdiger Leidner of the Deutscher Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband, (German Blind and Partially-Sighted Union) has been elected to its Board of Directors today in Brussels.

Managing Director of ENAT, Mr Ivor Ambrose, went on to say: “We warmly welcome Rüdiger Leidner to the ENAT Board. He brings not only his expertise as a German national and European economist but – since he is President of Tourism for All Germany (NatKo) - also a wealth of experience on matters concerning people with disabilities, with particular reference to the tourism sector. Rüdiger joins the ENAT Board at a time when we are developing new European and Global products for our members, enabling tourism businesses and destinations to work in a qualified way to welcome all tourists, and we look forward to bringing German experiences and methods into this work as an additional guarantee of quality”.

Mr. Leidner said: “Since tourism is the cross-boarder issue par excellence, the interests and needs of travellers with disabilities must be organised on an international level as well. I am happy and honoured to bring my experience in that field to the ENAT Board, to intensify the cooperation with ENAT that I already had as delegate of the German Blind and Partially-Sighted Union in the Annual General Assembly of ENAT.”

EU Partners Offer MOOC Online Course in Accessible Tourism

Ivor Ambrose — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 20:30:00 GMT

Partners in the EU Funded APP TOUR YOU Project consortium present an online course for small businesses in the tourism sector, addressing how to cater for tourists with specific access requirements. Registration is open to all and free of charge for a period of 8 weeks from 16 January 2017. Funding for the project is provided by the European Union ERASMUS+ Programme.

About ATY MOOC

The Accessible Tourism MOOC (#atymooc) is an e-Learning course for managers and staff of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector, providing them with basic knowledge and some of the key skills needed to serve customers with specific access needs.

Open to tourism professionals and students around the world
Joining the ATY MOOC is free of charge and is open to all who wish to improve their knowledge and skills in Accessible Tourism.

The course is available at: http://www.apptouryou.eu/mooc/login/signup.php
from 16^th January to 15^th March 2017. You can join now or at any time throughout the 8 week period.

Self-directed learning

The MOOC consists of 4 learning modules, each of 2 weeks’ duration. Trainees are expected to commit 6 hours per week to their online learning, while the course material extends to many more hours of study for those who wish to go further. The MOOC is designed as a multi-modal, interactive course with content drawn from best practice examples in Accessible Tourism practices, publications and specially prepared videos and presentations. Participants can choose their own “learning path” and work at their own pace. As a trainee you will be able to join the ATY MOOC social media forums and take part in four “Webinars” (live-streamed online “Google Hangouts” seminars on YouTube). Here, themes and questions will be introduced and trainees will have the possibility to chat with experts and tutors/facilitators.

The MOOC is available in the English language only. However, there are facilitators with other language backgrounds, (e.g. Italian, Polish, Spanish, Catalan, Slovenian...) working in the tourism industry and who have prior knowledge and training in accessible tourism. They will support trainees in the learning experience.

Learning outcomes
By following the ATY MOOC, you will:

Become familiar with the accessible tourism market; gaining an understanding of customers’ access needs and learning about the added value that you can bring to your business by catering for visitors with access needs
Learn how to provide services for tourists with access needs, at the same time improving the offer for all your guests
Observe (watching video footage) how an “Access Audit” of tourism facilities is carried out
Learn how to collect accessibility data about your own tourism facilities using a specially designed free mobile app
Understand the importance of giving accurate and reliable access information to customers and learn how to prepare an Access Guide for marketing your property or tourism venue
Have the opportunity to register your business, free of charge, with Pantou.org – the European Accessible Tourism Directory.

Course "Proof of Attendance"
At the end of the MOOC, participants who have completed the four modules can, optionally, take a short self-assessment test. Those who pass the test will receive a personalised “Proof of Attendance" sheet, confirming the MOOC Title and dates of the study.

Social Media Hashtags: #atymooc, #apptouryou

You can also find us at:

APP TOUR YOU Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/443482555856530/
APP TOUR YOU on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/apptouryou
APP TOUR YOU YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAkHjRuDpNVDA2wJoCUZyQg

Contact: info@apptouryou.eu

APP TOUR YOU Coordinator and Partners

TANDEM, Italy

Tandem is the coordinator of App Tour You. It is a social cooperative for the job insertion of people with disabilities, born in 1997 from a European project on tourism. It is expert in development of contact centers on disability issues and, accessible tourism information services and training. Tandem has developed and participated in many European projects in the field of accessibility, inclusion, and tourism for all.

ASM, Poland

ASM -Market Research and Analysis Centre is a private non-profit research SME founded in 1996 and specialized in socio-economic, market and business research and analysis. The company has extensive experience in both quantitative and qualitative research where quality is ensured by annual audit coordinated by Polish Association of Public Opinion and Marketing Research Firms. ASM is also a leader in the field of market research for the construction sector in Poland; a member of the European Construction Technology Platform and the coordinator of the Polish Construction Technology Platform. ASM has been Involved in projects connected with the training approach in the tourism sector, as well as the ICT & Ageing area. In 2011ASM was granted the status of a Research and Development Centre by the Polish Minister of Economy.

ENAT, Belgium

ENAT, the European Network for Accessible Tourism is a Belgian non-profit association, founded in 2008. Its mission is to make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all visitors and to help promote Accessible Tourism around the world. The website, www.accessibletourism.org is the Internet site of ENAT, holding over 2000 pages of items with more than 3000 documents, 100+ projects and good practices and 100+ global links related to Accessible Tourism. It is the largest Global resource base on accessible tourism in one website. ENAT also manages Pantou the European Accessible Tourism Directory, an online register of accessible tourism suppliers from across Europe.

Catalonia Directorate General for Tourism, Spain

Directorate General for Tourism is the body of the Government of Catalonia responsible for designing, coordinating and implementing tourist policies, developing planning tools, ordering and controlling tourist establishments, coordinating activities related to the analysis, the study, the knowledge, the research and the definition of strategies of tourism sector, enforcing inspection, sanction and tourism discipline authority related to the tourist establishments, and business and tourism activities.

HOTREC, Belgium

HOTREC represents the hotel, restaurant and café industry at European level. This industry includes around 1,8 million businesses, of which 99% are small and medium sized enterprises (91% of them micro enterprises, i.e. employing fewer than 10 people). These businesses make up some 59% of industry value added. The hospitality industry provides some 10.2 million jobs in the EU alone. Together with the other tourism industries, the sector is one of the largest industries in Europe. HOTREC brings together 43 national associations representing the sector in 29 different European countries.

INCIPIT, Italy

INCIPIT Consulting Soc. Coop. is a company formed in 2014 by a team of six professionals who have been operating in the field of tourism since the mid ’80s as researchers and trainers with both academic expertise and business knowledge. Leveraging the extensive experience gained by its members, Incipit Consulting conducts research studies and offers innovative and customized training and consultancy services to businesses and institutions operating in the tourism sector.

