Design of Accessible Environments in Coastal Destinations

[Barbara De Angelis]

Summary of the project:
By leveraging the know-how acquired during the development of previous projects, and in coordination with the Spanish Accessible Tourism Network, this proposal is aimed at developing and testing innovative methodologies and tools, which foster access and supply of a comprehensive service adapted to the needs of people with functional accessibility problems in tourist coastal areas.
There are several benefits that can be obtained from the development of this proposal. On the one hand, essential methodologies and tools would be implemented in order to adapt tourist coastal territories to the needs of people with functional accessibility problems, so that they can meet the demands of leisure and tourism of this group. On the other hand, the creation of a tourist offer capable of covering the needs of a new potential demand segment is encouraged, which should contribute to the de-seasonality of tourist activity in these destinations (one of its main problems). At the same time, new technologies will be implemented in the adaptation process and its further transfer to the piloting territories’ social fabric. Finally, an online training product will be created in order to train specialists in the comprehensive care of the target group. This group is composed of potential users from the eligible countries as well as from Central and Northern European countries.
The entire process will be articulated through the creation of a Cooperation Network with the following stakeholders: first, universities (institutions with the capacity to develop methods and tools, as well as training processes for technicians of piloting destination territories); second, Local Entities in which pilot tests will be applied (actors capable for articulating the proposed methodologies and tools over the territory); third, tourist business organizations (actors involved in the tourist sector); finally, organizations of the third sector (Foundations/Partnerships) targeted to the improvement of the quality of life of people with functional accessibility problems (experts of needs and problems of the target group), will interrelate with each other.

[Author]

Posts