accessible tourism benefits

Promoting accessible tourism for all

What is accessible tourism?

Accessible tourism enables all people to participate in and enjoy tourism experiences. More people have access needs, whether or not related to a physical condition. For example, older and less mobile people have access needs, which can become a huge obstacle when traveling or touring. Thus, accessible tourism is the ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. This inludes publicly and privately owned tourist locations, facilities and services.

Accessible tourism involves a collaborative process among all stakeholders, Governments, international agencies, tour-operators and end-users, including persons with disabilities and their organizations (DPOs). A successful tourism product requires effective partnerships and cooperation across many sectors at the national, regional and international levels. From idea to implementation, a single destination visit normally involves many factors, including accessing information, long-distance travel of various sorts, local transportation, accommodation, shopping, and dining. The impact of accessible tourism thus goes beyond the tourist beneficiaries to the wider society, engraining accessibility into the social and economic values of society. International action and normative frameworks

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2006. CRPD Article 9 on Accessibility calls for State Parties to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to the physical environment, information, transportation and other facilities and services open or provided to the public. It also calls for the elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, including all transportation and facilities. Furthermore, Article 30 on Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport also calls for State Parties to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the benefits of tourism.

At the 2013, historic UN High-level Meeting on Disability and Development, which included several Heads of State, the link of disability and development was discussed and the meeting called for enhanced action to mainstream disability in the global development agenda. In the outcome document of the meeting, accessibility was identified as a key area for action.

Furthermore, in his message for the 2013 World Habitat Day , UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the international community to make towns and cities accessible to all.

In the recent 2030 Agenda for Global Action containing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2015), Goal 11 focuses on principles to “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. This goal captures tourism and recreation through its call for the provisions of universal design for accessible and sustainable transport systems, inclusive urbanization, and access to green and public spaces. In its 2011 Declaration, The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicted tourism will increase and experience sustained development, reaching 1.8 billion international tourists by 2030. Accessible cities and tourism provisions therefore ensure the full social and economic inclusion of all persons with direct benefits of promoting more sustainable travel habits among users.

What are the barriers to travel and tourism for persons with disabilities?

For persons with disabilities, travelling can be a challenge, as finding the information on accessible services, checking luggage on a plane, booking a room to fulfil access needs, often prove to be difficult, costly and time consuming.

Challenges for persons with disabilities include: • Untrained professional staff capable of informing and advising about accessibility issues • Inaccessible booking services and related websites • Lack of accessible airports and transfer facilities and services • Unavailability of adapted and accessible hotel rooms, restaurants, shops, toilets and public places • Inaccessible streets and transport services • Unavailable information on accessible facilities, services, equipment rentals and tourist attractions

Why is accessible tourism important?

Accessibility is a central element of any responsible and sustainable development policy. It is both a human rights imperative, as well as an exceptional business opportunity. In this context, accessible tourism does not only benefit persons with disabilities, it benefits all of society.

To ensure that accessible tourism is developed in a sustainable manner requires that tourist destinations go beyond ad hoc services to adopting the principle of universal design, ensuring that all persons, regardless of their physical or cognitive needs, are able to use and enjoy the available amenities in an equitable and sustainable manner. This approach foregoes preferential or segregated treatment of differently abled constituents to permitting uninhibited use of facilities and services by all, at any time, to equitable effect.

I am not a person with a disability – how does this affect me?

Accessibility is also an important aspect of realizing the rights of the world’s ageing population. As we grow older, our chance of experiencing a permanent or temporary disability is increased. A focus on accessibility can therefore ensure that we are able to participate fully in our societies well into our older years. Accessibility also benefits pregnant women and persons who are temporarily rendered immobile.

The improvements to physical and service infrastructure that come with a focus on accessibility also encourage a more multigenerational focus in development planning. For families with small children, accessible infrastructure – particularly in transportation, city planning and building design – improves the ability of these families to participate in social and cultural activities.

The United Nations is committed to sustainable and equitable development. Certainly, making basic adjustments to a facility, providing accurate information, and understanding the needs of disabled people can result in increased visitor numbers. Improving the accessibility of tourism services increases their quality and their enjoyment for all tourists, as well as improving quality of life in the local communities.

Other resources:

UN News Centre: Accessible tourism will benefit everyone, say senior UN officials on World Day
World Tourism Day 2016 Theme: Promoting Universal Accessibility
UN Environment : #Tourism4All videos 1 , 2 , 3
The UNWTO General Assembly adopts Recommendations on Accessible Information in Tourism
UN World Tourism Organisation Accessible Tourism Manuals
Disabled World Travel Documents
European Commission Improving Accessibility
Sustainable Tourism Online
7th Session of the Conference of State Parties to the CRPD
United Nations World Tourism Organisation Best Practice Guide
European Network for Accessible Tourism – World Summit in Montreal, October 2014
Centre of Excellence for Destination
European Network for Accessible Tourism
Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality
Capitalising on the Grey-haired Globetrotters Economic Aspects of Increasing Tourism among Older and Disabled People

Other languages:

French: Tourisme et Handicaps Spanish: Fundaciononce Arabic: Arab Tourism Portal German: Russland Barrierefrei

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What is Accessible Tourism and Why is it So Important?

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Accessible tourism is an integral part of implementing sustainable tourism. When most people hear the term ‘accessible tourism’, they immediately think of disabled people and things such as audio devices for the blind and ramps for those in wheelchairs. Yes, this is an important part of accessible tourism, BUT accessible tourism is actually MUCH more than this!

Accessible tourism is about providing access to tourism for people from all walks of life and all kinds of backgrounds- provision for disabled people makes up just one fragment of this.

This article sets out to cover the broad spectrum of areas that are encompassed within the concept of accessible tourism. I will explain what accessible tourism is, provide some definitions of accessible tourism and then I will discuss at length the factors influencing accessible tourism.

What is accessible tourism?

Definitions of accessible tourism, why is accessible tourism important, factors influencing access to tourism, disposable income, cost of travel, cost of tourism, cost of living, exchange rate, available leisure time, nature of employment, stage of life, social environment, access to transport , cultural attitude, images of destination, perception of destination, familiarity with destination, uncertainty over future, political stability, disease , natural disaster, social conditions , economic conditions, level of development, government attitude to tourism, laws or restrictions, availability of resources for tourism, attractions , mega-events, marketing and promotion, technology , startegies to implement accessible tourism, accessible tourism: conclusion, further reading on accessible tourism.

Accessibility in tourism is a social right- everyone should have access regardless of where they come from, their age, their gender, any disabilities they may have, hope much money they earn etc.

Also sometimes referred to as ‘ tourism for all ‘, accessible tourism is closely aligned with the principles of sustainable tourism . In order for an organisation to be sustainable, it should provide access opportunities for all.

Accessible tourism provides opportunities for all types of people to take part in tourism activities.

People’s needs vary considerably- while one person may have a physical disability, another person may be financially disadvantaged or may not have access to the technology required to organise their trip.

By ensuring there is accessible tourism, destinations are enhancing their business prospects by attracting a wider range of tourists than they may otherwise achieve.

Accessible tourism involves a collaborative process among all stakeholders in tourism including Governments, international agencies, tour-operators and tourists themselves.

There are many things to consider when planning for accessible tourism, such as accessing information, travel arrangements to the destination, local transportation, accommodation, shopping, and hospitality.

There is no universally agreed and approved definition of the term accessible tourism, which perhaps contributes to the lack of clarity that many people have in understanding what constitutes accessible tourism.

The concept of accessible tourism has evolved considerably throughout recent years. This is largely because society has become more aware and more inclusive. This has resulted in discussions about accessibility coming to the forefront amongst tourism stakeholders.

Below I have outlined some of the commonly noted definitions, however, it is important to remember that the concept is likely to continue to evolve further and that the term be need to be ‘redefined’ as necessary.

Accessible tourism (also known as access tourism, ‘universal tourism’, ‘inclusive tourism’ and in some countries such as in Japan ‘barrier-free tourism’) is tourism and travel that is accessible to all people, with disabilities or not, including those with mobility, hearing, sight, cognitive, or intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, older persons and those with temporary disabilities” ( Takayama Declaration – Appendix, UNESCAP, 2009 ).

‘Accessible tourism refers to tourism that caters to the needs of a full range of consumers including persons with disabilities, older persons and cross-generational families. It entails removal of attitudinal and institutional barriers in society, and encompasses accessibility in the physical environment, in transportation, information and communications and other facilities and services. It encompasses publicly and privately owned tourist locations.’ ( Takayama City and UNESCAP Conference – Press Release – Takayama, 2009 )

‘Accessible tourism is a process of enabling people with disabilities and seniors to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universal tourism products, services and environments. The definition is inclusive of the mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access.’ (Darcy, 2006)

‘ Accessible tourism enables people with access requirements, including mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access, to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universally designed tourism products, services and environments. This definition is inclusive of all people including those travelling with children in prams, people with disabilities and seniors’. (Darcy & Dickson, 2009)

More posts that may interest you- – Types of tourism: A glossary – Everything you need to know about sustainable tourism – Enclave tourism: An explanation – The structure of the tourism industry – What is the sharing economy and how does impact travel and tourism?

