Best practice in accessible tourism: inclusion, disability, ageing population and tourism

摘要

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over a billion people, or about 15% of the global population, have experienced some form of disability (World Health Organization, 2011). The WHO's Director-General has stated that 'Almost every one of us will be permanently or temporarily disabled at some point in life', and that 'we must do more to break the barriers which segregate people with disabilities ...' (UN News Centre, 2011). Accessibility, like sustainability, is thus an essential facet of ethical tourism practice, and should rightly be seen not as a theoretical choice or a niche topic, but rather as a universal value system to which all tourism development and management needs to be held accountable.