Artigo

Tourism can provide transformational experiences, in positive and/or negative ways, for any tourist. It can provide new experiences that can be (deeply) affective as tourists encounter new places, people, cultures, and activities that they may have never encountered before. For tourists with disability, transformational experiences can be even more significant, again in positive and/or negative ways. An estimated 1.3 billion people (16% of the global population) live with disability (World Health Organisation, 2023). The United Nations (2006) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) asserts that people with disabilities should be able to access, participate in, and enjoy leisure, recreation, and tourism experiences as a fundamental human right. It is important to appreciate that disability is not a homogenous concept, but complex and multifaceted (Buhalis and Michopoulou, 2011; Darcy and Dickson, 2009). Adapting to meet the access requirements of visitors with disabilities is not only beneficial for economic sustainability, but also for the social sustainability of a community, at national, regional/state, and local levels, by putting into practice the values enshrined in the UNCRPD (United Nations [UN], 2006; CockburnWootton and McIntosh, 2020). We note the difference between ‘accessibility’ (often perceived as physical access/infrastructure) and ‘inclusion’ (an understanding and appreciation of diverse customers). In this presentation, we will set out four pillars that are essential in developing tourism destinations to provide accessible and inclusive experiences.