Accessible tourism is not just about people with disabilities, it is about everyone.

Accessibility is a central element of any responsible and sustainable development policy , both in the context of tourism and in other areas.

Accessible tourism is important because accessibility is a human right and an important business opportunity. By ensuring that tourism is accessible, there is more scope for business development for individuals and from a top-down perspective.

In order to ensure that accessible tourism is developed in a sustainable manner, tourism stakeholders must develop policies and practices aimed at achieving inclusivity, avoiding practices that include preferential or segregated treatment.

There are many factors that may influence a person’s access to tourism. In order for tourism to be developed and managed in a sustainable way, these factors should be taken into consideration at the planning stage and throughout implementation.

Accessible tourism: Economic factors

There are many economic reasons that tourism may not be accessible for some people. I will outline some of the major economic factors below.

Travel and tourism is considered a luxury in that it is not essential to maintain life. As a result, when a person does not have much disposable (or ‘extra’) income, the first thing to suffer is often their holidays.

During times of financial hardship, such as an economic recession, the tourism industry is one of the first areas to suffer.

Therefore, disposable income is a key contributor to the travel and tourism industry.

A key contributor to accessible tourism is price. If the price of travel is too high, many people will not be able to access it.

The tourism industry really took off with the growth of the low cost carrier . Reductions in the price of flights, coupled with growing route networks, made travel and tourism more accessible.

But it’s not just about the cost of travelling to a destination. The price of tourism facilities in the destination is also a key factor in attaining accessible tourism.

If hotels and tourist attractions are very expensive, this will likely mean that many people will not be able to access the tourism industry in this area.

The cost of living in both the tourism traveller region and the tourism destination region (for more on this see my post on Leiper’s tourism system ) can have a significant impact on accessible tourism.

If the cost of living is high in either area, tourists may not be able to financially access tourism.

Exchange rates are particularly important in international tourism .

Tourists who are based in a country with a strong currency (such as the UK, the USA, Australia ) are naturally at an economic advantage over tourists who live in countries with weaker countries.

This is because their money goes further when they travel abroad, particularly if they choose to travel to a destination with a currency that is weaker than the currency used in their home country.

Accessible tourism: Social factors

There are also many social factors that contribute to accessible tourism. I will introduce you to these below.

Accessible tourism is dependant on whether a person has the free time to spend on tourism.

Many countries around the world now offer their employees paid leave each year. This has resulted in a growth in tourism because people have more available leisure time.

Whether you have a lot of time to spend on travel and tourism or not can be dependant on the type of employment that you have.

For me, one of the reasons that I work in education is so that I have lots of free leisure time to travel!

However, some jobs do not offer such flexibility and may offer reduced leisure time.

A person’s physical ability to take part in tourism is a key contributor to accessible tourism.

This includes physical disabilities, illnesses and health that is effected by age.

There are many things that tourism stakeholders can do to ensure that tourism is accessible such as providing ramps for people who are in wheelchairs, brail cards for the blind and lifts for those who find stairs challenging.

Accessible tourism should enable people to access tourism no matter what stage of life they are in. This means that there should be facilities for young children, such as ramps of buggies, as well as facilities for the elderly.

Tourism destinations should try to differentiate the products that they have on offer to cater for people of all ages.

Education may have an impact on how accessible tourism is for a person.

For example, it has been a long debated topic about whether students should be allowed to take holidays during the school term. Prices invariably rise as soon as school breaks up, meaning that some families can no longer afford the tourism products that are on offer.

Different people come from different social environments and this should not make tourism any more or less accessible.

A social environment could be centred around a particular culture or religion, for example.

It could also be related to particular hobbies and interests.

Some people have more access to transport than others. This is commonly noted when comparing city living to rural living. In towns and cities there is typically a wider range of transport options than in rural areas.

In fact, transport accessibility is one of the greatest challenges that the rural tourism industry faces.

Psychological factors

Psychological factors also play a significant role in accessible tourism. Here is a summary:

If a person is not motivated to visit a certain area, they probably won’t- it’s as simple as that!

A person’s cultural attitude can be an important factor in accessible tourism.

For example, people want to feel that their culture will be treated with respect.

Some people think they are superior or inferior to others, and if this is the case then they may not wish to travel to a particular area in which they hold this view.

The image of a destination is a key factor in determining if a person may be likely to visit.

Many of us want to visit Thailand because of the many images of exotic beaches that we can see, for example.

However, some people may not want to travel to Thailand because they perceive it to be a bad country because of the poverty levels or because of sex tourism in Thailand .

This demonstrates that perception also plays a key role in accessible tourism.

Many people prefer to travel to a destination because they are familiar with it.

This may be because they have travelled to said destination before, or it may be because they have seen their favourite influencer talk about it on Instagram .

Familiarity with a destination can be a motivational factor.

Sometimes tourists feel that they have a ‘connection’ to a place.

In some instances this may be a physical connection- a family member may live there or the tourist may have a strong history in the area.

In other cases tourists may feel that they have a psychological connection with a place. They may affiliate with the culture or the ‘feel’ of the place.

Whilst for some people, distance is no issue, other people prefer to stay closer to home.

And some people prefer not to travel to particular areas or using particular modes of transport because of fear.

A person made be afraid of flying, for example.

Another factor that can influence accessible tourism is uncertainty that a person may have in their future.

Many people may not want to go on holiday if they have worries over aspects such as their job security or money.

The 2020 Coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated more than ever that people are nervous to travel when there are political, economic and health uncertainties.

Broader factors (macro-determinants)

Alongside the environmental, social and economic factors that influence accessible tourism, there are also several macro-determinants which can play a key role. Some examples include:

Destinations that are experiencing or that have recently experience terrorist attacks are unlikely to be accessible tourism destinations.

e.g. New York after the 9/11 attacks, Tunisia after the shootings in 2015, Bali after the bombing in 2002.

Areas that have ongoing war are also unlikely to be accessible tourism destinations.

One exception is Israel. Israel continues to welcome tourists, despite ongoing feuds with Palestine. I watched rockets being shot out of then sky when I was there, it was pretty scary. You can read all about that here.

Destinations that are experiencing political instability are not likely to welcome tourists with open arms.

They also often receive a lot of negative media attention, which can impact tourist motivations to travel to the area in the near future.

e.g. Thailand Bangkok riots in 2018, Egyptian revolution in 2011.

If a person does not feel safe and secure in a destination, they may not feel that it is accessible.

There are many parts of Africa and Central America that revive fewer visitors for this reason.

Many tourists will avoid travelling to areas that have disease.

This has never been more prevalent than the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, which has a devastating impact on the tourism industry.

Natural disasters often hit tourist destinations hard.

The 2001 tsunami, the Nepalese earthquake in 2015 and Hurricane Katrina in the USA in 2005 all had terrible consequences for the tourism sector.

Many people do not want to be faced with particular social conditions when they go on holiday.

This may be things such as poverty, gun crime or smoking.

Many tourists do not want to experience tourism in poor areas.

The economic conditions here mean that accessible tourism is not achieved.

Other people are influenced by levels of development.

Many less economically developed countries do not experience the same levels of tourism is Western nations because of their inferior levels of development.

This include aspects such as an underdeveloped airport or road infrastructure.

In some parts of the world the Government may not have a favourable attitude towards tourism.

There could be a lot of corruption, for example. Or there could be high taxes on tourism activities.

Some people choose not to travel to particular areas because of the laws or restrictions placed upon them.

A common example of this is people who are in same-sex relationships who wish to visit destinations in The Middle East. Rules and punishments for same-sex relationships shown in public can be severe; making tourism inaccessible for some.

Some areas are not accessible destinations because they lack the sources required for tourism.

Perhaps the area does not have a well developed road infrastructure or enough water to fill the hotel swimming pool, for example.

Attractions can be a big draw to a destinations for tourists. Likewise, a lack of attractions may put tourists off.

Mega-events can often result in overtourism and congestion.

Mega-events could be the reason a person visits the area, but it could also put a person off visiting.

In order for accessible tourism to be achieved, all types of visitors should be made aware of what is on offer.

This is where good marketing and promotion come in.

Lastly, technology can have a significant influence on whether accessible tourism is achieved or not.

Nowadays, many people will rely on technology for research purposes and to book the components of their holiday .

Therefore, those who do not have adequate access to such technology may be disadvantaged.

