TOURIST SPACES BETWEEN PRACTICES AND THEORIES CONFERENCE University of Palermo July 9, 2011

ACCESSIBLE SOCIAL TOURISM IN TOURIST SPACES

Dr. Stephanie Carretero Dr. Jorge Garcs

Mireia Ferri
Related projects: Project Reference: CS02010-15425 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacin Technology Network for Accessible Tourism. Reference: RET-410000-2007-1 Ministerio de Educacin y ciencia REDHOTEC- Technological platform of tourism. Reference: RET-410000-2009-1 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacin

Index:
ERI Polibienestar What is Social Tourism? What is Accessible Social Tourism? What is the impact of considering Accessible Social Tourism in tourist spaces? Studies of Accessible Social Tourism Current situation of Accessible Social Tourism Our research Methodology Some results of our research Next steps Some conclusions of our research

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ERI Polibienestar:
POLIBIENESTAR is an interdisciplinary research team leader in Spain that is specialized in design and training in social policies founded in 1996.

Our mission is to improve welfare and quality of life of society. 15 researchers from 9 departments of the University of Valencia:

Department of Social Work and Social Services. Department of Experimental and Social Sciences. Department of Labour Law and Social Security. Department of Personality, Evaluation and Psychological Treatment.

Department of Applied Economy. Department of Business Management. Department of Sociology and Anthropology. Department of Methods of Teaching and Scholar Organization. Department of Preventive Medicine.

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RESEARCH LINES OF POLIBIENESTAR: Efficiency and quality of systems longterm care. Design and usability of residential alternatives socially sustainable. Social welfare and health. Attention to diversity and students with special educational needs. Project and Portfolio Management. Innovation Management. Sport and social integration. Third sector and socio-economic reengineering. Corporate Social Responsibility. Social Tourism accessible for all.

National and international experience

Leadership and participation in Spanish and European R&D projects. Organization and participation in activities related with free movement, accessibility and tourism.

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What is Social Tourism?

Social Tourism subsumes all the initiatives which make tourism accessible to persons with special needs, at the same time generating social and economic benefits for various sectors, activities and groups (EESC, 2006). Basics of Social Tourism (EESC, 2006): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The right of the majority to enjoy tourism. The contribution of social tourism to social integration. Creation of sustainable tourism structures. Contribution to employment and economic development. The contribution of social tourism to global development. Political relevance

Tourism policy in the European Union: 1. Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Tourism policy in the enlarged European Union: contribution of social tourism to employment and social policies (EESC, 2005). 2. Lisboan Strategy: Social Tourism placed in the centre of the European Tourism Model. 3. Calypso program of European Commission.
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What is Accessible Social Tourism?

Young people Social Tourism

Families with poor resources Disabled people

Dependent people

Elderly

Importance of Social Tourism focused on elderly, dependent and disabled people.

Accessible Social Tourism

Some initiatives: 1. Europe Senior Tourism. 2. The IMSERSO social tourism program in Spain. 3. World Tourism Organization: is planning to carry out several activities with external partners in the field of accessibility.
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What is the impact of considering Accessible Social Tourism in tourist spaces?

The consideration of an important market share:
650 millions of disabled around the world (WHO, 2010). 120 millions of potential tourist with temporary disabilities (Communauts Europens, 2004). 0,5 relatives or accompanying that travel with the person with disability (European Commission, 1996). It improves the tourists spaces image. It provides a tourist spaces differentiation.

Economic benefits for private entities

The added value that it provides:

The increase of social and family relationships, self-esteem of different groups and families, etc: The reduction of social and health services and their costs. The reduction of other indirect or opportunity costs such as increased opportunities for employment:
It makes possible the tourism not seasonal. It improves the local and regional economies. It contributes to health ageing (Anzola, Prez and Bravo, 2009)

Social benefits for public entities

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Studies of Accessible Social Tourism show that:

The disabled tourist rely almost exclusively on information from friends, relatives or associations (Darcy, 2006). The tourist spaces do not obey the currently accessibility normative (Fernndez, 2007). The new technologies would take a relevant role to favor the accessibility (Garcs et al, 2010).

It is not studied the behavior and the specific necessities of disabled travelers (Yau et al. 2004).
The tourism industry does not have general knowledge about disability matters (Darcy, 2002; ONeill & Ali-Knight, 2000). Only 45 countries have laws about discrimination and others laws related with disability (United Nations, 2010).