PREMIKI, Slovenia

Institute and travel agency “Premiki” is social entreprise dedicated to persons with disabilities, their families and friends. We believe in the concept “tourism for all”, where disability, age and other circumstances only challenge us on the way to create better, more inclusive and equitable everyday life.

Download this page in PDF Format from the right-hand panel.

Funded by Erasmus plus programme, strategic partnerships for VET, Project nr. 2015-1-IT01-KA202-004675, CUP G86G15000450006.

Disclaimer: This webpage reflects the views only of the authors, and the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Dubai - A Disability-Friendly City by 2020

Ivor Ambrose — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 05:55:00 GMT

Dubai, 5 October 2015, Press Release.

The Executive Council of Dubai announces the Dubai Inclusive Development Forum

- Al Shaibani: All the concerned authorities in Dubai are coming together to provide important and essential services for persons with disabilities.
- Al Kamda: Allocating special workshops during the forum contributes even more to the exchange of experiences and knowledge.
- Al Osaimi: We, in the UAE community, reached a high degree of great awareness on the capabilities of persons with disabilities.
- Dr. Alshafei: An event taking place in Dubai for the first time with the participation of experts and specialists from the United Arab Emirates.
- Six specialized workshops to discuss how to identify and address the obstacles and challenges to achieving inclusive development.
- These workshops are steered by a select group of international experts and experienced speakers in support of persons with disabilities.

The General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai held a press conference at Emirates Towers to announce the launch of the "Dubai Inclusive Development Forum" which will take place at Madinat Jumeirah on the 11th and 12th of October 2015. The press conference was attended by select representatives of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as local media.

Among attendees at the conference were H.E. Abdullah Al Shaibani, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai and Vice Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; H.E. Khaled Al Kamda, Director General of the Community Development Authority and Member of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Mr. Majid Al Osaimi, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee, Vice President of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation and Member of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and Dr. Salem Alshafei, Director of Policies and Programs, Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the General Secretariat of Executive Council of Dubai.

Joined Efforts

The "Dubai Inclusive Development Forum" will be the first of its kind event in the Emirate. It is a key move to achieve the aim of the 'My Community' initiative in establishing Dubai as a fully inclusive, disability-friendly city by the year 2020. Joining together the efforts of all concerned authorities in Dubai is also central in providing important and essential services for persons with disabilities. We look forward to uncover future plans and steps that will be taken to take full advantage of the opportunities available, and overcome any obstacles that may stand in the way of persons with disabilities", said H.E. Abdullah Al Shaibani, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai and Vice Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In this regard, H.E. Abdullah Al Shaibani pointed out the Law No. (2) Of 2014 on the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Emirate of Dubai." Issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the law aims to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy all their rights, enhances their respect, preserves their dignity and protects them from all forms of discrimination or abuse, as well as highlighting their potential abilities in contributing to the development of the community.

He added: "Furthermore, the new law envisages cooperation among all authorities concerned in Dubai to provide persons with disabilities health care, habilitation and rehabilitation services and educational opportunities that are equal to those provided to their peers at all stages. The law further stipulates providing persons with disabilities public services, including the use of roads, public transport, and utility services, in addition to an accessible environment ensuring their easy integration and access within the community".

Shaibani stressed that "His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, issued Law No. (3) Of 2014 on 'the establishment of the Higher Committee to protect the rights of persons with disabilities in the Emirate of Dubai, chaired by Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The law aims to implement the terms outlined and to supervise initiatives and activities being undertaken to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Hence, we confirm that joining efforts of the concerned government authorities in implementing successful concrete projects, have markedly contributed in complementing previous and current laws. We reassure today that this initiative has so far gained great support within the community and this, in turn, reflects the broad community awareness on the important and active role that persons with disabilities play as individuals who can make positive change like their peers".

Equal Opportunities

"My Community... A City for Everyone" initiative aims at providing equal opportunities to everyone in the community, including persons with disabilities. The initiative also strengthens social solidarity, cooperation and inclusive unity to best serve the community, thus eliminating all forms of discrimination or abuse, and eventually turning Dubai into a disability-friendly city that ensures proper nurturing, justice and equal opportunities" said H.E. Khaled Al Kamda, Director General of the Community Development Authority and Member of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

"The Dubai Inclusive Development Forum" is a platform for collective cooperation on five strategic pillars upon which the strategy for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities is based, including: social protection, availing public services and utilities, employment, education, health, habilitation and rehabilitation. Hence, the Forum will offer the opportunity to shed light on international experiences in these areas. Additionally, organizing special workshops during the forum will help impart knowledge and discuss these challenges with select international speakers", added H.E. Khaled Al Kamda.

"We look forward to promoting our community's culture, and providing a flexible life with equal opportunity for all persons with a disability. It is our duty to provide proper alternatives to ensure they live their lives and become active in the community like every other person in our society. It is also our duty to eliminate that sense of pity and charity towards persons with disabilities that still exists in some segments of our society and replace it with empowerment and respect for all."

Building Our Nation

"I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council for all his efforts in establishing "My Community.. A City for Everyone" initiative and the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, chaired by HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. These great efforts reflect the faith of our visionary leadership in persons with disabilities and their abilities to contribute in building our nation" said Mr. Majid Al Osaimi, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee, Vice President of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation and Member of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

"The people of the UAE have so far achieved a high level of awareness in recognizing the capabilities of persons with disabilities and are today increasingly involved in projects and collaborations with the concerned teams to implement bespoke policies and beneficial programs for persons with disabilities".

"The participation of persons with disabilities in such initial stages bolsters the success of these projects and programs. Through such steps, they can share insights and opinions based on their actual circumstances and practical needs. This complements our leaderships' vision in integrating persons with disabilities in the community and providing equal opportunities for them.

"We expect extensive participation from persons with disabilities in the initial stages to support the success of the programs and projects undertaken as they offer their opinions and thoughts on their own experiences and their needs. This in turns allows the successful implementation of the vision towards an inclusive society and the provision of equal rights for persons with disabilities in the society. We also expect extensive participation of persons with disabilities in the forum as a way for them and the various attending parties to exchange experiences and insights and benefit from the learnings of worldwide experiments. Our invited speakers will be discussing their experiences and sharing their knowledge in various fields which the relevant authorities should consider in their goals towards the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities".

Held For The First Time

For his part, Dr. Salem Ali Alshafei, Director of Policies and Programs, Rights of Persons with Disabilities at The Executive Council of Dubai explained that the "Dubai Inclusive Development Forum" is being held for the first time in Dubai on October 11 and 12, with the participation of select international and local experts, academics and specialists, and pointed to the distinct list of keynote speakers and participants associated with the cause, such as Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, Global Disability Advisor at the World Bank Group. McClain-Nhlapo will present a key paper entitled "Inclusive Planning and Policy Development", which will discuss translating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) into national and local development Strategies.

