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Promoting accessible tourism for all can be a useful strategy for building inclusive and sustainable societies. This was the main message coming out of yesterday’s conference on Accessible Tourism for All in Saint Julian's in Malta.
Organized by the Malta Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing, the conference highlighted the importance of accessibility in ensuring that no one is left behind. Discussions focused on promoting accessibility in tourism, accessibility in infrastructure and Services, and removing social barriers through accessibility in tourism.
Ms. Daniela Bas, Director of UNDESA’s Division for Social Policy and Development, spoke during the opening of the event, highlighting the clear link between accessibility in tourism and inclusive sustainable development.
“Ensuring that no one is left behind, is indispensable, it is the way forward to achieve accessible inclusive and sustainable societies, in line with the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development adopted at the UN last September,” she said. “The impact of Tourism for All goes well beyond the business case and direct economic impact of the sector. In countries like Malta, where the tourism sector is a large economic driver, the developments in this sector impact everyday life. They impact the shape of public space, the available social and economic opportunities available to the country’s residents, and the scope of future development.”
She also said that “the UN will continuously play a role as a knowledge hub to facilitate the global conversations and actions, to engage all stakeholders and to provide technical cooperation assistance to realize the rights of persons with disabilities in the world.”
Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said that “Accessible tourism for all is not about providing access to people with disabilities, but about creating universally designed environments that can support people that may have temporary disabilities and mobility issues, including families with young children, and the ever increasing ageing population.”
Dr. Justyne Caruana, Malta's Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing, said that “it is essentially a scenario where no one is excluded from both the providing and receiving ends, a reality that commits us to set standards for equal life opportunities – no matter the age or ability.”
Participants were also addressed by Ms. Marina Diotallevi, Programme Manager Ethics & Social Responsibility from UNWTO, the National Commission for Persons with Disability, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, the University of Malta's Department of Gerontology and Youth and Community Studies, and the Institute for Tourism Studies.
‘Tourism for All’ Official Video - A joint initiative by the Ministry for Tourism and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing.