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Stories, insights & tips, from journeyable pioneers, discover unique people, places, and cultures with stories and insights from our community of leading accessible travelers. our pioneers share their real personal stories from experiences around the world, empowering travelers just like you to embark on accessible journeys., pioneering travel for all, join renowned travel influencers, destinations, hospitality, travel suppliers, lifestyle brands, accessibility associations, advocates, and everyday heroes – content creators united to make a global impact., become a journeyable pioneer.

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The hawaiian islands, world premier, in our new original series world premier, discover the beauty, energy & deeply rooted traditions of the hawaiian islands – accessible to all..

Accessible Hawaii

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Accessible Tourism Sees a Major Milestone in Global Travel and Tourism Industry

Monday, April 22, 2024 Favorite

In recent years, the travel and tourism industry has reached a significant milestone in its journey towards inclusivity and accessibility. Accessible tourism , which aims to ensure that tourist destinations, products, and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities, or age, has gained momentum across the globe.

This transformative movement is not just reshaping the way people with disabilities experience travel but is also opening up new market opportunities for the industry at large.

The Rise of Accessible Tourism

Accessible tourism has become a focal point for industry stakeholders who are recognizing the importance of this sector not only from a social perspective but also as a substantial economic opportunity. The World Health Organization estimates that about 15% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability. When accounting for elderly travelers who might face similar challenges, the potential market for accessible tourism is immense.

The shift towards more accessible travel experiences has been driven by a combination of advocacy, legislation, and the evolving expectations of travelers. Legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States and the European Accessibility Act in the EU have laid the groundwork for a more inclusive approach in the tourism sector.

Key Developments in Accessible Tourism

Several key developments have been instrumental in driving the progress of accessible tourism:

Improved Transportation:

Major advancements have been made in making transportation more accessible. This includes the design of airports, railway stations, and public transport systems that accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Airlines have also started to offer more services to assist passengers with disabilities, ensuring a smoother travel experience from start to finish.

Accessible Accommodations:

Hotels and resorts worldwide are increasingly recognizing the need to offer rooms and facilities that cater to guests with disabilities. Features like wheelchair-accessible rooms, braille signs, and auditory assistance devices are becoming standard in accommodations aiming to be truly inclusive.

Technology and Innovation:

Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the travel experience for people with disabilities. From apps that provide navigational assistance in real-time to websites designed with accessibility in mind, digital innovations are helping break down barriers that once made travel daunting for many.

Inclusive Tourist Attractions:

 Tourist attractions are also undergoing changes to become more accessible. Museums, parks, and historical sites are implementing features such as tactile exhibits, ramp access, and sign language tours to ensure that all visitors can enjoy their offerings.

Economic Impact and Market Potential

The economic impact of accessible tourism cannot be overstated. According to the Open Doors Organization, travelers with disabilities spend billions annually, underscoring the substantial market that accessible tourism opens up. By investing in accessibility, destinations and businesses are not only enhancing their appeal but are also tapping into a growing market segment that appreciates such considerations.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Several destinations have set benchmarks in accessible tourism. For example, cities like Berlin and London are praised for their accessible public transport systems and facilities. In Australia, initiatives like the Beach Access program in Victoria have made beaches more accessible through the use of beach wheelchairs and matting.

Challenges and Future Directions

Despite the progress, challenges remain. These include a lack of standardized global regulations for accessibility, which can make international travel unpredictable for people with disabilities, and a need for greater awareness and training in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

The future of accessible tourism lies in ongoing innovation, greater collaboration between governments, businesses, and disability groups, and continued advocacy to keep accessibility at the forefront of the tourism industry’s development agenda.

Accessible tourism is experiencing a pivotal transformation, marking a major milestone in the inclusivity of the global travel and tourism industry. As this sector continues to evolve, it holds the promise of opening up the world to millions of travelers who, until now, have been underserved by mainstream tourism offerings. The ongoing expansion of accessible tourism not only enriches the travel experience for individuals with disabilities but also contributes significantly to the broader economic landscape of the tourism industry, proving that inclusivity can indeed drive success.

