SOME 500 delegates from 60 countries convened in Bangkok from September 26-28 to take part in the annual World Tourism Day. The theme this year was Tourism For All: Promoting Universal Accessibility.
During the two-day event, policy frameworks, capacity building and business strategies were discussed. National delegates also exchanged best practices and experiences on accessible tourism, and declared their commitment to advance universal accessibility to ensure that all citizens enjoy the benefits of travel regardless of their abilities.
Prayut Chan-o-Cha, Thailand’s prime minister who presided over the official celebrations on September 27, said: “One billion people across the globe have some kind of disability, (hence) accessibility becomes and will continue to be a major concern for us all.”
This sentiment was echoed by Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Thailand’s minister of tourism and sports. She added that “no one should be left behind” and more was needed to be done to better understand the needs of such groups.
Also in attendance was Ivor Ambrose, director of the European Network of Accessible Tourism, who said that by 2050, as much as 22 per cent of the world population will be over 60 years old and thus have specific access needs.
UNWTO’s secretary-general Taleb Rifai, added: “People with disabilities, aged citizens, families with children and many more find obstacles when they travel. As tourism is a human right, the sector should advance to ensure that all citizens enjoy seamless travel in an equal manner.”
“All of us have somebody who finds difficulties when travelling: family members, friends and colleagues, so we all are affected and can benefit from accessible travel measures,” emphasised Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA.
But making the world more accessible also bodes well for business. David Scowsill, president and CEO, WTTC, said: “Products and services aiming to increase the accessibility of travel add value to destinations and constitute an immense opportunity for the business sector.”
Next year’s World Tourism Day will be held in Qatar with the theme Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development.