There are many strategies that tourism destinations and organisations can use to implement accessible tourism. This includes:

Encouraging policies and actions to support social tourism at all levels
Ensuring universal adherence to workers’ leave entitlement, safeguarding this aspect of social security guaranteed by the European social model
Designing and adapting tourism facilities and sites to meet physical disability needs
Improving information relevant to disabled people and under-privileged groups
Encouraging a broad price range in tourism facilities and experiences
Pursuing specific schemes to facilitate and encourage holiday-taking by people on low incomes, such as the holiday voucher systems run in some countries based on tax incentives and involving governments and operators
Having effective marketing and promotion strategies

Accessible tourism is not a luxury, it is a right. Everybody should have access to tourism.

In order for tourism to be sustainable, it should do its upmost to development and implement accessible tourism where possible. This will inevitably have positive outcomes for the overall business development. As I have explained in this article, the three keys areas of the environment, economy and society should be considered when planning for accessible tourism.

To learn more about accessible tourism, I suggest that you consult the texts listed below.

Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues – This book sets out to explore and document the current theoretical approaches, foundations and issues in the study of accessible tourism.
Best Practice in Accessible Tourism: Inclusion, Disability, Ageing Population and Tourism – 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.

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Image of a woman with disability visiting the University of al-Karaouine in Morocco, one of the oldest educational institution in the world according to UNESCO.

What is accessible tourism?

Furthermore, in his message for the 2013 World Habitat Day , UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the international community to make towns and cities accessible to all.

What are the barriers to travel and tourism for persons with disabilities?

Why is accessible tourism important?

I am not a person with a disability – how does this affect me?

Other resources:

UN News Centre: Accessible tourism will benefit everyone, say senior UN officials on World Day
World Tourism Day 2016 Theme: Promoting Universal Accessibility
UN Environment : #Tourism4All videos 1 , 2 , 3
The UNWTO General Assembly adopts Recommendations on Accessible Information in Tourism
UN World Tourism Organisation Accessible Tourism Manuals
Disabled World Travel Documents
European Commission Improving Accessibility
Sustainable Tourism Online
7th Session of the Conference of State Parties to the CRPD
United Nations World Tourism Organisation Best Practice Guide
European Network for Accessible Tourism - World Summit in Montreal, October 2014
Centre of Excellence for Destination
European Network for Accessible Tourism
Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality
Capitalising on the Grey-haired Globetrotters Economic Aspects of Increasing Tourism among Older and Disabled People

Other languages:

French: Tourisme et Handicaps Spanish: Fundaciononce Arabic: Arab Tourism Portal German: Russland Barrierefrei

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Tourism for all – UNWTO presents “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development” - Compendium of Best Practices

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Tourism for all – UNWTO presents “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development” - Compendium of Best Practices

All Regions
19 May 2021

The UNWTO Affiliate Members Department, within the framework of the activities of the Working Group on Accessible Tourism, organized the Expert Meeting on Accessible Tourism – Good Practices on Accessible Tourism in Nature Areas at FITUR Next.

This event provided a space to recognize the importance of incorporating accessibility into the tourism practices in nature environments, share knowledge and experiences by UNWTO Affiliate Members and other tourism stakeholders, and provide recommendation on how to strengthen accessibility and create an accessible tourism for all.

At the event, the publication Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development – Compendium of Best Practices , available in the UNWTO E-Library, was launched and presented to the audience. This publication is the result of the work carried out in the last months by the Working Group on Accessible Tourism, coordinated by the Affiliate Members Department and chaired by the Spanish Network for Accessible Tourism (Red Estable).

We trust this publication will provide all relevant stakeholders with tools and resources to make their tourism destinations, facilities and services accessible for all

Its aim is to create an accessible pathway in nature, from which to descry a new approach for inclusive tourism development in natural areas, which is very much in line with the UNWTO priority to foster an Accessible Tourism for All and so contributing to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The compilation of best practices included in the publication and the final recommendations provides innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions that enable access to nature for all the people.

In the words of UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili: There is still a lot of work to be done, as we are still far from guaranteeing a universally accessible tourism sector. However, we trust this publication will provide all relevant stakeholders with tools and resources to make their tourism destinations, facilities and services accessible for all. We also hope it will serve as a source of inspiration for them to continue working, so that tourism becomes truly accessible.

Within the framework of the event, representatives of the entities which contributed to the publication shared with the audience their projects, all very different in terms of contents but sharing the common goal of promoting an Accessible Tourism for All and supporting the right of people with disabilities to travel. Accessible accommodations in nature, accessibility to natural parks and beaches, and the use of plastic to manufacture accessible products were only some of the topics that were presented.

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Finding a way towards high-quality, accessible tourism: the role of digital ecosystems

The TQM Journal

ISSN : 1754-2731

Article publication date: 13 July 2020

Issue publication date: 31 December 2020

Despite a growing interest in accessible tourism, delivering high-quality tourism experiences to people with disabilities (PwD) remains a major challenge. Beyond a number of acknowledged barriers (e.g. cultural, architectural, relational), the main issue is the lack of coordination amongst the many actors participating in the co-creation of tourism experiences. This paper intends to advance available knowledge on this issue by conceptually suggesting a solution that draws on the concepts of the tourism experience and digital ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is developed as a conceptual contribution, drawing also on an illustrative example that considers a tourist with mobility disability as the focal actor.

The results indicate that a digital ecosystem could contribute to making tourism locations more accessible by enabling information sharing and coordination amongst all actors that co-create the tourism experiences. Moreover, the analysis underlines that tourism locations should be designed to be useable by all people, drawing on the principles of the universal design.

Research limitations/implications

This paper describes a path to fostering accessible tourism, drawing on local authorities, particularly municipalities and universities. The suggested solution would benefit from future empirical analyses to assess its strengths and weaknesses.

Originality/value

By drawing on the concept of digital ecosystems, this paper is amongst the first studies to suggest a path to making tourism locations more accessible to all tourists (with or without disabilities) based on technology.

Accessible tourism
Perceived quality
Service ecosystems
Digital ecosystems

Cassia, F. , Castellani, P. , Rossato, C. and Baccarani, C. (2021), "Finding a way towards high-quality, accessible tourism: the role of digital ecosystems", The TQM Journal , Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 205-221. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-03-2020-0062

Emerald Publishing Limited

Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

1. Introduction

Since the United Nations (1975) created the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons, there has been increasing interest in the participation of people with disabilities (PwD) in tourism. During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has affirmed that “people with disabilities and seniors are heavily affected by COVID19 [and that] the recovery should include accessibility as a central pillar in measures to improve [tourist] destinations” offer and competitiveness' ( UNWTO, 2020 ).

Over the years, there has been increasing academic interest in this topic, moving from a focus on “disability and tourism” to “accessible tourism” ( Darcy et al. , 2020 ). Despite the remarkable linguistic and conceptual fragmentation characterising the studies on this topic ( Gillovic et al. , 2018 ), there is general agreement that accessible tourism should seek to ensure that tourism is developed with people of all abilities in mind and can be consumed by people of all abilities ( Scheyvens and Biddulph, 2018 ). However, the focal issue should not be simply the availability of infrastructure enabling travel to a destination but also the opportunity to truly experience the destination, which requires the development of accessible tourism experiences ( Darcy et al. , 2020 ). In fact, as shown by available models, travelling to the destination represents only one of the several stages of a holiday and it is necessary to adopt a wider approach that aims to design accessible destination experiences ( Michopoulou et al. , 2020 ).

Research has suggested that stakeholder collaboration is essential for the development of accessible tourism destinations, but the fragmentation of the hospitality and tourism industry makes delivering high-quality experiences for PwD at the destination level complex and challenging ( Buhalis and Darcy, 2011 ; Nyanjom et al. , 2018 ). Effective collaboration amongst stakeholders to enable accessible tourism would require several elements: control and coordination, collaboration and integration, clarity of roles and responsibilities, communication, and focus on access and inclusion ( Nyanjom et al. , 2018 ).

Drawing on these premises, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the call for the academic community to assist in creating understanding of how to achieve more accessible tourism ( Darcy et al. , 2020 ) by exploring the role that technology may play in enabling the design of accessible destination experiences. Studies on technology within the context of accessible tourism are limited, and focus on specific issues such as compliance with web content accessibility guidelines ( Naniopoulos et al. , 2016 ). However, research has not developed a comprehensive perspective based on digital ecosystems to support the co-creation of accessible tourism experiences.

