Gathering Travel Needs and Preferences to Customize Truly Inclusive Experiences. The Case Study of the Interreg E-Chain Project

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2023 Jun 22:303:26-35. doi: 10.3233/SHTI230395.

Abstract

Accessibility is a central element of any responsible and sustainable tourism policy: it is both a human rights imperative, and an exceptional business opportunity, as mentioned by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. Accessible tourism for all is not only about providing access to people with disabilities, but also addresses the creation of universally designed environments that can support people that may have temporary disabilities, families with young children, the ever-increasing ageing population, as well as creating a safer environment for employees at work. It must also be considered that accessible tourism benefits everyone: as more individuals enjoy the opportunity to travel, the tourism industry gets more visitors, longer seasons and new incomes. This contribution presents the approach taken within the Italy-Croatia Interreg Project "E-Chain - Enhanced Connectivity and Harmonization of data for the Adriatic Intermodal Network", focused on the provision of useful and personalized information for the traveling user.

Keywords: Accessibility; Inclusive tourism; Tourism for all; Universal design.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Commerce
  • Croatia
  • Disabled Persons*
  • Humans
  • Industry
  • Travel*