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WTTC releases major new paper for Inclusive & Accessible Guidelines to aid global Travel & Tourism recovery

WTTC releases major new paper for Inclusive & Accessible Guidelines to aid global Travel & Tourism recovery Providing accessible travel is both a social imperative and a business opportunity

London, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launches its new high-level guidelines for inclusion and accessibility in the sector which focus on the experience of travellers with disabilities and will help make the Travel & Tourism sector a more inclusive space.

These innovative and important guidelines were compiled on the basis of insights and frameworks developed by private sector leaders in Travel & Tourism, travel and disability experts, and research from intergovernmental organisations. 

Divided into four pillars, the guidelines follow a similar structure to the High-Level Inclusion & Diversity Guidelines and Mental Health Guidelines WTTC released over the past six months.

The four key pillars include: 1.    Developing an inclusive & accessible system 2.    Creating safe spaces 3.    Designing an engaging & relevant system 4.    Exemplifying inclusion & accessibility 

Highlights from these important guidelines include providing training to staff on disability awareness and how to support travellers with disabilities, as well as collaborating with other businesses in areas where there are gaps in accessibility knowledge, experience, and services. 

The report also emphasises the importance of fostering a respectful environment at all locations and for all activities, specifically reminding staff that their attitude towards people with disabilities plays an integral role in making that customer feel welcome and included. 

There is also an importance given to developing accessibility features that are clear, overt, and which such travellers do not require special assistance from staff to use.

Furthermore, the guidelines make clear that businesses should regularly and proactively engage travellers with disabilities in the creation of accessible products and services so that these meet their needs appropriately. They should also include accessibility features from the booking process, enabling travellers with disabilities to engage with the business before booking their travel service or product.

Staff should also be empowered to address customer concerns as they occur or to engage other staff members if and where necessary, and inclusive marketing should be developed to dignify representations of all people and authentically represent them.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “WTTC is proud to release these important high-level guidelines, which will help Travel & Tourism businesses of all kinds, foster more accessible and inclusive environments.

“The Travel & Tourism sector is one of the most diverse in the world. As the report shows and according to the World Health Organization, almost everyone will temporarily or permanently experience disability at some point in their life, and about 15% of the global population live with some form of disability. It is therefore imperative that we are inclusive.

“Furthermore, throughout its very nature, the sector promotes cultural exchange and understanding, therefore it makes perfect sense that we reflect these values within the sector as well. We look forward to seeing these guidelines make real change within the workforce.”

Peter Kern, Vice Chairman and CEO, Expedia Group said: “Travel opens minds and drives better understanding between people from different cultures and identities, but sometimes travel isn’t inclusive of or accessible for people with disabilities or accessibility needs. We are proud to have collaborated with WTTC on the creation of Inclusive & Accessible Travel Guidelines, a resource we will continue to collaborate on in future development, use in our own business and advocate for their adoption across the travel and tourism industry.”

Stacy Ritter, President and CEO, Visit Lauderdale said: “We applaud WTTC on the launch of their Inclusive & Accessible Travel Guidelines. Travelers with disabilities should be embraced, welcomed and celebrated. Visit Lauderdale is committed to this, and we are proud to continue our inclusive and diverse global “Celebrate You” campaign which features disabled residents. To be truly authentic in promoting diversity and inclusion, we must include the disabled community.”

Chris Nassetta, President & CEO Hilton, WTTC Chair said: “The Travel & Tourism sector has a unique role to play in building greater understanding in our global community as we welcome travellers of all backgrounds and abilities,” said Chris Nassetta, President & CEO of Hilton and Chairman of WTTC. “WTTC’s Inclusive & Accessible Travel Guidelines provide valuable insight for our industry as we continue on our journey to create truly inclusive and unforgettable experiences for all.”