In detail, this study presents a conceptual contribution that combines the stream of literature related to accessible tourism and service ecosystems to highlight the role of technology in enabling the co-creation of valuable tourism experiences for PwD. Developing a conceptual contribution involves a process of understanding a situation abstractly by identifying patterns or connections and key underlying properties ( MacInnis, 2011 ; Xin et al. , 2013 ). In particular, we use the so-called “integrating approach”, which “involves finding links or similarities that connect previously disparate entities; it involves seeing a new whole” ( MacInnis, 2011 , p. 146). Thus, we examine how the design and provision of accessible experiences in a destination ecosystem can be successfully enabled by technology.

The remainder of the paper is structured as follows. We first provide a review of the two streams of literature as a starting point for the arguments and analyses that follow. In detail, we begin by providing an introduction to accessible tourism, followed by an overview of the tourism experience and tourism ecosystems in light of the digital revolution. These two streams of literature are then jointly applied to the context of tourists with mobility disability to identify the form and role of the tourism ecosystem in this specific context. From this analysis, a discussion about the barriers to accessible tourism and the need for digital ecosystems is derived. Recommendations and conclusions complete the paper.

2. Accessible tourism

Accessible tourism is a “form of tourism that involves collaborative processes between stakeholders that enables people with access requirements, including mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access, to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universally designed tourism products, services and environments” ( Buhalis and Darcy, 2011 , p. 10). This definition, which is the most popular and widely accepted, is the result of a rich debate that has emerged over the years about the content and terminology pertinent to accessible tourism, as documented by Gillovic et al. 's (2018) detailed review on the subject.

PwD are the primary beneficiaries of accessible tourism even if, as Darcy and Dickson (2009) note, everyone at some stage in their lives will have some temporary or permanent access requirements. The underlying idea of accessible tourism is that everyone has the right to travel ( UNWTO, 2001 ) to satisfy a number of needs felt differently by every person, for example, the need to enrich personal knowledge by experiencing the local culture of a visited location ( Stone and Petrick, 2013 ) or the need to appreciate the diversity and beauty of locations explored with curiosity ( Foubert, 2018 ). According to the estimations provided by the 2011 World Report on Disability (World Health Organisation [ WHO], 2011 ), more than one billion people (15% of the world's population) has a severe or moderate disability. Recent estimations ( United Nations Statistics Division, 2020 ) indicate that there are significantly high percentages of PwD for some countries (e.g. United Kingdom: 20.7%) and demonstrate that walking disability is the most recurrent type of impairment (i.e. this type of disability affects 7.6% of the female and 5.6% of the male population of the United States).

Drawing on the World Health Organisation's classification, tourism studies separate the broad group of PwD into sub-groups according to the specific types of disability and the related access requirements. In detail, tourism studies ( Alén et al. , 2012 ; Buhalis and Darcy, 2011 ) usually distinguish the following types of disabilities: physical or mobility disability; cognitive or psychological disability (e.g. mental illness, intellectual disability); sensory disability (e.g. visual, hearing, communication, speech); hidden disability (e.g. those caused by allergies or epilepsy) and multiple disabilities. For each type of disability, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health offers a highly detailed description of the related impairments and effects on activities and participation ( WHO, 2001 ). These classifications and descriptions also serve as valuable sources for tourism researchers and managers ( Alén et al. , 2012 ).

The awareness of the importance of examining and promoting accessible tourism has grown since the 1975 United Nation's Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons ( United Nations, 1975 ). However, available knowledge on this topic remains limited ( Darcy et al. , 2020 ) and the tourism industry has not progressed sufficiently in providing the market with accessible tourism products ( Bowtell, 2015 ). Such slow development may be party related to the complexity and variety of access requirements, so that it is difficult to develop possible solutions for the needs of people from all groups and with different levels of disability ( Altinay et al. , 2016 ).

In addition to some perspective articles (e.g. Darcy et al. , 2020 ; Michopoulou et al. , 2020 ), research in this field has explored the issue of information accessibility. For example, Altinay et al. (2016) examine how PwD can access websites and social media pages of travel agencies or other institutions to obtain travel-related information. Similarly, Rumetshofer and Wöß (2004) explore PwD accessibility to tourism websites and information systems and to information about tourism infrastructure (e.g. transportation, accommodation). They also note that technology could support personalisation mechanisms based on the specific accessibility requirements of the user. Overall, the focus of this kind of analysis is on the technical aspects of accessible tourism in relation to web content usability and accessibility.

Other studies consider accessible tourism from the perspective of tourism offerings (i.e. tourism businesses and destinations). Alén et al. (2012) note that PwD represent a large but also not sufficiently explored market segment. Bowtell (2015) analyses the potential value of the accessible tourism market and the related perceptions of travel and leisure companies. Bowtell (2015) finds that PwD are being served poorly by the tourism providers and that less than 50% of tourism operators sell products to tourists with disabilities. In relation to destination management, Darcy and Dickson (2009) highlight the need to provide PwD with information about the destination to enable these customers to make informed decisions. They also remark that destinations should move beyond the simple removal of physical barriers by designing, planning, providing and communicating accessible experiences. In further detail, Vila et al. (2015) analyse the factors that determine a destination's competitiveness in the accessible tourism market and identify different intensities with which destinations are working to create accessibility. Finally, several studies consider specific projects for accessible tourism that have been implemented in specific destinations. Amongst them, Naniopoulos et al. (2016) describe an initiative in the Drama (Greece) and Mersin (Turkey) undertaken to increase the accessibility to tourism infrastructure for PwD (mostly in consideration of mobility disability).

Overall, the review of studies about accessible tourism suggests three main limitations in research. First, previous work has focussed more on the structure (e.g. physical barriers and infrastructure) of enabling accessible tourism than on the processes of accessible tourism (i.e. creating tourism experiences). Second, even when considering the destination level, the focus is on specific initiatives taken by one or more actors rather than on comprehensive and coordinated initiatives to enable seamless accessible tourism experiences. Third, research in this area suffers from an outdated view of technology, which is mainly conceived in relation to technical accessibility to online information. Thus, the role of technology in enabling a digital ecosystem that facilitates the co-creation of accessible tourism experiences is completely overlooked. In this paper, we contend that knowledge about accessible tourism can be advanced by embracing the concepts of customer (tourist) experience and (digital) service ecosystems. The next paragraph provides an overview on these concepts.

3. Tourism experience and tourism ecosystems in light of the digital revolution

In the past two decades, tourism has been characterised by a major shift from tourism products to tourism experiences ( Jorgenson et al. , 2019 ; Park and Santos, 2017 ), which are actively co-created by tourists ( Campos et al. , 2018 ). This shift draws on a wider evolution occurring in the management literature from an approach based on the provision of products to an approach based on the co-creation of customer experiences ( Forlani and Pencarelli, 2019 ). As revealed by a systematic literature review ( Forlani and Pencarelli, 2019 ), studies about co-creation and value co-creation have play a primary role in the experience-related research, and within this stream of literature, the sub-areas of tourism, leisure and hospitality management clearly stand out.

The growing focus on value co-creation is driven by the increasing popularity of service dominant logic (S-D logic) ( Vargo and Lusch, 2004 , 2008 , 2017 ), which serves as the theoretical framework for much of the research about experience co-creation in tourism studies ( Campos et al. , 2018 ; Chathoth et al. , 2016 ). S-D logic suggests that service is the fundamental basis of exchange ( Vargo and Lusch, 2008 , 2017 ). That is, co-creating actors integrate their specialised skills and knowledge and engage in service-for-service exchanges for the benefit of other actors ( Vargo and Lusch, 2008 ). Thus, S-D logic particularly emphasises the role of operant resources, which are those resources (e.g. skills and knowledge) that can act on other resources (e.g. goods, labelled as operand resources) to create a benefit ( Lusch and Vargo, 2014 ; Vargo and Lusch, 2004 ). In addition, according to S-D logic, customers are no longer considered the passive recipients of a firm's offering but play an active role as resource integrators ( Vargo and Lusch, 2004 ). Hence, both the customer and the firm are operant resources and value is always co-created and experientially determined ( Vargo and Lusch, 2016 ).

While the initial conceptualisations of S-D logic focussed on the micro level, involving the firm and the customers, further theoretical advancements have suggested that value co-creation can also be examined within ecosystems at the meso level (i.e. the mid-range level such as a destination) and the macro level (i.e. in broad society) ( Chandler and Vargo, 2011 ). A service ecosystem is defined as a relatively self-contained, self-adjusting system of resource-integrating actors connected by shared institutional arrangements and mutual value creation' ( Vargo and Lusch, 2016 , pp. 10–11).

Moreover, research in the S-D logic stream of literature has been examining how technology changes how value is co-created and experienced by the customer within service ecosystems. In particular, Akaka and Vargo (2014) highlight that technology actively contributes to the value co-creation processes. Additionally, Storbacka et al. (2016) argue that technology can support engagement platforms, through which actors can contribute and connect the resources they have that are needed for value co-creation.

