Cuban expert points to accessible tourism

Cuban professor and researcher José Luís Perelló pointed today to accessible tourism, an indispensable element for the development of the travel industry today.

In his usual commentary on the Facebook network, the scholar refers to the fact that this type of travel could generate income close to 90 billion dollars this year, according to a study by Emerald Insight.

He said that traveling is a gateway to new experiences and perspectives, but represents a world of obstacles and limited options for more than a billion people living with disabilities.

With an aging world population and increasing health problems, the demand for accessible tourism options is more pressing than ever. A study by Emerald Insight, he reiterated, indicates that the accessible tourism market could generate revenues close to 90 billion dollars by 2025, an increase of 65 percent over the decade.

In recent years, the tourism industry has taken a crucial step towards improving the experience of its millions of users.

An innovative and very timely change, whose main challenge today is not only to offer alternatives in different price ranges, but also with high levels of quality that, above all, highlight their inclusive nature.

Despite these advances, there remains a lack of knowledge among many companies and suppliers on how to carry out this new development model, which is why the objective is to provide support through information and experiences that promote more initiatives oriented towards accessibility, he said.

Travel companies often treat the travel market for the disabled as a legal requirement instead of taking advantage of it as a business opportunity.

According to an estimate by the European Accessible Tourism Network, the world loses approximately 150 billion dollars a year due to the lack of facilities for disabled travelers.

Saudi Arabian multi-project developer Red Sea Global (RSG) is taking advantage of this opportunity by integrating inclusive designs and facilities from the planning stages at its Red Sea destination.

The Red Sea, which opened late last year, is now operational and welcomes international flights and visitors from around the world. As the first Saudi megaproject to open, it aims to set high standards in accessible tourism practices.

In this regard, Perelló mentions different types of accessibility, such as Architectural, Urban, Transportation Systems, Communication, and Web, to facilitate vacations for this type of traveler.

He said that when these types of accessibility are implemented sequentially, a result is achieved in which accessibility is no longer just a parameter that responds to specific requirements, but becomes functional for everyone (Universal Accessibility), he concludes his comment.