John Sage, President, Accessible Travel Solutions and the author of the guidelines said: “People with disabilities (PwD's) have historically encountered many accessibility challenges while traveling. Browsing, booking, flying, sightseeing, relaxing, and sleeping all present their own specific obstacles. Consequently, many PwD's must spend many hours handling their own travel details or they stay home. WTTC's Inclusive and Accessible Travel Guidelines are an important step forward in bringing accessibility into the mainstream thereby making travel accessible for all."

To read the Inclusive & Accessible Travel Guidelines in full, please click here.

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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

Copyright © 2020, Fabio Cassia, Paola Castellani, Chiara Rossato and Claudio Baccarani

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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Accessible Tourism for All

Globally, it is estimated that there are over 1 billion persons with disabilities, as well as more than 2 billion people, such as spouses, children and caregivers of persons with disabilities, representing almost a third of the world’s population, are directly affected by disability. While this signifies a huge potential market for travel and tourism, it still remains vastly under-served due to inaccessible travel and tourism facilities and services, as well as discriminatory policies and practices.

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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ENAT is a non-profit association for organisations that aim to be 'frontrunners' in the study, promotion and practice of accessible tourism. You may be an expert or new to the area - in either case you are welcome!

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What is Accessible Tourism and Why is it So Important?

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

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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Red Sea Global Commits to Accessible Tourism for All

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18 May 2023

• The developer’s luxury destinations and experiences portfolio will be fully accessible and inclusive for guests and visitors with disabilities and special needs.
• Tailored, breathtaking experiences will be provided for people with disabilities, including bespoke therapeutic retreats for parents and caregivers.

The developer has pledged to ensure all guests will enjoy luxury hospitality and unique experiences – from sailing, kayaking and diving among shipwrecks and coral reefs, to exploring the inland environment and stargazing in the desert. 

The objective is to ensure guests enjoy RSG destinations with equity and dignity through the delivery of spaces, products and services irrespective of physical or cognitive ability. 

“We pledge to pursue a total commitment to accessible tourism from day one. As a visionary developer, we have the chance to build in accessibility from the ground up, creating exceptional experiences for every visitor to treasure, regardless of their physical or cognitive ability.” He added.

To drive this leading commitment to accessible tourism, the developer will now require all its employees, consultants and partners to follow the UN-backed standard, ISO 21902 – Accessible Tourism for All, throughout their work. 

The standard means every contractor at RSG’s destinations must ensure guest experiences take a universally inclusive approach. This commitment includes using new technologies – such as smart mobility and logistics – to radically enhance luxury tourism experiences for people with disabilities and their families, who have historically been underserved by the global industry.

Tony Coveney, Multi-Property General Manager at The St. Regis Red Sea and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, said: “One of our core values is "Putting People First," which is reflected in our approach to supporting equal equity for all, irrespective of their special needs or disabilities. At Marriott, we believe that by prioritizing the needs and concerns of our guests, associates, and partners, we create a more welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and succeed. Our commitment to equal equity is an embodiment of our core values, and we will continue to uphold these values as we work to promote accessibility and accommodation across our global enterprise.”  

Truly accessible from the very start 

The Red Sea destination is on track to welcome its first guests this year when the first three hotels and phase one of the Red Sea International airport open. Upon full completion in 2030, it will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. Phase One of AMAALA is focused on the Triple Bay masterplan, and will be ready to welcome first guests in 2024.

The enormous, varied terrain of the destinations’ landscapes present several accessibility challenges. However, from opening, The Red Sea and Amaala will incorporate and continually improve inclusive infrastructure to enable guests to enjoy world-class destination experiences, regardless of age or ability. This includes:

• Guests with a disability who take part in activities will be provided with adaptive equipment and partnered with specially trained instructors. Guests enjoying watersports, for example, will benefit from specialist sailing equipment including kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. Through RSG’s diving subsidiary, Galaxea, PADI-certified adaptive support divers will be trained to cater for those diving with disabilities and special needs.
• Operating seaplanes at the destination under the global standard of ‘Passenger Acceptance’, making bespoke provisions for guests with disabilities to mitigate unique boarding challenges.
• Deploying enhanced ground support equipment and Ambulift services to assist passengers disembarking planes and other modes of transport.
• Training handlers at the destination’s airport, Red Sea International, to enable safe transportation of wheelchairs and specialist equipment.