The strict interrelationships between tourism experience co-creation and technology is also a building block of smart tourism and smart tourism ecosystems ( Barile et al. , 2017 ). In fact, technology represents the main driver of change in tourism, which is evolving towards creating smart tourism experiences ( Gretzel et al. , 2015 ). The effects of this transformation can be understood both from the demand side and from the offering side. From the demand side, technology affects customer (tourist) experiences before, during and after the trip, so that traditional travellers are transformed into digital or smart travellers ( Pencarelli, 2019 ). In the pre-trip stage, tourists have access to a wide range of potential alternative offerings and information, such as the information provided by online reviews, and can even test available tourism products by using augmented or virtual reality ( Cranmer et al. , 2020 ; Pencarelli, 2019 ). Technologies also enhance the tourism experience during and after the trip by allowing tourists to access and share valuable content through social media such as social networks and blogs ( Law et al. , 2018 ; Sotiriadis, 2017 ).

From the offering side, technology is increasingly enabling tourism companies and the other actors in the tourism value ecosystem to support more effective tourism experiences ( Pencarelli, 2019 ). An example of how technology can facilitate co-creation amongst the actors of a tourism destination is provided by Cabiddu et al. (2013) , who examine the case of Portale Sardegna (Italy).

Interestingly, three different views of the relationships between ecosystem institutions and technology in tourism have emerged: (1) institutions prepare the ground for technology development; (2) institutions and technology are at the same level and both influence innovation and (3) technology shapes institutions (i.e. technology drives institutions and market changes) ( Barile et al. , 2017 ). In fact, while technology has been usually considered an operand resource (i.e. an output), recent conceptualisations view technology also as an operant resource (i.e. a process) that is able to influence ecosystems and value co-creation ( Akaka and Vargo, 2014 ).

While this view and the perspective of broader ecosystems have gained remarkable popularity in tourism studies, they have not yet been applied to research on accessible tourism. To highlight the need for this comprehensive approach to research on creating accessibility tourism, the study now explores tourism experiences from the perspective of a person with mobility disability.

4. Tourism experience and tourism ecosystem from perspective of tourists with mobility disability

4.1 mapping the tourism experience through the tourism customer journey.

The tourism customer journey (TCJ) involves mapping the entire journey of a tourist, outlining all the stages a person goes through when experiencing the need to move for tourism purposes ( Åstrøm, 2020 ). The TCJ draws on the more general concept of the customer journey, which is the “process a customer goes through, across all stages and touch points, that makes up the customer experience” ( Lemon and Verhoef, 2016 , p. 71). Mapping customer journeys is a popular and effective way to grasp the entire tourism customer experience ( Rosenbaum et al. , 2017 ). If the tourism product as a whole was offered by one single company, the general customer journey concept could be easily applied to tourism in the same way as it is applied to other kinds of services (e.g. banking, retail and insurance services). However, as will be discussed shortly, tourism is a more complex service because of the number and variety of co-creating actors and the relationships amongst them.

Here, we apply the TCJ to the context of people with mobility disability. A similar analysis could be applied to people with other disabilities ( Alén et al. , 2012 ), resulting in different and specific types of TCJs. Given the complexity of applying a contextual study to all types of disabilities, this study focusses only on people with mobility disability, but the same method of analysis could be easily extended and replicated.

From the very beginning of the TCJ, even when individuals are planning their holiday, they will encounter a series of actors, whose number will dramatically increase in the subsequent stages of the journey ( Buhalis, 2000 ; Saraniemi and Kylänen, 2011 ). This is because tourism involves a complex ecosystem that has many actors who influence to a greater or lesser extent the experience perceived by individuals during their journey ( Gretzel et al. , 2016 ). The quality delivered by each actor clearly influences the overall quality of the tourist's overall experience ( Ciasullo, 2017 ). Sometimes this phenomenon is emphasised because the quality performance of one provider has a spillover effect on the customer's evaluation of the quality performance of other components of (or actors in) the tourism ecosystem ( Bourdeau et al. , 2007 ). That is, a negative performance in one part of the journey may have a negative halo effect on the entire journey, considering that the tourist (beyond being the focal actor of the ecosystem) ( Storbacka et al. , 2016 ) is the only actor to see all the components of the ecosystem. Similarly, a positive performance in one of the moments of truth ( Normann, 2001 ) has the potential to compensate for a series of negative performances in other parts of the journey.

destination choice and trip design;

outbound trip;

staying at the destination;

transfer to another destination or return home.

Each of the four stages of the TCJ develops through the processes that are outlined below. The points marked with the sign (*) in the following list represent critical aspects for people with mobility disability because they can entail various problems related to accessibility because of the presence of architectural, communication, cultural, technological and relational barriers.

time available for the journey,

motivations triggering the need for the journey,

any previous personal holiday experiences,

any previous indirect holiday experiences (e.g. information collected online, online reviews and e-word-of-mouth),

dialogue and interactions with disability organisations and associations,

information available online or printed specialised magazines and publications,

information available in promotional materials delivered by tourism destinations,

means of transportation available and reservation of such transportation (*),

type of accommodations available and reservation of such lodgings (*),

definition of a hierarchy of suitable destinations (*).

printing the boarding pass,

estimating the time that they must leave home to reach the airport (this estimation is informed by customers' sensitivity to risk and the information available),

preparing their luggage,

planning which road or highways to take to reach the airport,

stopping at rest areas to meet their needs or the needs of others or to comply with the requirements of the transport providers (*),

parking in an area near the airport (*),

checking in their luggage (*),

reaching the boarding point (*),

complying with any safety control procedures (*),

waiting at a boarding gate (*),

boarding the aeroplane (*),

flying to the destination (*),

disembarking and claiming their luggage (*),

searching for a local means of transport to reach the accommodation facility (*),

arriving and being welcomed at the accommodation facility (*).

planning itineraries, visits and activities that the tourists wish to engage in at the destination based on their previous knowledge and the information available to them,

visiting cultural, artistic and natural sites in an area (*),

forming relationships with the host community (*),

selecting from a variety of foods and eateries on offer (*),

participating in local guided tours (e.g. wine tours) (*),

using local means of transport (*),

purchasing souvenirs.

The fourth stage of the TCJ – transfer to another place or return back home – is similar to stages two and three described above, and includes the overall evaluation of the perceived quality in relation to the expected quality developed in stage one.

In addition to the steps described above, which imply a variety of relationships between the tourist and several different actors, the context of a holiday is even more complex because tourist safety and care must be specifically assured, particularly for PwD. These conditions must be guaranteed by higher-level welfare systems, with which the tourism service network should be able to cooperate effectively.

In summary, in this TCJ the tourist benefits from a variety of services that globally support the creation of the tourism experience, which is phenomenologically determined and perceived by the beneficiary (i.e. the tourist) ( Vargo and Lusch, 2016 ).

4.2 Identifying the tourism ecosystem in relation to tourists with mobility disability

This subsection identifies the actors that form the complex tourism ecosystem in its co-creation of the tourism experience. During each of the four stages of the TCJ, many different actors contribute to the formation of the overall tourist experience by delivering or not delivering the expected quality. In the tourist's experience, all these actors form a tourism service ecosystem, even if they represent only a set of services that the customer has assembled ( Baccarani and Cassia, 2017 ). In fact, a service ecosystem implies a self-contained, self-adjusting system of resource-integrating actors connected by shared institutional arrangements and mutual value creation ( Vargo and Lusch, 2016 ). However, this level of coordination amongst all the actors involved in the co-creation of tourism experience does not yet exist. Below, we outline the actors involved in each of the four stages of the TCJ.

In the first stage, the tourist imagines, designs, plans and anticipates the pleasure of their holiday. To complete this stage, the tourist relies on the information provided by actors such as airlines and accommodation providers and interact with them directly or through intermediaries. For people with mobility disability, the dialogue and interactions with disability organisations and associations play an important role. As highlighted by the UNWTO, disabled peoples' organisations (DPOs) play a key role in accessible tourism because “they are mediators in understanding specific needs, existent barriers and the ways to bridge them” ( UNWTO, 2020 ).

At this first stage of the TCJ (destination choice and trip design), quality is evaluated on the basis of the completeness and clarity of the information provided by multiple actors. All the actors involved in this first stage of the TCJ represent the holiday-design ecosystem (see Figure 3 ).

producers of publications or websites and intermediaries distributing information that guides the tourist in selecting the destination during the season in which the journey takes place;

booking organisations through their websites;

transport providers, including those preparing the service timetable;

highways operators who have information about roadworks and any related delays;

firms executing the roadworks who have information about any interruptions that may affect the roadworks and travel times;

firms managing the rest areas and a variety of other services that may be required;

firms managing the parking areas who may assist customers to reach their boarding point after having parked their vehicle;

airport company that manages the departure airport that offers a welcome service and controls safety processes;

airline that is responsible for checking in passengers, assigning boarding gates, flying times and delivering baggage;

airport company that manages the arrival airport that offers welcome services and provides information to customers and about local means of transport;

local transport service operators;

accommodation services providers.

