Tourism For All
It’s World Tourism Day with the UNWTO holding official celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, under the theme of “Tourism For All – Promoting Universal Accessibility.”
For the last 25 years, World Tourism Day, held annually on Sept. 27, has aimed to foster awareness of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic impact.
Reaching universal accessibility in tourism is a shared responsibility of all parties involved in the tourism value chain, as well as a business opportunity for companies and destinations.
“Everyone has the right to access leisure and tourism services on an equal basis. Yet one billion people around the world living with disability, along with young children, seniors and persons with other access requirements, still face obstacles in accessing fundamentals of travel such as clear and reliable information, efficient transportation and public services, and a physical environment that is easy to navigate,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. “Even with modern technologies, those with visual, hearing, mobility or cognitive impairments are being left behind in many tourism destinations.”
UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai added, “All of the world’s citizens have the right to experience the incredible diversity this planet has to offer. Therefore, it is highly important that all countries and destinations, as well as the industry, promote accessibility for all in the physical environment, in transport systems, in public facilities and services and in information and communications channels.”