Additionally, Victor Calise, Commissioner of New York City's Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, will discuss "Achieving Inclusion in a Global Mega-city, a Case Study on New York", through which he will shed light on the challenges faced in New York City since releasing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Mr. Calise will then move to tackle the possibilities that have led to significant progress in the integration of persons with disabilities in the community, in addition to highlight New York's future objectives and plans in this area.

Alshafei added: "We are also delighted by the presence of Dr. Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), who will join us to speak about the importance of making the tourism industry accessible for persons with disabilities. He will take the podium to acknowledge techniques and methodologies that help develop integrating sustainable and inclusive tourism developments".

Alshafei also pointed to Dr. Peyvand Khaleghian, Managing Partner at Avicenna Partners, who will be among the participants to discuss the important role of innovation in inclusive development, namely providing rehabilitative means for people with complex and severe medical needs, as well as offering great opportunities which upgrade their life quality.

A Local Experience

Alshafei pointed out that local experiences also occupy an importance in the forum, as Mrs. Aisha A. Miran, Assistant Secretary General of the Strategy Management Sector of the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai will be addressing My Community's journey towards full inclusion in Dubai's vision for 2020. Mrs. Miran will also highlight corporate frameworks and strategic programs that will enable Dubai to achieve its ambitious vision of turning into an inclusive disability-friendly city by the year 2020.

One of the most important aspects of the forum is that it is comprised of six specialized technical workshops to identify and address the obstacles and challenges that stand in the way of full inclusive development in healthcare, education, social protection, employment, tourism and entertainment. A group of renowned experts will lead the workshops to impart experience to the task forces newly established by various departments, agencies and ministries of the local and federal government, which are responsible for monitoring the implementation of the programs, initiatives and projects in line with Dubai strategy for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities by 2020.

The forum complements "My Community... A City for Everyone" an initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council on November 9, 2013. The initiative aims at turning Dubai into an inclusive disability-friendly city by the year 2020. The initiative also aims to support the objectives of the Dubai Plan 2021 in creating a cohesive, coherent community, and to ensure that persons with disabilities can rely on themselves while being integrated into the community. The joint actions between all government authorities to support the development of strategic plans for Dubai will also contribute to empowering persons with disabilities, thus making Dubai a pioneering example for the world.

"My Community" is inclusive of all disabilities and stresses on equality for all people in the community. The initiative provides equal opportunities to persons with disabilities, through comprehensive policies and administrative procedures that go beyond the discriminating practices they face. Law No. (2) of 2014 "to protect the rights of people with disabilities in the Emirate of Dubai" was thus issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as the Ruler, in collaboration with various parties in Dubai, and provide health, education, employment and essential public services on an equal basis for everyone.

This forum comes in line with the Dubai 2021 goals and objectives to unleash Dubai's potential for diversity based on joint civil values that go beyond the relationships between a specific segment of society or cultural group. This includes religious and spiritual values along with cultural traditions and customs. These values can help achieve social cohesion and economic dynamism, as well as strengthen innovation and cultural development.

The forum will discuss integrating persons with disabilities, in addition to translating the UNCRPD into local laws and policies. The forum's main objective will be to take practical steps towards successful implementation. The discussions will focus on assessing the current situation in order to integrate persons with disabilities into the community. It will also address the quality of services provided to them, as this will help develop a comprehensive and equal environment for all. The forum will rely on successful international studies as criteria to determine Dubai's global role in empowering persons with disabilities.

The forum will witness participation from select spokesperson, academics, policy makers, researchers, government representatives and persons with disabilities, to concentrate and join their efforts to achieve a pioneer position in such areas. The forum will be a unique platform to assess and guide local and international experts on this segment of society. This will help develop the necessary training programs to implement the best practices and policies to overcome discriminating practices against persons with disabilities.

The "Dubai Inclusive Development Forum" will take place at the Jowharah Ballroom in Madinat Jumeirah on October 11 and 12 2015. For more information on the initiative, you may visit the website: www.mycommunitydubai.com.

-Ends-

For Media Enquiries:
Ibrahim Al Sobuh
Government Communication Department
The General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai
Phone: 04-4399327
Email: ibrahiem.alsobuh@tec.gov.ae
or
Ece Barlah
Rawaj International
Email: ece.b@rawajinternational.com:
Phone: +971508217665

Lonely Planet and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) join forces to promote inclusive tourism around the world

Ivor Ambrose — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 21:38:00 GMT

UPDATE: 10 August 2020.

Lonely Planet reduced its staff in May 2020, leading to the termination of employment of Martin Heng, ENAT's contact person at the company and manager of LP's Accessible Travel Guides. As a result, the MoU between ENAT and Lonely Planet has been withdrawn.

Martin Heng continues to collaborate with ENAT in his role as Honorary Member of the ENAT Board of Directors.

We thank Lonely Planet and Martin for the excellent cooperation throughout the last 5 years, which saw the publication of 3 editions of the Lonely Planet Accessible Travel Guide, developed in cooperation with a number of ENAT members and partners.

The information below is retained as a record of the MoU.

- Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director, ENAT.

Melbourne and Brussels, 27 July 2015. Global travel brand and guidebook publisher Lonely Planet and ENAT, the European non-profit association working for accessible inclusive tourism, have established a cooperation agreement to bring greater attention to the requirements of visitors with disabilities and other travellers with specific access needs.

Global travel brand and guidebook publisher Lonely Planet and ENAT, the European non-profit association working for accessible inclusive tourism, have established a cooperative agreement to bring greater attention to the requirements of visitors with disabilities and other travellers with specific access needs.
Their aim is twofold:

to show tourism suppliers and destinations around the world how they can benefit from reaching out to the accessible tourism market; and
to encourage people with a broad spectrum of access needs to explore their world with greater confidence so as to enjoy new experiences and the many benefits of travel.

Improving and sharing information about access

Signing the new Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of Lonely Planet, Accessible Travel Manager Martin Heng, who himself became disabled due to a cycling accident, remarked:
“...Large parts of the tourism sector are still unaware of the potential of the accessible travel market and how to meet these travellers’ needs. Thanks to our new partnership with ENAT we will be able to strengthen our efforts to improve information about access and make the accessible places and offers around the world better known to potential visitors. We have a growing community of travellers with access needs who are sharing information about how and where to travel, and we hope to see the supply of accessible destinations increase to meet the growing demand.”

ENAT President, Anna Grazia Laura, welcoming the agreement, adds:
“…The accessible tourism market is worth €150 billion in Europe alone but many businesses hold onto the mistaken belief that this is a ‘niche’ market in which it is difficult for them to turn a profit. In fact, good access and inclusive customer service should be everybody’s business! Through our studies and the work of our members in over 30 countries we are seeing that tourist destinations and suppliers who create inclusive, accessible offers are gaining more customers as a result. The market is extremely diverse and includes the growing numbers of seniors, visitors with disabilities and families with small children.”