Therefore, a tourist interacts with at least 12 different co-creating actors during the second stage of the TCJ. These actors are connected in the tourist's mind but they are practically linked only through market relations and they do not coordinate their decisions and behaviours. Thus, it is unlikely that the tourist will be able to complete the second stage without experiencing some level of difficulty. For example, the tourist may miss the flight because of planned roadwork not being properly notified in advance or because of other unforeseen events. To evaluate the quality of the overall experience, the tourist considers all the components of this stage of the TCJ, comparing expected and actual quality. In particular, the tourist will appreciate the problem-solving capability of the actors. This second group of actors represents the travel ecosystem (see Figure 3 ).

firms who manage welcome and accommodation services;

restaurateurs;

local inhabitants (local community);

local merchants with their value propositions;

agencies who organise local tours so that customers can explore local traditions, culture and products;

municipalities;

organisations protecting tourists' safety and care.

This third stage of the TCJ has fewer actors than the second stage. However, the variety of actors is greater because during the tourist's stay at the destination, the tourist will engage in activities such as trying different types of food offerings to appreciate the local food culture, which means they will have contact and engage with more actors. Similarly, to explore local artistic, natural and cultural heritage, the tourist will select from a variety of opportunities that are available at the destination. In the third stage of the TCJ, the local community also plays a fundamental role in welcoming tourists and in co-creating their tourism experiences. In fact, in addition to the technical and functional–relational components of the quality delivered by local services ( Grönroos, 1990 ; Kang and James, 2004 ), the welcoming atmosphere experienced at the destination plays a central role in the formation of the overall perceived quality ( Nunkoo and Ramkissoon, 2011 ). All the actors involved in the third stage of the TCJ represent the staying at destination ecosystem (see Figure 3 ).

The fourth stage (transfer to another place or return back home) is a replication of the stages two and three outlined above and encompasses the tourist's comparison between the overall perceived quality and the expected quality developed in stage one.

The actors that populate the tourism service ecosystem are largely the same for tourists with and without disabilities. However, tourists with disabilities can select amongst a smaller number of offerings than tourists without disabilities. Moreover, actors are required to have adequate technical and relational skills to deliver tourism services to tourists with disabilities. Thus, tourists with disabilities must face greater difficulties in their travel-related choices because of the presence of several types of barriers (see Figure 2 ).

The tourism ecosystem described in this sub-section is depicted in Figure 3 .

The quality of the tourism experience emerges from the relationships established within this tourism ecosystem through which resources are combined and value is co-created. Such relationships have different degrees of smoothness depending on the presence of several barriers.

5. Barriers to accessible tourism: can digital ecosystems represent a solution?

Drawing on the arguments developed so far, this section identifies in detail the barriers to fulfilling tourism experience co-creation for PwD. The intention of the discussion is to understand whether and how digital ecosystems could represent a viable solution to such barriers. The identified relationships amongst the co-creating actors have not been harmonised to deliver the overall quality desired by the tourist because they are regulated by pure competitive mechanisms, emphasising the value of a specific part of the ecosystem instead of the value of the entire ecosystem. However, in tourism, competition amongst companies of the same sector can exist only once a territory as a whole is attractive. As highlighted in several studies ( Baccarani et al. , 2019 ; Barnes, 2004 ), the territory is not a physical space, but a highly complex viable subject emerging from all co-creations over time through the interactions between nature and human beings. Thus, the territory emerges from the relational synergies between the people who inhabit it and the environment.

Therefore, the stronger the synergies established in a certain location, the higher the location's attractiveness and value, which then make the location a platform in which individual actors can compete against each other with their propositions. That is, the long-term attractiveness of a territory and of a tourism destination derives from the actions of the entire ecosystem, within which the actors must aim to do their best through a continuous dialogue with the territorial ecosystem.

informational barriers;

architectural barriers;

political barriers;

cultural barriers;

relational barriers;

technological barriers;

entrepreneurial myopia.

These barriers are outlined below from the perspective of PwD. Informational barriers refer to the difficulties that a person with disabilities faces when desiring to autonomously evaluate and choose a means of transport, accommodation, a holiday itinerary or simple holiday activities such as shopping. While there is usually a great deal of information is available for such services, informational needs of PwD leads to higher levels of complexity. For example, even when information about tourism services is available it can difficult to verify.

Architectural barriers refer to the obstacles PwD encounter on holiday when engaging in activities such as accessing means of transport, moving in different locations, and using sidewalks and roads. Inconveniences related to architectural barriers can often also be experienced by people without disabilities (e.g. finding it difficult to understand the subway system) but the barriers are emphasised for PwD.

Architectural barriers are directly connected to political barriers, which refer to the needs of PwD in the context of a political agenda. While political discourses highlight the ideal of acting to eliminate architectural barriers, political actions are often guided by urgency, short-termism and narrow-sighted electoral benefits.

Cultural barriers refer to the indifference that can characterise the behaviour of all people of all abilities ( Gillovic et al. , 2018 ) towards PwD. This barrier is manifest in factors such as the lack of respect for PwD parking slots.

Relational barriers refer to the general population viewing PwD from a self-righteous perspective, believing that the PwD cannot live a full life, even within the constraints of the experienced impairments.

Technological barriers refer to the speed of the technological change related to means of transport and communication, which can create difficult situations for those who do not keep up with the ongoing changes.

Entrepreneurial myopia refers to the inability to appreciate the size and value of the tourism market for PwD and of changes occurring in public opinion. This myopia is in tension with the ideals of sustainability provided by Agenda 2030 ( United Nations, 2015 ), which explicitly highlights the need to promote sustainability and inclusivity and to empower PwD (e.g. points 11 and 23 of Agenda 2030) and by the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism ( UNWTO, 2001 ), which states the “right to tourism” (article 7).

When accessible tourism experiences are designed, it is important to avoid ad-hoc solutions aimed exclusively at PwD ( Scheyvens and Biddulph, 2018 ). Following the principles of universal design ( Michopoulou et al. , 2020 ), tourism providers should in fact enable experiences that are useable by all people, with or without disabilities. This approach is consistent with the idea that tourism carries a value that makes it a public service, interpreted as a service that should be assured for every member of communities that desire such services.

The question now arises of the assessment of the potential of digital ecosystems to remove the identified barriers and enable effective accessible tourism experience co-creation. While it is clear that technology cannot solve all the problems, we contend that it represents a valuable engine for such effective co-creation. As noted by Akaka and Vargo (2014) , technology should be conceived as an operant resource able to bring about changes in ecosystems and influence value co-creation processes. The provision of a platform to support the engagement of actors involved in accessible tourism can thus represent a first step to first removing informational and relational barriers, and over time, smoothening other barriers (e.g. cultural barriers).

Thus, technology can enable the emergence of a digital ecosystem with tourists and their needs as the focal actors ( Gretzel et al. , 2015 , 2016 ). Such an ecosystem could initially organise and coordinate suitable solutions to emerging PwD needs and issues by collecting and sharing the information concerning all the actors of the ecosystem.

Given that tourism is a service provided by a specific territory, the digital ecosystem should be led by the authorities in charge at the territorial level, whether a municipality, province, region or country. Given that the emerging ecosystems require rapid efficiency and effectiveness checks, it seems more appropriate that the process begins at the local territorial level and then extended (through imitation and adaptations) to higher levels.

Beyond authorities in charge at the territorial level, universities and other research institutes should play a central role in the design of a tourism ecosystem. These institutions should establish a dialogue with tourists, with PwD and with disability organisations and associations, without overlooking local inhabitants who are important for creating a warm and smooth welcoming. The emergence of the tourism ecosystem also draws on the constructive contributions of all the organisations representing the service providers who play a role in co-creating tourism experiences. The digital ecosystem should also be based on a series of incentives for firms that decide to be a part of the ecosystem, beyond a process of certification and evaluation of their delivered quality.

As a good starting point, municipalities could establish tourism departments that have the additional responsibility for the removal of mobility barriers. The viability of this choice is demonstrated by the experience of Verona, the first (and currently the only) municipality in Italy that has introduced such a department. For smaller municipalities, the digital ecosystem could be created at a higher level, such as in a consortium of municipalities, a province or a region. Figure 2 presents the main features of the tourism digital ecosystem.

