Accessible Tourism has passed in recent years from intuition of a few pioneers to business recognized by the market and by the large operators is now an established fact. But what Accessible Tourism means ? Il Gruppo La Meridiana, active reality of the hospitality industry in Italy, constantly strives to offer very high quality services that reflect the needs of all the people. Where everyone’s needs means being able to respond to the needs of children, elderly, mothers pushing strollers, people with disabilities as they move slowly, they do not see, or do not hear, they have allergies or difficulties of food. If you like the numbers we are talking about millions of people.

The tourism and the need to be part of it over the last century have become a primary social need. It is an economic factor of paramount importance but is primarily a tool of knowledge and personal emancipation.

For all these reasons it is now essential to ensure access to the tourism experience to all citizens, regardless of the personal, social, economic and any other nature that may limit the use of this good. In Italy is born in fact the Commission for the Promotion and Support of Accessible Tourism  born from the need to put each person with his needs at the center of the tourism system. Accessibility, ie the absence of architectural barriers, cultural and sensory, is the indispensable condition to allow the use of Italian heritage tourism. In key usability tourist this accessibility must be extended to the transportation system, intermodal, medium long range on the wheel, rail, air and local transport systems. When we speak of a tourist destination, therefore, we refer to the local tourist system, ie to all the services and supply: food, water, culture, gastronomy, etc .. but also to urban accessibility and availability of information in different formats (eg. tactile, Braille, etc …).

For these reasons, Italy has created the Charter of Rights for Tourists and the main objective is to assist in the practice of the principle that  the individual as a whole , with his needs, is a citizen and a customer who is entitled to benefit of tourism fully and independently, receiving adequate services to commensurate to what you pay.

To achieve these objectives is essential to refer to the principles of the Universal design, pattern design and organization of services that takes into account the needs of different types of users, whose proposals for global solutions, which take account of the many human diversity, are an essential standard of quality.

Accessible tourism is the highest expression this goal of civilization and is also an undeniable attraction – modern and present – to bring in the top image of Italian tourism in the world. Il Gruppo La Meridiana careful to accessibility offers consulting and restructuring of local tourism (restaurants, hotel, spa, etc.) To make them the most appropriate possible to receive the millions of customers who are waiting to go on holiday and meet at the same time all the needs removing obstacles and barriers and providing a high quality service.