Laura concludes: “We are really excited to be working with Lonely Planet, bringing ENAT’s members and partners closer to the worldwide customer base that seeks accessible offers. This is a great opportunity for bringing a fresh and innovative spirit to the tourism sector. With our cooperation agreement we will be connecting with communities and businesses around the world, aiming to fulfil our mission to make all destinations accessible for everyone.”

As a result of their new Memorandum of Understanding, Lonely Planet’s Travel for All Google+ community will be connected with ENAT’s web and social media channels, and the two partners will collaborate in joint promotion of each other’s initiatives through publications, tourism conferences, events and incentive programmes.

In the last two years Lonely Planet has turned the spotlight on accessible travel, collecting and sharing information about accessible destinations and activities with its global following via its Travel for All community and Martin Heng’s Twitter account (@Martin_Heng).

Lonely Planet’s first access guide, Accessible Melbourne – developed by a team led by Heng and available at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/accessible-melbourne – offers relevant advice for visitors with mobility, hearing and visual impairments. Offered as a free e-book, it has proved to be a great success with more than 10,000 downloads since its publication in December 2014.

To Editors:

Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel media company, supplying inspiring and trustworthy information for those planning a trip, on the road or browsing as an armchair traveller. 2013 marked the company’s 40th anniversary and to-date, Lonely Planet has printed over 130 million books in 13 languages to almost every destination on the planet. It also boasts mobile apps, a complete ebook portfolio, an award-winning website, and a dedicated traveller community. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com, join us on Facebook and Twitter (@lonelyplanet and #lp).

The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) is a non-governmental association established under Belgian law, with the aim of promoting accessible tourism on a non-profit basis.

ENAT’s mission is to make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all visitors and to help promote Accessible Tourism around the world.
ENAT seeks to further the development of accessible tourism at an international level, meaning to make travel and tourism everywhere possible, safe and comfortable for all, including people with disabilities, seniors, families with small children and others who have specific access requirements.
ENAT members include over 150 member organisations in more than 30 countries in Europe and overseas.

Friend ENAT on Facebook

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EU Study: Stronger Commitment Needed to Meet Growing Accessible Tourism Demand in Europe

Ivor Ambrose — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:17:00 GMT

Schloss Schönbrunn, Vienna, one of the report's Case Studies, displays information on Barrier-Free Access prominently on its Website.

A new study on the supply of accessible tourism services in the EU Member States, financed by the European Parliament, shows that there is a general lack of provisions for visitors with access needs.

Greater commitment and cooperation is needed between tourism authorities, destinations and enterprises, if supply is to meet the growing demand for accessibility, especially from increasing numbers of senior travellers, many of whom face access difficulties.

In Europe as a whole the study found that over 3 million tourism businesses are not prepared to cater adequately to the accessibility market. By 2020, an additional 1.2 million enterprises need to provide accessible services in order to accommodate the lowest forecasted demand. Thus, there is a strong rationale for targeted actions by policymakers to improve support structures and incentives that will foster the growth if accessible services and to market these services to travellers within Europe and those from other source markets.

The study gathered data from a wide range of sources, showing that an estimated 9% of Europe’s tourism services already have some level of provision for travellers with specific access needs. However, the distribution of accessible services is highly uneven across Europe.

On the positive side, the report shows that a number of leading destinations and “mainstream” suppliers are integrating accessibility measures into their products and services, enabling them to serve a wider market, thus making their business more sustainable over the long term.

The “front-runner” countries, with the greatest numbers of accessible services, are France, Italy, Spain and the UK. These and other countries have invested not only in adapting and building accessible infrastructure but also in developing staff training schemes focusing on disability awareness and accessibility as part of customer service training. This, in turn, helps to give customers the confidence to travel with greater security, knowing that their needs will be met.

Lack of services for visitors with disabilities

The study has confirmed the general impression that where accessible services are offered, the vast majority of these address the needs of people with reduced mobility due to motor difficulties or impairments.

Visitors who have other access requirements, such as those who need services for people with low vision or reduced hearing or special diets, are under-served in the market.

Visitors with intellectual disabilities or learning difficulties are the least served of all customer groups.

Lack of services for these groups means that their travel choices are limited - but it also implies "lost" income to tourism providers.

Business barriers

The study has identified important gaps in awareness and knowledge about accessible tourism among suppliers.

The European Commission’s tourism policy officer, Antonella Correra, states: “One important result of this study is that the first barrier is not the lack of financing. There is a perception that accessibility is expensive but when businesses were asked, it was mainly the lack of available guidance that holds them back. Knowing what needs to be done to make their services more accessible is the primary issue.”

Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director of the European Network for Accessible Tourism, which carried out the study together with VVA European consultants and EWORX S.A., adds: ”The study shows that businesses are largely unaware or cautious of the market potential and the business case for investing in the accessible tourism market.”

Referring to some of the good practices that the study has identified, Ambrose continues: “We have developed fifteen Case Studies, from Rovaniemi, the home of Santa Claus in Finland, to Paris Région - the world’s number one city for tourism. The studies highlight destinations that are working to create accessible itineraries and experiences for seniors, people with disabilities and families with small children, enabling these customers to enjoy a visit on equal terms with everyone else. Experiences from these destinations have been used to draw up recommendations and explain the tools and methods that other aspiring accessible tourism destinations and suppliers can adopt. We hope these will be a source of ideas and inspiration to many destinations and businesses”.

The study points to evidence that improvements to accessibility, whether they are in infrastructure or in many kinds of service, can increase sales, encourage repeat visits and bring higher average spend. However, proving the business case for accessible tourism is still a challenge in many areas. More regular and systematic market data is required in EU countries to guide business investors and public sector actors.

Another recent EU study of tourism demand has estimated that the accessible tourism market in Europe is made up of over 138 million people, of which only about half are regular travellers. The gross value added contribution of those who did travel in 2012 was estimated at 150 Billion Euro and the direct contribution to employment was about 4.2 million persons.

Accessibility - boosting tourism business, improving local communities

The Supply Study concludes that ‘mainstreaming’ accessible tourism policies in destinations can enhance the quality of tourism products for all visitors, as well as providing a pathway to local development. "It has been shown that, with stronger cooperation between decision-makers, destination managers, suppliers and the third sector, the focus on accessibility can lead to new jobs and business opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors" says Ambrose, concluding: "This recipe can give a boost to the tourism industry and also improve conditions generally for local communities".

Recommendations from the study are being adopted in the current EU tourism development programmes, in particular through support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to improve their staff skills for serving customers with various access needs and to develop accessible itineraries and supply networks.

Download this Press Release and image file from the right-hand panel.