Overall, the establishment of a digital ecosystem aims to make the territory an inclusive, warm and welcoming location where people want to live or stay. Hence, by providing an engagement platform, technology can act as an operant resource, disrupting the myopia guiding each actor's individual behaviours. An example of a digital ecosystem to support accessible tourism is the one being implemented by Explora, the destination management organisation of the Lombardy region (Italy). Explora has begun to establish a digital ecosystem (Ecosistema Digitale Turistico della Lombardia) through a platform that aims to support information sharing amongst the actors of Lombardy's tourism ecosystem. This ecosystem has not been created specifically to support accessible tourism. However, through this platform, operators could coordinate and harmonise the design of accessible tourism experiences, which would then be communicated and sold through the related web portal “in-lombardia.it”. This web portal currently hosts dozens of accessible tourism experiences; however, these are not conceived following the concept of the holistic ecosystem described in this paper. Nonetheless, the technological infrastructure that has been created has the ability to foster the future emergence of such a holistic accessible tourism ecosystem.

6. Conclusions

For several reasons, contributing to making tourism more accessible to PwD represents a priority for all the stakeholders involved in tourism, including those in the academic community. From the ethical perspective, every person should have the possibility to satisfy the fundamental right to travel. Moreover, accessible tourism has the potential to contribute to the competitiveness of tourism organisations and destinations, representing a valuable opportunity to enhance the wellbeing of the territory and its inhabitants (e.g. by creating new jobs).

This paper aimed to advance knowledge and debate by developing arguments that support the key role of digital ecosystems. By acknowledging the role of technology as an operant (and not only as an operand) resource, this study indicates that technology itself can play a key role in shaping the ecosystem to support accessible tourism. However, despite its great potential, technology itself is ineffectual without political and social will.

Hence, the most critical step of the entire process along the suggested path is the first one, that is, deciding to start the process itself. For this purpose, the role of the territory with its public institutions is pivotal. Therefore, we recommend that territorial authorities and destination management organisations (where available), with the support of universities and research centres, take a leading role in developing an effective engagement platform around which the commitment of other actors can be motivated. For this purpose, it is important to be convinced that the suggested solution is feasible (as demonstrated by other tourism locations) and to provide different types of benefits for all participants. The presence itself of a digital ecosystem may lead to a surge in demand for accessible tourism, enabling participating actors to understand the size and potential of this market.

However, while the digital ecosystem represents a valuable driving force to harmonise information provision and reduce information asymmetry, it is clear that the full deployment of accessible tourism requires adequate public and private facilities and investment. In addition, true commitment of actors to engaging in successful experience co-creation is fundamental, thus making the technical and cultural training of staff fundamental.

A further recommendation for both tourism destinations and operators is to enable accessible tourism experiences by adopting a universal design, that is, considering and creating experiences that can be used by all people, with or without specific access requirements. The COVID-19 crisis has provided tangible support to Darcy and Dickson's (2009) statement that everyone at some stage in their lives will have some temporary or permanent access requirements. In the lockdown (and post-lockdown) stages of the pandemic, many people (including tourists) in many countries around the globe have experienced access requirements. The use of an effective universal design approach to accessible tourism would also offer viable responses in such cases.

Overall, the solution suggested in this paper clearly represents only a first step and requires future empirical analyses based on real implementations to assess its strengths and weaknesses. Tourism locations that have begun planning and implementing similar solutions may then act as benchmarks and offer examples of best practices to highlight the feasibility and value of the suggested processes. Academic research can offer a valuable contribution to the development of accessible tourism. First, future studies should provide in-depth exploration of the attitudes and behaviours of digital ecosystems' actors (e.g. tourists, tourism operators) and assess the drivers of their willingness and disposition to engage in co-creation. Second, the outcomes of these co-creation processes should be evaluated. Third, research should provide a comprehensive framework of the factors influencing the success of digital ecosystems in fostering accessible tourism. For both theory and practice, creating harmonious universally accessible tourism ecosystems enabled by technology remains in its inception, but it is necessary to progress rapidly towards co-creating accessible tourism.

Main stages of the tourism customer journey

The tourism ecosystem

The digital tourism ecosystem

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Accessibility and Accessible Tourism: The Conceptual Evolution Through the Analysis of the Literature

First Online: 30 August 2023

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Chiara Rossato 4 &
Rossella Baratta 5

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology ((BRIEFSAPPLSCIENCES))

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The desire for sustainable growth and inclusivity is increasing. Accessibility is a critical feature of inclusion, particularly in tourism, one of the world’s largest industries. The purpose of this chapter is to shed light on the conceptual evolution of accessible tourism in the light of technological developments through a review of the literature on the topic. This chapter first presents the theoretical background of the concepts of diversity, inclusion and accessibility in tourism. It then explains the methodology followed for the literature review and presents an analysis of the results. Finally, reflections and future research directions are proposed.

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Chiara Rossato

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Rossato, C., Baratta, R. (2023). Accessibility and Accessible Tourism: The Conceptual Evolution Through the Analysis of the Literature. In: Cassia, F., Castellani, P., Rossato, C. (eds) Accessible Tourism in the Digital Ecosystem. SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38782-1_1

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Accessibility in Tourism: challenges and opportunities

Globally the WHO estimates that 15% of the population has some kind of need for accessibility assistance. For these people, accessible space is essential to be able to carry out daily activities including their leisure time. Also, many people have some temporary difficulty such as pregnant women, recovering from an accident, children, etc. The progressive ageing of the population associated with a longer life expectancy in developed countries also is causing an increase in the number of people with reduced mobility.

The importance of accessible tourism

“Accessible tourism” enables people with access limitations in mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions to function independently and with equity and dignity by delivering universally designed tourism products, services and environments (Darcy and Dickson, n.d.) . According to the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT, n.d.) accessible tourism includes:

Barrier-free destinations: infrastructure and facilities.
Transport: by air, land and sea, suitable for all users.
High-quality services: delivered by trained staff.
Activities, exhibitions, attractions: allowing everyone to participate in tourism.
Marketing, reservation systems, websites and services: information accessible to all.

70% of Europeans with disabilities have physical and economic possibilities to travel, this is equivalent to 58.115.778 potential visitors only in the European Union. In the case of Germany, people with physical disabilities spend a total of about 5 billion euros each year on travel, although the number of trips has been reduced due to the lack of accessibility in tourist areas in Europe. In America, specifically in the United States, people with motor disabilities spend about 11,212.90 dollars on travel each year (González, 2014) .

Europe and the United States of America are home to most of the specialized travel agents in this field of providing accessible tourism. However, companies around the world are beginning to appear as a result of a growing need, driven by high-end tourism and due to increased life expectancy in developed countries.

With the growth of the Internet, online travel planning is also becoming more common, leading to an increase in online accessibility maps. As an example, starting in 2016, Lonely Planet began offering accessible online resources by country.

Accessibility and reduced mobility are on the agenda

In the last twenty years, accessible tourism has become a priority for both public and private initiatives in different countries through laws protecting the right to accessibility for people with disabilities.

In the year 2016, the theme of the UNWTO International Tourism Day was “Tourism for All”. The website of this organization refers to the fact that accessibility is not only focused on the elderly, families of limited resources or workers. It also promotes the opportunity for recreation and rest for people with some kind of disability (UNWTO, 2016).

“Governments and the private sector should view the potential for inclusion of 15-17% of the population as an untapped market, as a sound investment in social inclusion – something that could benefit large swathes of the population,” says Charlotte V. McClain-Nhlapo, Global Disability Advisor at the World Bank.

A consistent supply of accessible tourism requires a combination of integrated public and private services, providing reliable and up-to-date information to both residents and tourists. It also requires adequate means of transport and the necessary protection to ensure the safety of all.

Integrating digital, social and sustainable skills in a tourism accessibility strategy

With persons being at the heart of all tourism services, their awareness about the topic, knowledge and necessary skills are critical for successful implementation.

The human element is and will be a key factor in any adapted tourism product design because the levels of attention and care required by these groups must be highly personalised. Social skills (empathy, communication, assertiveness, etc.) are essential in accessible tourism since most of these people will require direct accompaniment or help in carrying out many leisure activities.

The technological revolution with the appearance of internet, robotics, virtual or augmented reality, big data, provides new opportunities to improve the accessible tourist experience in services and destinations. Providing human resources with the necessary digital skills will favour a better adaptation of these services to the real and specific needs and the different types and levels of disability or reduced mobility.

The level of demand regarding the adaptation of facilities and equipment in accessible tourism is high. A strategy of “inclusion” of groups of people with disabilities results in a greater degree of sustainability of the initiatives. In such a “global” concept, the versatility and adaptability of the tourist offer are perfectly complemented by the fulfilment of environmental criteria and integration in the territory and the local population.

NTG is seeking greater integration of these competencies in the future design of training itineraries, which increasingly need to take into account accessibility requirements.

