About The Summit
Making tourism destinations accessible to all
Over a billion people in the world, including 50 million in the Middle East region, are experiencing various disabilities. The first global study of People with Disabilities identified barriers for them in tourist destinations which includes inaccessible facilities like airports, hotels, parks and beaches. With one in ten people worldwide living with a disability, travellers with disabilities now make up one of the fastest-growing tourism markets. Few countries, according to the first-ever World Report on Disability, have adequate mechanisms in place to respond to the needs of People with Disabilities.
Tapping the accessible tourism market is a key agenda for destinations, but it remained vastly unexplored. About 54 per cent of people with access requirements avoid going to new places if not accessible to them. The biggest challenge is finding accessible destinations that meet their special needs and heighten their travel experience. Over three million tourism businesses in Europe are not prepared to cater adequately to the accessibility market. By 2020, an additional 1.2 million enterprises in Europe alone needs to provide accessible services. The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain have the largest population of people with access needs- above 10 million. In 2012, people with access needs took approximately 783 million trips (visits) within the EU. Demand is anticipated to grow to about 862 million trips (visits) per year by 2020.
For most people, tourism looks quite accessible and they tend to take for granted the ability to embark on a vacation anytime. However, it is a world of challenges for People with Disabilities to explore destinations and experience their sights and sounds. People with access needs have many of the same travel desires and behavioural patterns as other travellers. The most common issues that differently-abled tourists encounter include adapted hotel rooms, airport transfers, wheelchair access vehicles, adapted toilets in public restrooms, and accessible restaurants and coffee shops. To make a meaningful impact, Dubai has stepped in the efforts to make the world’s prime tourist spots accessible to all and friendly to People with Disabilities. The world’s second most-visited global tourist destination wants to be disability-friendly by 2020.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group and Summit Patron says insights, experiences and best practices will be shared at the Summit to make destinations more accessible to People with Disabilities. Dubai Strategic Plan 2021 strongly outlines this commitment. The Emirate is modifying more than a thousand buildings, including hotels and heritage sites, to make them accessible to all. Dubai Universal Design Code defines how buildings and transportation systems have to be designed, constructed and managed keeping in mind the People with Disabilities. The tourism industry is investing in developing inclusive facilities.
A host city for the first-ever World Expo in the MENASA region in 2020, accessibility remains top on the agenda in Dubai’s growth journey. Accessible Tourism is an ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. Making tourism more accessible is not only a social responsibility – improving accessibility can boost the competitiveness of tourism.
The Dubai Summit will discover how improving the accessibility could improve the tourism-related businesses facing intense competition. And how a city can remain a socially responsible and sustainable destination. Dubai is focused on making the destination accessible to all, whatever the disabilities. The inaugural Dubai Summit will be focused on how well the emirate is headed and getting inspired from success stories from around the world.
About The Summit
Making tourism destinations accessible to all
Over a billion people in the world, including 50 million in the Middle East region, are experiencing various disabilities. The first global study of People with Disabilities identified barriers for them in tourist destinations which includes inaccessible facilities like airports, hotels, parks and beaches. With one in ten people worldwide living with a disability, travellers with disabilities now make up one of the fastest-growing tourism markets. Few countries, according to the first-ever World Report on Disability, have adequate mechanisms in place to respond to the needs of People with Disabilities.
Tapping the accessible tourism market is a key agenda for destinations, but it remained vastly unexplored. About 54 per cent of people with access requirements avoid going to new places if not accessible to them. The biggest challenge is finding accessible destinations that meet their special needs and heighten their travel experience. Over three million tourism businesses in Europe are not prepared to cater adequately to the accessibility market. By 2020, an additional 1.2 million enterprises in Europe alone needs to provide accessible services. The UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain have the largest population of people with access needs- above 10 million. In 2012, people with access needs took approximately 783 million trips (visits) within the EU. Demand is anticipated to grow to about 862 million trips (visits) per year by 2020.
For most people, tourism looks quite accessible and they tend to take for granted the ability to embark on a vacation anytime. However, it is a world of challenges for People with Disabilities to explore destinations and experience their sights and sounds. People with access needs have many of the same travel desires and behavioural patterns as other travellers. The most common issues that differently-abled tourists encounter include adapted hotel rooms, airport transfers, wheelchair access vehicles, adapted toilets in public restrooms, and accessible restaurants and coffee shops. To make a meaningful impact, Dubai has stepped in the efforts to make the world’s prime tourist spots accessible to all and friendly to People with Disabilities. The world’s second most-visited global tourist destination wants to be disability-friendly by 2020.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group and Summit Patron says insights, experiences and best practices will be shared at the Summit to make destinations more accessible to People with Disabilities. Dubai Strategic Plan 2021 strongly outlines this commitment. The Emirate is modifying more than a thousand buildings, including hotels and heritage sites, to make them accessible to all. Dubai Universal Design Code defines how buildings and transportation systems have to be designed, constructed and managed keeping in mind the People with Disabilities. The tourism industry is investing in developing inclusive facilities.
A host city for the first-ever World Expo in the MENASA region in 2020, accessibility remains top on the agenda in Dubai’s growth journey. Accessible Tourism is an ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. Making tourism more accessible is not only a social responsibility – improving accessibility can boost the competitiveness of tourism.
The Dubai Summit will discover how improving the accessibility could improve the tourism-related businesses facing intense competition. And how a city can remain a socially responsible and sustainable destination. Dubai is focused on making the destination accessible to all, whatever the disabilities. The inaugural Dubai Summit will be focused on how well the emirate is headed and getting inspired from success stories from around the world.