References and links

EU Study Final Report and Annexes: Mapping and Performance Check of the Supply of Accessible Tourism Services in Europe

Annex 1. 15 Accessible Tourism Destination Case Studies

EU Supply Study - Short description

"Are we there yet?" High-level Panel Discussion on Destination Development at World Travel Market - WTM 2014

Ivor Ambrose — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:49:00 GMT

Photo - Travel, leisure, lifestyle by Photability.net

ENAT – the European Network for Accessible Tourism, in association with VisitFlanders, main sponsor of World Travel Market, presents a panel discussion with leading National Tourist Organisations and tourism researchers at this year’s WTM, promising new insights into destination management and development.

Preparing your Destination for the Accessible Tourism Market:
Lessons from Research and Practice

Date: Tuesday 4th November 2014
Time: 16:00 - 17:30
Location: Premier Room 1. Ex-Cel, London.
(Follow the poppy floor tiles VISITFLANDERS @ S1).

Adding value to tourism

We’ve talked before about focusing on accessibility to improve brand reputation and customer care. Now we’ll reveal what some of the best destinations are doing in practice and how they are adding value to tourism by catering for the wider market.

New research results

Results of three new major studies of Accessible Tourism in Europe: Demand, Supply and Skills Requirements, conducted for the European Commission, will be outlined and discussed by their respective researchers, pointing to recommended policies and actions for NTOs and DMOs.

Going beyond the slogans and good intentions, the speakers will give their views on “how far we have come” and lay out the innovative strategies and approaches that can deliver successful accessible destinations, cities, regions and countries.

Ms. Antonella Correra from the European Commission’s Unit for Tourism and Cultural Instruments will moderate the session and will also deliver some remarks on the European Union’s Preparatory Action on Accessible Tourism.

Panel speakers:

Mr. Ross Calladine, Head of Business Support, VisitEngland, UK
Ms. Katrien Mampaey & Pieter Ghijsels, VisitFlanders, Belgium
Mr. Olaf Schlieper, German National Tourist Board, Germany
Prof. Graham Miller, School of Tourism Management, University of Surrey, UK
Ms. Severine Guisset, Project Manager GfK, Belgium
Mr. Chris Veitch, Accessible Tourism Consultant, ENAT
Ms. Kei Ito, Researcher, Valdani Vicari & Associati (VVA), UK

There will be opportunities for members of the audience to put questions to the speakers.

ENAT and VisitFlanders welcome WTM visitors to join this essential forum.

Download this announcement in PDF format from the right-hand panel.

Further information:

ENAT – European Network for Accessible Tourism asbl.
Contact: Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director
Email: enat@accessibletourism.org
Web: http://www.accessibletourism.org

Venue Address:
ExCeL - London
1 Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock
London Docklands, E16 1XL
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7069 4000
Website: www.excel-london.co.uk

WTM official website: www.wtmlondon.com/

World Travel Market - the leading global event for the travel industry - is a vibrant must attend business-to-business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and International travel professionals. It is a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business.

Presented by:

New European Accessible Tourism Directory, ‘Pantou’ connects travellers and suppliers

Ivor Ambrose — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 17:40:00 GMT

Looking for accessible tourism services?
Photo: Photoability.net
A flight of stairs without alternative ramp access, ‘No Entry’ for Guide dogs or lift buttons without tactile information – all these barriers and many more can make travelling a real challenge for people with a disability or other access needs. Any trip has to be planned in advance down to the last detail when you are disabled and just finding a website with the right access information has always been a problem.

That is until now. Pantou.org, a new online directory of accessible tourism suppliers is helping travellers find Europe’s accessible accommodation, restaurants, transportation and other services, making it much easier to discover places to go and things to do – comfortably and safely. Pantou-listed tourism suppliers have their own Pantou profile page, making them visible to the increasing numbers of visitors who are dependent on accessible venues and services.

Rolling out across Europe

The Pantou directory (- Pantou means “everywhere” in Greek) is supported by the European Commission with the aim of providing a single source of information about accessible suppliers. It is something that disabled visitors have been demanding for many years.

“There are already many tourism suppliers in Europe who have made efforts to make their business more accessible. But until now, there wasn’t a single platform where travellers could search for those suppliers“, says Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the European Commission and responsible for tourism policy within the Enterprise and Industry portfolio. “With European populations getting older and in need of better access, it is becoming more and more important to provide high quality information for visitors with accessibility needs“, he emphasises.

Vice-President Tajani sees Pantou as the “missing link” that can help people with access needs to plan their future travels more easily. It can also encourage tourism businesses to invest in the accessibility of their services. “This is a win-win situation. For the tourists, it makes travelling more enjoyable and stress-free and for suppliers, being visible on Pantou provides them with more potential clients“.

Accessible suppliers reaching global markets

Pantou does not aim to replace existing regional or national accessible tourism information platforms. Instead it works with them to extend their reach to European and global markets. Already 16 such access information schemes across Europe are collaborating with Pantou to add their suppliers to the directory. Pantou may be the first point of contact for tourists with access needs travelling in Europe but it will still rely on the efforts of destinations and suppliers at the local level to make their detailed access information available to tourists. Suppliers wanting to register may either indicate which accessibility scheme they already belong to or fill in an accessibility statement available from Pantou.org. The Pantou service is free for both suppliers and tourists.

Prize draw

Pantou held a prize draw among the accessible suppliers registered up to 31st December 2013. The lucky winners and prizes are:

Wisteria static caravans, Morecambe, UK – an iPad Mini,
HereWeGo web application, Portugal – a Kindle Fire and
TravAbility travel agency, Australia - a management handbook.

The prize draw will be repeated on 31st January 2014, when three more winning suppliers will be drawn: an extra reason for accessible tourism suppliers to register with Pantou.

Pantou.org is being developed by EWORX S.A, ENAT and VVA.

Download this Press Release in PDF and MS WORD formats from the right-hand panel.

Download the Pantou Press Kit from the right-hand panel.

One Year to the '1st World Summit on Destinations for All' in Montreal, Canada, October 2014

Ivor Ambrose — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Save the Date: 19-22 October 2014, Montreal.
Tourism, Culture and Transportation. A Common Strategy at the International Level

The First World Summit on Destinations for All will be held in Montreal in October 2014.The Summit aims to establish an international strategy to develop inclusive tourism. Mr. André Vallerand and Mr. Ivor Ambrose are the co-chairs of this prestigious, one-of-a-kind event.

“The development of universal accessibility of infrastructures, tourism services, and transport services cannot be done without a global partnership: we must share our knowledge and best practices for dissemination, and convince our partners that sustainable development must be inclusive.”
- André Vallerand, Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), President of the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations, and co-chair of the Summit.

“Tourism for All is not only a question of human rights, but it is also a target market that investors should consider. Destinations that can offer accessible experiences for all their visitors will see a favourable return on their investments, as demographic change brings greater numbers of older travellers who tend to stay longer and travel throughout the year.”
- Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) and co-chair of the Summit.

“We need not only international standards, but also an independent evaluation mechanism or a certification in order to properly inform the clientele of accessible conditions in an establishment and/or a destination.”
- André Leclerc, CEO of Keroul and instigator of the World Summit Destinations for All.