Red Sea Global is also creating wellbeing programs for families and caregivers of people with disabilities, providing opportunities and experiences that support mental wellbeing and allow for a sense of personal and shared achievement.

To support parents, and especially the parents of children with special needs, RSG’s adventure sports subsidiary, Akun, will offer a bespoke set of adventures and activities for parents that can help build wellbeing and mental strength. In line with RSG’s commitment to Respect and Resilience, these experiences will focus on the therapeutic benefits of the natural landscape.

“The unique needs of people with disabilities have been widely overlooked by the global tourism industry to date. It’s vital that we use our platform as a leading regenerative tourism developer – and a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 transformation – to shine a spotlight on these issues, if we are to create a truly pioneering industry that caters to all,”

said Rosanna Chopra, Executive Director, Destination Development at Red Sea Global.

Pushing boundaries beyond the guest experience

In line with the guidelines set out in the ISO 21902 standard, this accessible tourism initiative will extend to all aspects of RSG’s ecosystem, further benefitting employees, local communities and partners.

Work will also be dedicated to building the capability of tourism businesses to support workers with a disability, including sharing resources to ensure operational teams have the skills to employ workers with a disability.

To ensure the active participation of people with disabilities in the future of the tourism industry in the Kingdom and beyond, RSG will continue to work with its hospitality and leisure partners to invest in opportunities for staff and potential talent, regardless of their physical, cognitive, or sensory needs.

About Red Sea Global

Red Sea Global (RSG - www.redseaglobal.com) is a closed joint-stock company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) ofSaudi Arabia. RSG is a global multi-project developer, seeking to lead the world towards a more sustainable future, showing how responsible and regenerative development can uplift communities, drive economies, and enhance the environment. The protection of natural capital is central to all development decisions, as the organization seeks to create abetter future for all. A cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambition to diversify its economy, RSG is playing a key role in transforming the nation, by creating exciting opportunities for young Saudi talent and the private sector, as it develops built assets and destinations across multiple sectors that make a positive impact for people and planet.

RSG is the visionary company behind some of the world’s most ambitious development ventures, including luxury regenerative tourism destinations such as The Red Sea and AMAALA. Across its portfolio, RSG leverages the most innovative concepts, strategies, and technologies to deliver projects that actively enhance the wellbeing of customers, communities, and environments.

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• Trusted Traveler Programs

Global Entry

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Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States by accessing the Global Entry processing technology at selected airports .

At airports, program members proceed to the Global Entry lanes where processing technology will be used to expedite the members by capturing a photo to verify their membership. Once the photo has been captured, the member will receive on-screen instructions and proceed to a CBP officer who will confirm that you have successfully completed the process.

Travelers must be pre-approved for the Global Entry program. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrollment. If a traveler was unable to schedule an interview at an Enrollment Center prior to their international travel, they have an option to complete their interview via Enrollment on Arrival upon their arrival to the United States.

Another upcoming processing technology option for travelers will be the Global Entry Mobile App. This app will enable members to validate their arrival to the U.S. on their iOS or Android device prior to entering the Federal Inspection Services area.

While Global Entry’s goal is to speed travelers through the process, members may still be selected for further examination when entering the United States. Any violation of the program’s terms and conditions will result in the appropriate enforcement action and termination of the traveler’s membership privileges.

Global Entry Benefits

• No processing lines
• No paperwork
• Access to expedited entry
• Available at major U.S. airports
• Reduced wait times

At the Top of the Golden Gate Bridge, Governor Newsom Announces Tourism Spending Hit an All-Time High in California

Published: May 05, 2024

California remains the #1 state for tourism

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW : New data released today shows that California continues to have the largest market share of tourism in the nation, with travel spending in the state reaching an all-time record high of $150.4 billion last year.

SAN FRANCISCO – Governor Gavin Newsom and Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta today announced that travel spending in the state reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion last year, surpassing the record $144.9 billion spent in 2019. This comes after the state retained its title as the  world’s 5th largest economy  and had a  population increase , both of which are directly tied to California’s nation-leading tourism and entertainment industries.

VIDEO: Gov. Newsom makes announcement at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge

WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID : “From our world-renowned coastline, to the world’s tallest trees, to our iconic cities and theme parks, California is the nation’s coming attraction. Visitors from all over the world are coming here to experience the wonder of the Golden State, boosting our economy and creating good-paying jobs for years to come.”

BY THE NUMBERS : The Economic Impact of Travel in California, prepared by Dean Runyan Associates and released by Visit California, detailed spending that is 3.8% higher than 2019 and 5.6% higher than 2022.  Spending exceeded 2019 levels in a majority of counties.

WHAT VISIT CALIFORNIA CEO BETETA SAID : “California tourism is back where it belongs – setting records and providing for the workers, business owners and all Californians who depend on the travel industry as a cornerstone of our state’s economy. The industry has once again proved its ability to recover from any challenge, whether it be economic or environmental. California continues to be the largest, most diverse and most resilient tourism economy in the United States.”

WHAT THIS MEANS : California has the largest market share of tourism in the nation. The new travel-spending record generated $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue by visitors in 2023, marking a 3% increase over 2019. Tourism created 64,900 new jobs in 2023, bringing total industry employment to 1,155,000.

California remains the  5th largest economy in the world  for the seventh consecutive year, with a nominal GDP of nearly $3.9 trillion in 2023 and a growth rate of 6.1% since the year prior, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. California’s per capita GDP is the second largest among large economies.

In addition to visiting the state, more people are moving to California. Earlier this week, Governor Newsom  announced  the state’s population is increasing for the first time since the pandemic.

The Golden State, which has the most equitable tax system in the  entire country , is #1 in the nation for new  business starts , #1 for access to venture capital  funding , and the #1 state for tourism  spending ,  manufacturing ,  high-tech , and  agriculture .

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• European Union – New Visa “Cascade” Regime for India

GMS Flash Alert 2024-105

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Jump to: Context   |  New Policy

Travel to the Schengen area for Indian nationals is significantly easier with the introduction of new rules that allow frequent travelklers access to a longer visa period overall.  

On 18 April 2024, the European Commission adopted more favourable rules for visas issued to Indian nationals residing in India. 1  The new rules, known as the visa “cascade” regime, will allow Indian nationals who reside in India to have access to long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years after having obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years.  The initial two-year visa can then be followed by a five-year visa, provided that the passport has sufficient remaining validity, providing for a longer stay by the individual. 

WHY THIS MATTERS

The new visa cascade regime for Indian nationals residing in India who apply for Schengen (short stay) visas in India will allow easier access to visas with longer validity for travellers with an established travel history, if the passport validity allows.

In effect, this means that the holder of the new visa would enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals.  

The new rules are expected to enhance mobility between India and Schengen-area European countries.

Schengen visas allow the holder to travel freely in the Schengen area for short stays of a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. 2  Although the Schengen visa grants entry to the Schengen area, it does not grant a right to work.

The Schengen area consist of 29 European countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

According to a press release, "This decision comes in the context of strengthened relations under the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility, which deals with comprehensive cooperation on migration policy between the EU and India." 3   The Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility was signed in 2016. 4

Indian nationals who held and used at least two Schengen visas within three years preceding their application, can obtain a Schengen visa for a two-year period followed by a visa for a period up to five years.