Practical problems and how to solve them

Specific problems encountered by travelers or tourists with disabilities include:

Inaccessible or only partially accessible websites
The lack of wheelchair accessible vehicles
The lack of well-adapted hotel rooms
Lack of professional staff capable of dealing with accessibility issues
Lack of reliable information on the level of accessibility of a specific attraction
Lack of accessible restaurants, bars and other facilities
The lack of adapted bathrooms in restaurants and public places
Inaccessible streets and sidewalks
The lack of technical aids and equipment for the disabled, such as wheelchairs, bathing chairs and public toilets

Public institutions and the private tourism sector are already working in many cases in a coordinated manner to try to gradually solve these limitations.

EU countries have incorporated minimum accessibility criteria and requirements in the regulations governing public and private buildings and spaces. Tourism regulations establish a series of minimum requirements in terms of accessibility such as, for example, the obligatory of access without architectural barriers in entrances and common areas, the requirement for lifts, adapted public and private toilets, etc.

In some countries, private or mixed initiatives for the enjoyment of tourist services and activities by the disabled have been implemented. They refer to the creation of accessibility standards according to the type of disability, or the definition of labels or certifications of accessible tourism services or destinations. Here are some practical examples of best practice, guidelines and resources to support tourism businesses:

UK national accessible scheme for tourism
Manuals on recommendations of adaptations for accessible tourism offer; e.g this one elaborated by Predif the State Representative Platform for People with Physical Disabilities
Guides of accessible tourist resources on Greenways
Companies whose product is focused on inclusive tourism. They provide their facilities and equipment with high levels of accessibility and take care of specific training and qualification of their workers many of whom have some degree of disability. E.g. Ilunion Hotels (Spain)

Eurogites is working now on this topic. The project Access IT (INNOVATION FOR ACCESSIBLE TOURISM IN NATURAL AND RURAL AREAS) supports the capacity of EU tourism SMEs operating in nature and rural areas to bridge accessibility gaps through stakeholder co-design of innovative solutions for tourism products for customers with specific access requirements. For more info click here .

Francisco Javier Cansinos Cabello

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Accessible tourism: a reflection from the public and private sectors.

Erika Cruz Coria[a], Carlos Ignacio Patiño Tejada[b]

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COMMENTS

Promoting accessible tourism for all
UN News Centre: Accessible tourism will benefit everyone, say senior UN officials on World Day; World Tourism Day 2016 Theme: Promoting Universal Accessibility; UN Environment: #Tourism4All videos ...
What is Accessible Tourism and Why is it So Important?
Accessible tourism is an integral part of implementing sustainable tourism. When most people hear the term 'accessible tourism', they immediately think of disabled people and things such as audio devices for the blind and ramps for those in wheelchairs. Yes, this is an important part of accessible tourism, BUT accessible tourism is actually ...
Accessible Tourism
Accessible Tourism. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2023), 1.3 billion people - about 16% of the global population - experience significant disability. Accessibility for all to tourism facilities, products, and services should be a central part of any responsible and sustainable tourism policy.
Accessible Tourism for All: An Opportunity within Our Reach
Our mission is to make tourism destinations, products and services at the European level accessible for all visitors, while supporting the promotion of inclusive and accessible tourism on a global scale. Capitán Haya 42, 28020 Madrid, Spain Tel: (34) 91 567 81 00 / Fax: (34) 91 571 37 33 www.unwto.org.
Accessible Tourism Identified as 'Game Changer' for ...
Accessible Tourism Identified as 'Game Changer' for Destinations. ... Highlighting the potential benefits for more accessible destinations, the publication notes that, by 2050, one in six people worldwide will be aged 65 or over, rising to one in four in Europe and North America. Furthermore, data shows that the average spend of tourists ...
Promoting accessible tourism for all
In this context, accessible tourism does not only benefit persons with disabilities, it benefits all of society. To ensure that accessible tourism is developed in a sustainable manner requires that tourist destinations go beyond ad hoc services to adopting the principle of universal design, ensuring that all persons, regardless of their ...
Manual on Accessible Tourism for All: Principles, Tools and Best
the ield of Accessible Tourism for All, and have materialized in a series of speciic actions with the signing of a trilateral framework agreement in 2011 with the ONCE [Spanish National Organization of the Blind] Foundation for the Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT).
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development in Nature Areas - Compendium of Best Practices. ISBN (printed version): 978-92-844-2276- ISBN (electronic version): 978-92-844-2277-7 DOI: 10.18111/9789284422777. Published by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Madrid, Spain.
Tourism for all
Accessible accommodations in nature, accessibility to natural parks and beaches, and the use of plastic to manufacture accessible products were only some of the topics that were presented. RELATED LINKS. Download the news release in PDF; Expert Meeting on Accessible Tourism: Good Practices on Accessible Tourism in Nature Areas
Accessible tourism
Accessible tourism. Accessible tourism is the ongoing endeavor to ensure tourist destinations, products, and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical or intellectual limitations, disabilities or age. [1] It encompasses publicly and privately owned and operated tourist locations. The goal of accessible tourism is to ...
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The further study presents issues, challenges, benefits, advances, and emerging trends that broaden the future accessible tourism research agenda. In doing so, the authors revived the peer-reviewed articles published in the Scopus database from the year 2020 to 2022, as there were a significant number of articles published in the new normal.
Recommendations on Accessible Tourism
The definition found in UNWTO's 2005 recommendations on Accessible Tourism for All, adopted by UNWTO General Assembly Resolution A/RES/492(XVI)/10 in Dakar, Senegal, adopts an approach where people benefit from the provision of accessible tourism throughout their lives. These include people with permanent and temporary disabilities and the ...
Accessible tourism futures: the world we dream to live in and the
The definition recognises that developing inclusive destinations and accessible tourism experiences also benefit other groups in the community. Hence, it contributes toward a greater social sustainability of the industry by including and, hence, providing for a much broader cross-section of consumers that has previously been considered by the ...
Finding a way towards high-quality, accessible tourism: the role of
The suggested solution would benefit from future empirical analyses to assess its strengths and weaknesses.,By drawing on the concept of digital ecosystems, this paper is amongst the first studies to suggest a path to making tourism locations more accessible to all tourists (with or without disabilities) based on technology.
Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development: Current State ...
Accessibility constitutes one important consideration in the field of scholarship relating to inclusive tourism development because it is fundamentally about the inclusion of people with disabilities in tourism and in society. This conceptual paper maps how accessible tourism is currently positioned against an established framework of inclusive tourism development and gives examples of ...
Accessible Tourism: The Demand-Side Perspective
Along with the social benefits of accessible tourism, the economic benefits for the tourism industry are significant given the size of the accessible tourism market. The European Network for Accessible Tourism estimates that the accessible tourism market is worth €500 billion per year in Europe alone.
Accessibility and Accessible Tourism: The Conceptual ...
1.4.2 Segments in Accessible Tourism and Technology Research. To be fully inclusive and accessible, the tourism industry must consider the requirements of anyone with special needs [].Technological solutions can help to increase the accessibility of tourism products and services [].While AT pertains to various segments of the population with distinct needs and requirements [], the results of ...
PUBLICATIONS Public-private Partnerships and Good Practices
Manual on Accessible Tourism for All - Public-private Partnerships and Good Practices The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a United Nations specialized agency, is the leading international organization with the decisive and ... 13.2.2 Expected benefits 181
Tourism Accessibility for Impaired
Here is a deep-dive into accessible, inclusive and sustainable solutions for tourism businesses and destination, featuring lessons and examples shared by Communications professional and inclusive travel advocate Martin Heng (former Accessible Travel Manager at Lonely Planet). TrainingAid. Expert Team at TrainingAid. Martin Heng.
Accessible Tourism for All: An Opportunity within Our Reach
Abstract: 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 ...
Accessibility in Tourism: challenges and opportunities
According to the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT, n.d.) accessible tourism includes: Barrier-free destinations: infrastructure and facilities. Transport: by air, land and sea, suitable for all users. High-quality services: delivered by trained staff. Activities, exhibitions, attractions: allowing everyone to participate in tourism ...

Promoting accessible tourism for all

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1. Introduction

2. Accessible tourism

3. Tourism experience and tourism ecosystems in light of the digital revolution

4. Tourism experience and tourism ecosystem from perspective of tourists with mobility disability

4.2 Identifying the tourism ecosystem in relation to tourists with mobility disability

5. Barriers to accessible tourism: can digital ecosystems represent a solution?

6. Conclusions

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Accessibility and Accessible Tourism: The Conceptual Evolution Through the Analysis of the Literature

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Accessibility in Tourism: challenges and opportunities

The importance of accessible tourism

Accessibility and reduced mobility are on the agenda

Integrating digital, social and sustainable skills in a tourism accessibility strategy

Practical problems and how to solve them

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