International Support

Several prestigious international organizations have joined this event, including the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO), the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED), the ONCE Foundation in Spain, and the Tourisme & Handicaps Association in France .

Confirmed sponsors include:

The Ministère des Relations internationales du Québec
The Ministère du Tourisme du Québec
Transports Québec
Tourisme Montréal

Background to the Summit

This Summit comes at a crucial turning point in the international economy for the development of inclusive tourism, as discerned by these facts:

In October 2011, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on mobility and inclusion of people with disabilities and the European Disability Strategy 2010 - 2020 in favour of people with disabilities;
The international standard ISO 21542 on the accessibility of the built environment for people with disabilities was launched in December 2011;
In 2013, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO-ICAO) published its Manual on Access to Air Transport by Persons with Disabilities;
On September 11, 2013, the World Tourism Organization released its revised Recommendations on Accessible Tourism for All;
On September 25, 2013, France launched a call for nominations to territories wishing to take advantage of the label "Destination for all" ;
The French Republic law for the integration of disabled people established January 1, 2015 as the deadline for the accessibility of facilities open to the public;
At the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in July 2013, the co-chair of the UN Committee on Sustainable Development Goals made a clear link between sustainable development and the inclusion of persons with disabilities;
The United Nations has initiated discussions with the international community to determine the goals the UN will follow after the end of the Millennium Development Goals in 2015.

Conditions are therefore timely and conducive for establishing a global partnership to develop Tourism Destinations for All.

Internationally renowned invited speakers from business, government, NGO and academic sectors will inform, enlighten and engage with the Summit participants in three days of plenaries and workshops.

Organisations and businesses are welcome to exhibit their products and services and plan Side Events at the Summit.

Save the dates 19-22 October 2014. Join us in Montreal!

The World Summit Destination for All will be held at the Palais des congrès de Montreal, from the 19th to 22nd of October 2014.

We invite all destination managers, tourism service providers, municipalities, researchers and the entire international community involved in tourism development to reserve the dates and join us at the World Summit in Montreal, Canada.

The Steering Committee invites individuals or organizations - practitioners and scientists, wishing to share their experience and point of view, to participate in the Summit.

A description of the themes and issues that will be addressed during the event Summit can be found on our Web site, www.destinationspourtous2014.com.

Call for Abstracts

The Call for Abstracts for the Summit conference, Practitioners' Track and Scientific Track, will open in November 2013.

Submissions will be invited for oral presentations, workshops, posters or videos.

For more information, please visit our website www.destinationspourtous2014.com.

Planning Meeting for the 1st MENA-ENAT (Euro-Arab) Dead Sea Accessible Tourism for All and Jordan 4 All Forum & Expo, 23-25 October 2013

Ivor Ambrose — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 07:18:00 GMT

Amman, Jordan, 8 July 2013.

HRH Prince Raad of Jordan is determined to give his full support to make the 1st MENA-ENAT (Euro-Arab) Dead Sea Accessible Tourism for All and Jordan 4 All Forum & Expo a success and a platform for a positive change to happen in Jordan.

The event, scheduled for 23-25 October 2013, will mark a new chapter in the promotion of measures to support disabled citizens in Jordan and cater for visitors with access requirements, building on the country’s acclaimed policies and actions in support of the rights of people with disabilities.

HRH Prince Raad Bin Zeid, Chamberlain to the Royal Court of Jordan and President of Jordan Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disabilities (JHCD), chaired in Amman on Monday 8th July 2013 a preparatory meeting for the 1st MENA-ENAT (Euro-Arab) Forum & Expo at the JHCD headquarters. HRH called for the meeting to announce the date of the 1st Euro-Arab event, which will take place from 23rd-25th October 2013, at the Crowne Plaza Dead Sea Resort & Spa.

The objectives of the event are :

To promote inclusive design and accessible tourism for all in the Arab region and Jordan in particular
To exchange best practices between European and Arab partners, in order to serve tourists and travellers of both markets with disabilities, older visitors and other customers with access needs
To support ENAT-MENA members to establish the 1st Arab-Network for Accessible Tourism (ANAT).

The event will be organised in cooperation between Jordan MICE and MENA-ENAT Regional Representative.

The meeting was attended by a number of public, private and NGOs tourism stakeholders including the Director of Jordan Tourism Board, Chairman of Jordan Tour Guides Association, Royal Jordanian Airlines Public Relationship Department, Chairman of Jordan Association of Friends of Archaeology & Heritage, Director of Jordan Museum, the Regional InterContinental Hotels Group IHG, Jordan Hotels Association, Jordan Federation for Tourism Associations, Commissioner of Investment & Tourism of Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Tourism Police Department, the Dead Sea Development & Free Zones Commission and a number of Jordanian and Arab media TV and news agencies.

Photo: HRH Prince Raad Bin Zeid chairing the preparatory meeting for the 1st MENA-ENAT (Euro-Arab) Forum & Expo at the JHCD headquarters on Monday 8th July.

Preparatory meeting, 1st MENA-ENAT (Euro-Arab) Forum & Expo at the JHCD headquarters.

The meeting began with a short speech by Mahmoud Jarah-Chairman of Jordan MICE, to thank HRH Prince Raad for hosting the meeting and Jordan MICE & ENAT appreciations for HRH to be the patronage of the event and concluded with a brief on the event message and objectives.

This was followed by a speech by HRH Prince Raad, who clearly and strongly voiced the right of persons with disabilities for access and free movements globally and shared his personal experience on the challenges he faces visiting hotels and other tourism facilities including historical and heritage sites and called on the commitment of all the meeting participants to support the success of the event and said Jordan should seize this opportunity to develop its own accessible tourism for all strategy for the coming 5 years and concluded by welcoming ENAT cooperation in the event and its efforts in promoting accessible tourism in the region and warmly welcomed on behalf of Jordan to host an ENAT-MENA Regional Office in Amman.

The meeting continued with a presentation by Ibrahim Abu-Helil, MENA-ENAT Regional Representative, who shed light on the importance of the development of the accessible tourism market for Jordan, indicating economic and employment benefits in all aspects and the correlation between accessible tourism and the Dead Sea as a medical tourism destination.

He emphasised the growing number of the ageing population in the Arab region and the importance for establishing networking within the region and an Euro-Arab platform for exchanging best practices in planning and developing access information, communication, marketing and infrastructure for the future; to make both regions accessible for its people and tourists, and also offer top services, responding to the rights of people who need access, involving people with disabilities in society and integrating them in employment.

He concluded that both regions should develop a strategy to work together closely, because the Arab region has more than 50 million and Europe has an accessible tourism market estimated at more than 133 million persons, including persons with disabilities and other access needs and the total of the 183 million people would all be potential travellers and tourists if they would be provided with access along the chain of the tourism service providers from arrival to departure. This flow of tourists would serve the mutual benefit of the tourism markets of the two regions.