This visa allows multiple entries into the Schengen area.

MEIJBURG & CO. INSIGHTS

It is important to note that the validity of the new visa is linked to the validity of the individual’s passport.  Issued visas cannot have a duration that exceeds the validity of the passport it is issued for.

Parties affected by the new rules may wish to consult with their immigration counsel or a professional with the KPMG Immigration network .

1  Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan, "European Union adopts more favourable Schengen visa rules for Indians," (22.04.2024) at: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/india/european-union-adopts-more-favourable-schengen-visa-rules-indians_en?s=167 .

2  For more information on the Schengen area, see the EU’s Migration and Home Affairs webpage .

3  See footnote 1.

4  See the “Joint Declaration on a Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility” (March 2016) at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/23674/20160329-joint-declaration-camm.pdf .

To learn more about the Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility signed in 2016, and developments since then, see:

- The International Labour Organization (ILO) webpage . 

- Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs "Joint Press Statement: 7th India-EU High Level Dialogue on Migration and Mobility" (October 27, 2023) at: https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/37212/Joint+Press+Statement+7th+IndiaEU+High+Level+Dialogue+on+Migration+and+Mobility .

- The website for the Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan.   

* Please note the KPMG International member firm in the United States does not provide immigration or labour law services. However, KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist clients with U.S. immigration matters.

The information contained in this newsletter was submitted by the KPMG International member firm in the Netherlands.

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GMS Flash Alert is a Global Mobility Services publication of the KPMG LLP Washington National Tax practice. The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee and does not provide services to clients. No member firm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member firm vis-à-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member firm. The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

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I swear by my AmEx card with a hefty annual fee. I get tons of travel perks and over $1,000 in credits for Uber, hotels, stores, and more.

• As someone who travels for work, I'm always looking for ways to make travel more cost-efficient.
• Although my  Platinum Card® from American Express charges a $695 annual fee, I find it saves me money.
• In addition to the travel perks, my card gets me over $1,000 in credits for Uber, hotels, and more.

As a full-time, on-the-go content creator, I practically live at airports and am always looking for ways to make my travel experience easier.

From trying out the latest packing cubes to looking for flight deals, I'm all about efficiency and saving money.

That's why it may be surprising to learn that one of my biggest travel game-changers involves spending money with a travel credit card. Like the 41% of Americans with a travel card , I use mine to save money on hotels, flights, and more.

Although the $695 annual fee for my American Express Platinum Card seems steep at first glance, it's actually saved me money in the long run. And, more importantly, it's made my travels much smoother.

Here are just some of The Platinum Card® from American Express benefits I use most often.

My American Express Platinum Card gives me access to the Centurion Lounge

Because I travel frequently, lounge access is important to me. Call me bougie, but I love having a quieter space to sit down and enjoy a meal and a drink before my flight.

As a Platinum cardholder, I can access Centurion and Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Of course, this benefit is only worthwhile if you, like me, enjoy eating and drinking at airports and your home airport has a Centurion Lounge.

With airport restaurants and bars charging sky-high prices for basic food and drink, enjoying complimentary gourmet food in the Centurion Lounge is a treat.

I also get a $200 airline-fee credit

As a Platinum cardholder, I can choose a qualifying airline and enroll to receive up to $200 of statement credit for incidental airline fees each year.

This includes checked bag fees , in-flight purchases, seat assignments, and airport-lounge day passes when I pay for them using my American Express Platinum Card. While these fees might seem small, they add up quickly when traveling frequently.

The $240 digital entertainment credit can be used on things like streaming services and news sites

As a frequent traveler, I rely on digital entertainment, and luckily, my card provides $20 in statement credits each month for some of the most popular digital entertainment services after enrollment.

Peacock, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal are all services that can be reimbursed if I pay for them using my Platinum card.

I always take advantage of the $200 annual hotel credit

With my American Express Platinum Card, I get a one-time $200 statement credit on a pre-paid booking with Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) or The Hotel Collection (THC) through American Express Travel.

