Accessible Tourism

This year, the World Tourism Day, that is, on the 27th of September 2016, embraces the concept of accessible tourism with the theme “Tourism for All: Promoting Universal Accessibility”. Millions of people travel across the world each year to explore more places, meet people, and experience cultures to enrich their lives. The process might not be equally easy for everyone. Different barriers come along the way, and restrictions may apply according to age group, background, or disabilities. As such, the most difficult limits are often faced by people with disabilities due to lack of information on accessible places, lack of required services, and absence of universal designs, to name a few.

A limited budget restricts people from going to many places on their wish list, limiting a person from seeing the grandeur of mountains or oceans. Having a fractured limb limits the length they can walk. Having a weak or transplanted heart can determine the elevation they can reach when trekking. These lists of limitations may go on and on.

Tourism and Its Complications

But it does not mean that they cannot plan travel within what they can afford, feel and hear the sound of the ocean and vibrant mountain culture, get around in a wheelchair, or go to the places they feel comfortable. Everybody deserves to go to all the places they want, and we need more packages with special priority for people who need assistance.

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. It encompasses publicly and privately owned tourist locations. According to the World Tourism Organization Network (WTO), accessible tourism for all is about creating environments that can cater to the needs of all of us, whether we are travelling or staying at home.

Whether it be due to disability, even temporary, families with small children, or the ageing population, at some point in our lives, sooner or later, we all benefit from universal accessibility in tourism.

ENAT

According to ENAT, the European Network for Accessible Tourism, accessible tourism includes:

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

The various problems faced by travellers with disabilities may include inaccessible websites, lack of accessible airport transfers, hotel rooms, restaurants, restrooms, streets or sidewalks, lack of wheelchair accessible vehicles, lack of professional staff capable of dealing with accessibility issues, and also lack of technical aids and disability equipment such as wheelchairs, bath chairs, and toilet raisers.

Accessible Tourism in Nepal

While the concept of accessible tourism is relatively new and much study has not been done in Nepal, there have been some instances of consideration. As mentioned in earlier accessible tourism articles covered in this magazine, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu is considered the number one accessible hotel with universal design. They have three accessible rooms on three floors, and Hyatt even has a chair for the shower. Soaltee Crowne Plaza has well-designed ramps with four accessible rooms on the ground floor. Hotel Himalaya has one accessible room, and Gokarna Forest Resort has a few relatively accessible rooms on the ground floor. Some wheelchair users from Asia Try have enjoyed rafting in the Trishuli River. Sightseeing is possible in all the beautiful places of Nepal. Paragliding, ultra-light flights, canyoning, jeep rides, and bull cart rides in Chitwan are accessible and enjoyable too.

While researching accessible tourism in Nepal, I came across a very commendable program brought forward by the Himalayan Education and Development (HEAD) Program based in Humla, one of two districts not connected by road. HEAD’s Executive Director, Chhitup Lama, has introduced this program in such a remote place, especially for visually-impaired people. Lama is blind himself, and this program also gives opportunity to blind locals in the form of guides.

Further Info

He said that the blind people who have been living there forever know the topography of the place and therefore know better how to guide other blind people. The difficulty is in the steep hills, falling off the rock near grazing cattle, and the local bridges, which are pretty narrow, made of wood and without ropes. But visitors have enjoyed the meetings with local people, who also offer cultural music programs. It’s true that there is still much to do to make any Himalayan places genuinely accessible, but initiations like these help start.

Himalayan Friends Trekking is considerate when taking people with heart transplants and breathing difficulties. There are beautiful locations that are accessible without going too far up in the Himalayas. Phuri Kitar Sherpa of Himalayan Friends Trekking says that going up to 4000 meters is not too difficult. They also prepare for immediate departure in case of any emergencies. The different kinds of herbs and tea present in these regions also prove beneficial in curing some breathing ailments! Sherpa’s friend Jordan Moe, who always tries coming back for treks in Nepal, also said that the pace of walk adopted determines the comfort level while trekking uphill.

Tourism Day

The World Tourism Day with the slogan — Tourism for All: Promoting Universal Accessibility — will scale up the interest in the issue by all travel agencies and travel boards of directors. It might improve accessibility in most places. Some places are also inaccessible due to civil or other wars, and security should be a significant priority. Other sites are inaccessible to physically disabled people.

The World Tourism Organization has also published various brochures to spread accessible tourism including:

UNWTO Recommendations on Accessible Information in Tourism
Accessible Tourism for All: An Opportunity within Our Reach
Manual on Accessible Tourism for All: Public-Private Partnerships and Good Practices (2015)
Manual on Accessible Tourism for All: Principles, Tools and Good Practices, Module I: Definition and Context (2014)

All these efforts will help make many places more accessible than before.

Source: Nepal Travel Magazine | Sep-Oct, 2016

Images:
Photo by Zachary Kyra-Derksen on Unsplash
Photo by Traworld Official on Unsplash