The meeting ended with an open discussion between the participants and HRH and the following recommendations which are being taken up

The Jordanian national museums and heritage sites will be working to make their sites accessible
Expanding the current plan for more accessible restaurants in cooperation between the JHCD and Jordan Restaurants Association
JTB to disseminate the promotional signage film on Jordan in sign language for hearing impaired tourists
Expanding the current training programs of tour guides to cover different languages
By the end quarter of the 2013, ASEZA will be increasing the capacity of accessible rooms in Aqaba hotels between 5-10% of each hotel and by the end of the event agreed upon hosting an accessible team of experts to visit Aqaba with purpose to assist Aqaba to be more accessible and to discuss how to be as the MENA accessible pilot project
Plan to develop the airport and Jordanian Airlines to work with all partners to meet the accessibility guidelines as much as possible.
The go ahead with the current plan, which is the implementation of Accessibility / Universal Design Guidelines for their pipeline project named Dead Sea Port.

The meeting concluded with a call for further preparation meetings with other prominent parties to set up action plan for the event in Aqaba and Dead Sea.

HRH Prince Raad is determined to give his full support to make this event a success and to be a platform for positive change in Jordan.

Download Press Release in PDF format from the right-hand panel.

Press Contact

Mr. Ibrahim Abu-Helil
Chairman & CEO
RIA Tourism Gate Consulting Limited
P.O Box 39316 – Amman –Jordan 111104
Email: iabuhelil@gmail.com
Mobile: 00962 777460005
Skype: samirabushra
ENAT Website: www.accessibletourism.org
ENAT Email: enat@accessibletourism.org

New Tourist Guide Training to Benefit Tourists with Disabilities

Ivor Ambrose — Thu, 30 May 2013 11:51:00 GMT

Photo. An autistic child joins in watching a woodworking demonstration at Lejre Middle Ages Centre, Denmark, by Birgitte Bjørn, Landsforeningen Autisme Denmark. Used with permission.

Enjoying travel and tourism is not always easy for people with intellectual and learning difficulties and their families.

In response to this challenge, FEG - the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations, and a group of partners from the tourism and disability sectors has started a training initiative, “T-Guide”, to train official qualified tourist guides in the skills that can help them give this group of tourists a better experience and understanding of Europe’s cultural and historical sites.

The internet-based training will be offered free of charge to tourist guides and will help them adjust their guiding to the needs of this target group. The course will be tested by creating a trial tourist itinerary for intellectually disabled visitors and the overall training will provide a framework for training and skills assessment at EU level. This should result in a wider range of guided tours for visitors in European countries and lead to new job opportunities for tourist guides and for the tourism industry.

Organisations of people with disabilities and their families will be involved in developing the learning programmes and tools for professionals, ensuring that the training will meet the needs of these visitors.

Behind the T-Guide training course is a group of nine organisations supported by the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme, ”Leonardo Da Vinci”. The lead partner is the Polish University Społeczna Akademia Nauk, Lodz.

On behalf of the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (FEG), the Executive Officer & FEG European Tourist Guide Trainer, Efi Kalamboukidou states: "The T-GuiDE project is a great opportunity for us, the qualified tourist guides across Europe, to develop new skills in guiding people with intellectual disability and learning difficulties to the cultural and natural heritage of the countries we are qualified to guide in. It is always a challenge to try something new in our work as guides, to explore more fields of employment and innovation and at the same time to follow the guidelines of the established CEN European Standard EN15565:2008 for the training of tourist guides in Europe. I'm certain it will be a very interesting and fruitful project co-operation, as many esteemed partners are involved in it".

Mr. Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director of ENAT, The European Network for Accessible Tourism, one of the T-Guide partners, notes: ”We are witnessing a re-orientation of the tourism sector with more attention being paid to ‘Accessible Tourism for All’, which aims to deliver safe, comfortable and enjoyable tourism experiences for the entire tourism market, including people with disabilities, seniors and others with specific access requirements. We expect that the T-Guide training will improve Tourist Guides’ professional skills and give them a better understanding of visitors’ needs; this will make a great contribution to the quality of the tourism offer at the destinations where they work.”

Gunta Anca, President of The Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations, and partner in the project adds: “In Latvia, a country that was part of the Soviet Union for many years, until recently, people with disabilities could not even dream about the possibilities to travel. Their destinies were – to live at home, and maybe sometimes to have some work, to earn some money to survive. To have leisure time activities - not even speaking about tourism – was not supposed to happen. Now everything has changed - opened up a huge opportunity to travel for all - but our country still does not have knowledge enough to offer equal opportunities for people with different kinds of disabilities. Quite many things have been done already for wheelchair users and blind people so access is provided for them in touristic attractions. Unfortunately we are not aware enough about special problems of accessibility for people with intellectual disabilities. We are really pleased to be involved in this project, as we hope that together with our partners from different EU countries we will be able to find new and interesting solutions for this group of people – to making their trips interesting and easy to understand.”

Carolin Gosch, of Lebenshilfe GUV, Austria, another partner adds: “The Lebenshilfe GUV has been working for many years on the aim to support people with intellectual disabilities in participating in social life. Inclusion means for us that people with intellectual disabilities can also participate in leisure, education and culture. From our perspectives, T-GuIDE is an excellent project for the tourism sector and tourist guides to raise awareness on the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and to enable people with intellectual disabilities to participate in this interesting and exciting part of life.”

The Consortium

The T-GuIDE consortium is made up of nine organisations, including small enterprises, non-governmental organisations and non-profit organisations, vocational and educational training providers, foundations and European networks.

Austria		LEBENSHILFE-GUV www.lebenshilfe-guv.at
Belgium		European Network for Accessible Tourism asbl. www.accessibletourism.org
France		European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations www.feg-touristguides.org
Italy		ASIS - Consorzio Cooperative Sociali www.consorzioasis.it
Latvia		The Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations www.sustento.lv
Poland		Społeczna Akademia Nauk w Łodzi www.swspiz.pl
Spain		Fundación Pública Andaluza El Legado Andalusí www.legadoandalusi.es
Spain		Instituto de Formación Integral, S.L.U. www.ifi.com.es
United Kingdom		Minster Development Centre Ltd. www.minsterdevelopmentcentre.co.uk

T-GuIDE contact details

Mr. Lorenzo Scirocco, Coordinator
ASIS - Consorzio Cooperative Sociali
Email: lorenzo.scirocco@consorzioasis.eu
Tel. +39 081 292481

Web link: http://www.accessibletourism.org/?i=enat.en.enat_projects_and_good_practices.1431

Download this Press Release in PDF or WORD format from the right-hand panel in German (DE), Greek (EL), English (EN), Italian (IT), Latvian (LV) or Spanish (ES).

EU legal disclaimer: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects only the views the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained herein.

New European Accessible Cities Award "will stimulate Tourism for All"

Ivor Ambrose — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:07:00 GMT

Photo: Berlaymont Building, Brussels. (European Commission)

The European Commission has announced a new, annual European Award for Accessible Cities.