I also get perks like a complimentary daily breakfast for two, room upgrades (when available), and a $100 property credit on top of the statement credit. This can generally be used at hotel restaurants or even spas, but can vary based on each property.

I use the FHR benefit each year on a special stay — this year, I stayed at the historic Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki . I received a $200 credit after paying for my room, early check-in and late checkout, free breakfasts, a room upgrade, and a property credit that I used for a nice dinner and drinks at the pool.

With my card, I can get reimbursed for Clear Plus, TSA Precheck, and/or Global Entry

In my opinion, the worst part of the airport experience is going through security. That's why I take every step possible to make things easier for myself.

With my card, I can enroll to get reimbursed for the $100 Global Entry fee, which expedites customs screenings for international arrivals in the U.S. Global Entry also includes TSA PreCheck , which makes the domestic airport-security process quicker.

I also get a $189 statement credit for CLEAR Plus, a paid membership program that uses facial recognition or fingerprints for identity verification at some airports, after enrollment.

I even get credit for Uber Eats and Saks purchases

Another perk of my credit card I can enroll in is a monthly Uber Cash benefit. Each month, $15 is deposited into my Uber account to use on rides — or my favorite, Uber Eats. I also get an extra $20 credit in December.

When I'm traveling and want to stay in, or return from a trip and don't want to hit the grocery store, I'll use the Uber benefit to get delivery using Uber Eats. Just be sure to use the benefit each month, as it doesn't roll over.

I also receive $50 in statement credit from Saks Fifth Avenue every six months after enrollment. I use this for buying gifts or small items, offsetting the cost of a larger purchase, or getting something special for an upcoming trip.

My card covers insurance for rental cars and trip delays

When I use my Platinum card, I don't spend extra money on insurance for rental cars or trip delays.

If I rent a car using my card and enroll in the program, I get secondary rental-car insurance that can cover some damages beyond what my primary insurance would.

I also have peace of mind when it comes to travel delays or interruptions.

If I book a trip with my card and the flight is delayed for more than six hours for a qualifying reason, I can get reimbursed for purchases that resulted from the delay — up to $500 per trip. This could include meals, lodging, and personal items. I hope I'll never need to use it, but it feels good to know I have it.

I find the card pays for itself in benefits

Overall, the benefits I gain from being an American Express Platinum cardholder are worth the $695 annual fee.

Because I travel so often for work, it's nice to know I have access to conveniences like lounges and expedited security programs.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

Watch: While Delta's business is 'extremely robust,' the airline's marketing chief stays focused on the data

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Un tourism launches women in tech startup competition: middle east, un tourism joins launch of ireland’s first sustainable tourism observatory, women take centre stage building inclusive tourism in asia & the pacific, un tourism members promote investment and education as international arrivals to the americas grow, un tourism: putting communities at the centre of tourism development in the americas, the first global dashboard for tourism insights.

As society progresses, the tourism sector, much like many other sectors, needs to transform to serve as a catalyst for prosperity at a universal scale. Enhancing the well-being of individuals, safeguarding the natural environment, stimulating economic advancement, and fostering international harmony are key goals that are the fundamental essence of UN Tourism. The organization takes on the role of driving a sustainable force that is now central to many economies

Opens Calls for Best Tourism Villages 2024

According to the first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year, international tourism ended 2023 at 88% of pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 1.3 billion international arrivals.

The multi-dimensional nature of the tourism sector, combined with the dynamics of the source of investment capital presents a complex picture for understanding and measuring tourism investments.

"UN tourism is leading the way forward in growing investments into the tourism sector. We serve as the bridge between investors and destinations, and we guide investments where they will have the biggest impact in making tourism more resilient, inclusive and sustainable."

Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili UN Tourism Secretary-General

UN Tourism Events

* The designations employed in this section of the website do not imply the expression of any opinions whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

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