Turisme de Catalunya (the official Catalonian Tourism Board) has recently launched the "Guide to Accessible Tourism in Catalonia " and the website with different destinations for people with impairments and/or reduced mobility.

The Guide to Accessible Tourism in Catalonia lists 19 accessible holiday destinations with the best practice for eliminating physical and communication barriers. These areas are: Vall de Boí; Vall d'Aran, Pallars Sobirà, Seu d'Urgell, Molina-La Cerdanya, Camprodon, Garrotxa, Ruta Dalí, Costa Brava-Alt Empordà, Vic-Osona, Montserrat, Barcelona, El Maresme, Ruta del Císter, Garraf-Sitges, Costa Daurada and Delta de l'Ebre. 

The new Tourism Accessible website www.turismeperatothom.com features all the information contained in the guide in several languages: French, English, Catalonian and Spanish and will be kept updated.

The destinations were chosen as a result of the study " Catalonia aiming for accessible tourism, tourism for all", carried out last year by a consulting company for Turisme de Catalunya. Over 6,300 resources and services from all over Catalonia were analysed to pinpoint the availability of accessible facilities.

Turisme de Catalunya considers accessible tourism to be both a social challenge and a competitive opportunity for companies. Over 500 million people in the world have some form of physical, intellectual or sensory disability; there are 50 million in Europe, 3.5 million in Spain and around 377,000 in Catalonia. These tourists are usually accompanied and they travel outside the high season.

The Catalan tourism sector is promoting accessibility, thereby giving fact to the principle that persons with disabilities deserve equal conditions in a pluralistic and respectful society. We present you a selection of 19 destinations which offer a full range of adapted tourist resources so that everyone has the chance to enjoy Catalonia's important cultural heritage, its impressive landscapes, its rich gastronomy, and even sporting activities: Accessible museums and monuments, Accessible beaches, Accessible natural parks, Accessible leisure activities, Accessible Hotels and accommodation, Accessible means of transport . all can be searched for in this new website. Facilities for the hearing and/or visually impaired as well as those for wheelchair users and PMR have been analyzed and are therefore listed.

Turisme de Catalunya
Passeig de Gràcia, 105, 7a
08008 Barcelona
Tel. +34 93 484 93 51
Fax +34 93 484 98 48
e-mail: accessible@gencat.cat
www.turismeperatothom.com

 

Rebecca Arce