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Current situation of Accessible Social Tourism

The tourism sector does not take the advantage of these benefits because the tourist spaces do not respond to the needs and demand of dependent older and disabled people: Scientific knowledge about In Spain: the benefits and Only obey the accessibility ideal standards the impact of the (Fernndez, 2007): Social Tourism 0,7 % of the 3 and 4 stars hotels. does not exists. 5% of first and second category of camping. 7% of rural cottages. Lack of reliable information about the accessibility of tourist spaces (Carretero et al, 2011). Different normative (Fernandez, 2007). It is necessary a Lack of training about accessibility for tourism reinvention of employees (Fernandez, 2007). tourist spaces

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Our research:
Research to improve the Accessible Social Tourism in Spain (SOCIALTOURISM) The objective: Increasing the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism sector. During the project execution: We are developing tools that will allow the tourism entities to analyze their accessibility conditions and to know the keys to improve their situation. These keys consider the different kinds of disability and are based on a model of universal tourist accessibility.

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Our research:
Why? To increase the sustainability and competitiveness of the Spanish tourist sector through the improvement of knowledge in Social Tourism accessible for all. How? Alleviating the current lacks through: Creating a universal tourism accessibility model. Creating a model of good practices. Creating a model of accessible tourism training. Releasing and transferring to the scientific community, authorities and businesses the knowledge in Social Accessible Tourism.

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Methodology:
To carry out this project we are using our previous experience in accessibility evaluations and projects, and we are revising the existing bibliography: Previous studies Spanish law European normative Relevant publications UNE Standards

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Some results of our research:

Universal tourism accessibility model
We are designing this model for all tourism spaces. It will be used for private and public entities for: Evaluating their grade of accessibility. Providing reliable information about the accessibility of their spaces. Knowing the keys to implement the increases in accessibility in their spaces. Clasification of all elements to evaluate for type of toursim space. List of all tourism spaces: Detaching each of them by types of elements and areas to evaluate. Considering architect, sensorial, information and assistance aspects. For public and private spaces.
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Some results of our research:

Clasification of all elements to evaluate for type of toursim space. Example. In taxi there are consider the following areas: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. General aspects of the vehicle Internal space Windows Seats Space for passengers with their wheelchairs Lighting Information Signs Helps for access into the taxi

For each area there are consider some elements. For example for the lighting area: 1. Lighting level of the vehicle 2. Lighting level of the seats area 3. Lighting level at doors area 4. Lighting level in areas with obstacles

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Some results of our research:

Establishment of universal accessibility criterions to tourism spaces, that consider: 1 The characteristics that each element should consider:
Universal design: The design of products and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible without the necessity of adaptations or specialized design (The Center for Universal Design, 1995).

Accessibility grades or levels:

Accessible / Practicable / Not accessible

The disability types affected:

physical disabilities, mental disabilities and sensorial disabilities.

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Some results of our research:

Establishment of universal accessibility criterions to tourism spaces:
For each area of each tourism space:
Element Accessibility grade or level Accessibility type

Accessible Practicable Not accessible

Physical Mental Sensorial

Example (Spanish law and European Directive 2001/85/CE):

Element Space without seats in the bus transport Length Width Accessibility grade or level Accessible Not accessible Accessible Not accessible Physical accessibility > or = 1.300mm < 1.300mm > or = 750 mm < 750 mm

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Next steps:
Establishment of tourism universal accessibility questionnaire:
The criterions of universal accessibility in tourism spaces will be translated into a questionnaire usable for public and private entities. Card questionnaire. Each card will be about an area of the tourism space Example of cards.
Health and leisure centre X X X X Shops Breach Urban areas X X X X X X X X X X X X X Parking place Public buildings Tourist office Monuments Accommodation

1. Urban environment 2. Parking place 3. Building access 4. Inside building

X X X X

X X X X

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Next steps:
Establishment of computer system for using online the universal tourism model We are designing a computer system in which will be able all the results online. The system: would allow the automatic diagnosis of the accessibility of the tourist through the designed questionnaire, will detect the elements to change in the space, will give the orientations to implement the changes. % accessibility for type of disability Private or Online Fill Web public Questionnaire Elements to change access out platform entities Ways to change with universal design criterions

Potential study of universal design monitoring in Spain

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Some conclusions of our research:

There is a lack of: reliable information of the offer supply of Accessible Social Tourism. standardization of the numerous and different normative. sensitivity about accessibility by the companies. scientific knowledge about the benefits and the impact of the Social Tourism does not exists.

Our research is focused on alleviating these current lacks.

The diagnosis of the adaptation of universal criterions is very useful to entities but it does not give them information to how became accessible. Our research detect the necessary changes and gives the way to make the correct changes in tourism spaces. The tourism spaces quality is relevant due to the competence of the sector and the change of tourists needs. Our research detect that the quality will be achieved through the universal design that guarantees that the products, services and environment are appropriate for the greatest number of people .
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Thank you for your time and attention. mireia.ferri@uv.es

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