How to improve physical and informationrelated accessibility Swedish examples

1
How to improve physical and information-related
accessibility - Swedish examples

• Agneta Florin
• Project manager
• Swedish Tourist Authority

2
Swedish Tourist AuthorityMinistry of Industry,
Employment and Communication

• Commissioned to
• Develop tourism strategies and policies
• Coordinate efforts on national/regional/local
  level
• Produce statistics, market information, knowledge

• Tourism policy, objectives
• Improve Swedens attractiveness as a tourist
  destination
• Keep the Swedish travel and tourist industry
  profitable and competitive

3
Tourism - Disability

• Initiatives, legislation
• National Action Plan
• Tourism in the National Action Plan
• Examples
• Future work

4
Definitions Disability - Handicap

• Functional disorder is
• the limitation or the obstacle that as a
  result of a disability prevents a person from
  executing an activity in the way or within the
  limits that can be considered normal.
  Disabilities are in themselves not a handicap,
  but may become so if the environment or situation
  where the disabled finds himself, is such that
  his existence is made more difficult. Handicap is
  the term for the consequences that follow from a
  disability.
• World Health Organisations (WHO) definition
  ICIDH 1980

5
Disability classification

• Mobility impairment
• Allergies
• Hearing impairment
• Visual impairment
• Cognitive disabilities

6
Nordic Initiative 2001 - Tourism for allNordic
Council of Ministers/Nordic Council on Disability
Policy, Nordic ad hoc Working Group for Tourism

• Travel to the country, within the country and
  to the destination, the attraction or arrangement
  he desire to visit
• Eat and live in accessible premises/buildings
• Get information on the media needed by the
  individual
• Tourism for all, complete chain of transport,
  visiting destinations, experiences, accommodation
  and information

7
UN Initiative 1993 - Standard Rules on the
Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities

• 22 standard rules for the disability policy.
• Objective To ensure that women, men, girls and
  boys with disabilities as citizens have the same
  rights and obligations as other citizens in
  society.
• Rule 11 Tourist authorities, travel agencies,
  hotels, voluntary organisations and others
  engaged in organising leisure activities or
  travels should offer their services to all. They
  shall then take into consideration the special
  needs that people with disabilities have.
  Appropriate training should be arranged to
  facilitate this.

8
Planning and Building Act

• For new constructions and alterations, shall
  areas for permanent buildings, public places and
  constructions be accessible and usable for people
  with impaired mobility and orientation
  disabilities. (1987)

9
Public Transport Act

• The law on handicap adapted public transport
  (1979)He who has supervision of public
  transport and he who practises such transport
  shall ensure that such transport is adapted with
  consideration to travellers with disabilities.
  The following shall be observedWhen public
  transport is planned and implemented the special
  needs of people with disabilities shall be
  considered. Conveyances used shall as far as it
  is possible be suitable for travellers with
  functional disorders.

10
Discrimination legislation

• The aim of the law on prohibition against
  discrimination is to stop discrimination due to,
  for example, functional disorders (2003)
• The Office of the Disability Ombudsman shall
  ensure that the law is being followed.

11
The national plan of actionFrom patient to
citizen a national action plan for disability
policy (2000)

• Covers all aspects of society - everybodys
  responsibility.
• People with disabilities shall not be
  discriminated - have the same rights as others to
  participate in the community
• Lifts up the most urgent measures by stating the
  most prioritised areas, and putting in a concrete
  form what is required
• Starting point for a more structured and
  comprehensive way of working to realise the
  disability policy objectives.
• Every three years Report to parliament the
  progress of implementing the action plan

12
The national plan of action

• Concern authorities, municipalities, county
  councils, organisations, businesses
• Costs shall be financed within the framework of
  the normal activities
• Authorities with special sectoral
  responsibilities Rail, Housing/Building/Planning,
  Civil Aviation, Heritage, Road etc

13
Perspectives - Disabled persons

• Attitudes
• Accessible and usable environment
• Information, content and form
• Economic accessibility - no special finanial
  treatment

14
Perspectives - Tourist Industry

• Certification programme - Individual contact,
  safety
• Checklists
• Information systems - symbols
• Education - Attitudes, service demands
• Market potential

15
Example - Halland 2003

• Tourist brochure - inspiration for tourists
  with disabilities
• Existing guides varied in content and quality
• Invent destinations and tourist facilities
• Concentrated on mobility impairment
• Available on different media
• Positive experience, intension to improve/need
  for better knowledge

16
Example - Västerbotten

• Disability policy programme in the county, 1999
• Tourist guide
• Preliminary study acceptance, project goals
• Brown-white destinations, accommodations,
  tourist offices
• Visual, hearing, mobility and cognitive
  impairment, allergy
• Visit 30 destinations and tourist facilities
• Inventory templates from Va Götaland
• Tourist guide on the Internet
• Detailed information from destination/facility

17
Example - Tourism for all/Equality

• Collect and distribute information
• Internet and Holiday Guide for the disabled
• Certification programme Equality, control,
  inspect and certify tourist facilities
• Criteria based on Helios programme
• Mobility, visual, hearing impairments and
  allergies and asthma
• Training for businesses, receive/meet
• Uniform labelling system

18
Example - Västra Götaland 2003

• Model for information about accessibility
• Hearing, visual, mobility, cognitive impairment
  and allergies
• Pilot project in four municipalities
• Service guide for receiving/treating visitors
• Directions/standards - definitions - criteria -
  IT-based information
• Tourist activity responsible for inventory and
  completing forms
• Tourist office responsible for operations,
  maintenance, information, training and follow-up
• Dialogue

19
Future work

• Process of development
• Information, Experience, Knowledge, Training

20
Information

• Report Tourism for all - From illusion to
  reality
• www.tourist.se