The award aims to promote accessibility for people with disabilities in four areas: the built environment and public spaces, transport and related infrastructures, information and communication, and public facilities and services.

The four finalists of the European competition will be invited to attend the award ceremony that will take place in Brussels on 2 and 3 December 2010 at the European Day of People with Disabilities conference. The winner of the European competition will receive the 'European Award for Accessible Cities 2011' and will feature prominently in activities to promote accessibility at European level during 2011.

In addition, a special 'European Champion for Accessible Cities' award will be made to recognise the work of a network of cities or initiatives.

Commenting on the awards, Mr. Ivor Ambrose, (photo) Managing Director of the European Network for Accessible Tourism, the industry watchdog and advisory group said, ”From the perspective of the tourism industry, the European Awards for Accessible Cities are a welcome initiative. We hope these awards will give recognition to cities that have been directing investment towards accessible tourism facilities and services. It should also stimulate cities across Europe to put even more effort into 'Tourism for All' – catering to all visitors who need good access”.

He continued, ”Disabled visitors, older travellers and families with small children can all benefit from better access in accommodation, attractions and public transport. Many barriers must still be removed and well-designed services are also very much needed. Cities can profit enormously if they gain a reputation for being accessible and welcoming, not only for holiday tourists but also for the business and conference sector”.

Recent statistics from VisitEngland show that guests with disabilities and long-term health problems, with their accompanying travellers, made up 11% of the visitor overnight stays in 2009, with a value of 2 billion pounds. Trips by this group tend to be longer than average and as a result their spend per trip is higher.

More information

European Award for Accessible Cities on the European Commission website

ENAT offers city authorities their own promotional web page: Accessible Cities Profile Page

ENAT Partners Win EU Commission Support Grant for SMEs' Sustainable Tourism Network

Ivor Ambrose — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:35:00 GMT

The European Commission's Enterprise and Industry Directorate today announced the funding of three new networking initiatives for Small and Medium-sized Enterprise in the tourism sector.

The new SME networks have the aim of strengthening the knowledge and understanding of practices that link sustainability and competitiveness in a mutually reinforcing way.

ENAT is leading one of the transnational partnerships, "Competitiveness for European Tourism for All - CETA" which will show how applying accessibility principles in smaller and medium-sized tourism enterprises can improve the quality of the visitor experience, enhance competitive advantage in the market and contribute to a more sustainable business.

Mr. Ivor Ambrose, Coordinator of the CETA initiative, comments, "We welcome this chance to work closely with tourism SMEs on the accessibility front. With extra resources and a dedicated trans-national team, we aim to help businesses become confident about access."
Mr. Ambrose adds: "SMEs are specialists when it comes to giving a flexible and personal customer service. Some are beginning to realise that their business can benefit by catering for visitors who are disabled, elderly or have other access requirements. And besides this, some EU Member States now have laws which demand 'reasonable accommodation' for customers with disabilities. This network will focus on raising awareness and giving SMEs the tools to take the first steps towards making their business accessible".

The Commission will finance 50% of the CETA project's 200,000 Euro budget over the 18-month period January 2009 - June 2010.

CETA Project Partners:

Consorzio Sociale CO.IN Società Cooperativa Sociale (Italy)
National Tourism Association (Slovenia)
Vellinge Municipality and “Destination Söderslätt” (Sweden)
Tourism för alla i Sverige (Sweden)
University of Surrey, School of Management (UK)

CETA Project Objectives:

create a sustainable European Network for tourism SMEs which want to add sustainability and accessibility to their products and services;
deliver knowledge and good practice examples to stimulate SMEs’ capacity to adopt new innovative methods, making their offers more competitive and sustainable;
create and distribute tools for training SME personnel in accessible and sustainable tourism practices;
promote marketing of sustainable destinations, involving SMEs in public-private partnerships of regional tourism networks.

A networking website will play a central role in bringing businesses together and delivering information to SMEs.
Membership of the SMEs' Network is free of charge.

Visit the external CETA website: Accessible Tourism Network for SMEs

Visit the ENAT Resources page for the CETA Project

The official launch of the network will take place in an Open Workshop in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Thursday 12 March 2009.
View: more details about the Open Workshop

Read more about the Commission's tourism SME networking initiative and the three new SME's networks at the European Commission Website.

Downloads in PDF format from the right-hand panel:

CETA Flyer in English
CETA Flyer in Slovenian
CETA Press Release of 11 March 2009 (in Slovenian)
The European Commission's announcement of the winners of the 2008 Call for proposals in PDF

ENAT and Design for All Foundation Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Ivor Ambrose — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:06:00 GMT

The Design for All Foundation, based in Barcelona, (Spain) and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ensuring long-term cooperation between the two associations for the promotion of better access for all citizens in Europe.

Download the Press Release in PDF format, in English or Spanish, from the right-hand column or read the ENAT News article.

UNWTO Becomes Honorary Associate Member of European Network for Accessible Tourism

Ivor Ambrose — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:52:00 GMT

Today the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has taken up Honorary Associate Membership of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) with Observer status in the meetings of the association.

In a letter to ENAT, Marina Diotallevi, Chief of the 'Cultural, Social and Ethical Aspects of Tourism' Section at UNWTO expressed how she looks forward "...to our organisations' renewed cooperation for the promotion of accessible tourism for all".

The UNWTO's former Chief of 'Market' Section, Mr. Henryk Handszuh (now retired) was instrumental in forging the first links between UNWTO and ENAT, having played an active role in the Inaugural General Meeting of the ENAT project in May 2006 and again as a Session Chairperson at the ENAT International Congress in Spain, November 2007.

The UNWTO's resolution on 'Accessible Tourism for All' (2005) is recognised as a key reference document for guiding the development of the tourism sector along the path of greater accessibility.

Also of importance to work on equal access to tourism is the UNWTO's 'Global Code of Ethics for Tourism' (1999) which sets a frame of reference for the responsible and sustainable development of world tourism.

Commenting on the start of UNWTO's honorary membership, Managing Director of ENAT, Mr. Ivor Ambrose, stated: "We are very pleased to re-kindle our good relations with the UNWTO on the subject of accessible tourism.
"With the recent ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, countries are now committed - under article 30 - to promoting participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport for people with disabilities. This is a truly global concern which must be tackled by raising the quality standards of the tourism industry as a whole.
"We will support implementation of the convention's objectives on tourism and leisure by bringing ENAT members into contact with UN Member States and business partners who are looking for guidance, good practice and concrete solutions in the field of accessible tourism".

More information on the UN Convention is available from the ENAT News Page at the following link:
UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities gets 20th ratification.

View and download the documents listed in the right-hand panel.

Honorary Associate Membership of the ENAT non-profit association is offered to a few organisations and persons of high international reputation in the field of accessible tourism.