Spain For All Initiative: Pioneering Accessibility in Spanish Tourism

The Spanish Tourist Board’s “Spain For All”  Accessibility in Tourism initiative convened its first advisory panel to spearhead the transformation of Spain’s tourism industry, making it more accessible for disabled visitors. This inaugural meeting highlighted a shift in mindset towards solution-focused approaches.

Key successes were showcased, such as the integration of disabled users’ feedback in enhancing Spain’s Metro services in cities like Barcelona and Valencia. Marina Snellenberg from TUI underscored the importance of partnerships, crediting Access Able for their substantial role in improving accessibility across their services through data from over 1000 disabled users.

The panel emphasised the necessity of a feedback loop to foster continuous improvement. Discussions covered accessibility by design, extending beyond hotel accommodations to activities like accessible golf in Mallorca.

Training and education were identified as critical to dismantling biases and addressing the fears of disabled travellers and industry staff. Sharing best practices and fostering collaboration among cities, regions, and countries was seen as essential to overcoming the current fragmented approach.

Digital accessibility, championed by Sassy Wyatt from Blind Girl Adventures, was also a focal point, stressing the need for adaptable websites with visual, audio, and descriptive features. The panel advocated for better representation on industry familiarisation trips and press trips, citing successful examples like Florida.

Ilunion Hotels were praised for their inclusive practices, integrating a high percentage of disabled individuals into their workforce. The session concluded with discussions on commercial opportunities and encouraging investment in accessible tourism.

The advisory panel will continue its work with two more sessions, concluding on 14th June, aiming to create a more inclusive and accessible Spanish tourism industry.