Accessible tourism
In 2003 this niche represented more than 50 million disabled persons in Europe, and more than 600 million around the world. Apart from people with disabilities, seniors and those with temporary incapacities (broken leg, etc) are also part of the market dynamic. The market represents a huge opportunity with new investment opportunities and new service requirements, usually not provided by the regular travel agencies. Usual problems found by the disabled tourist when booking a holiday:
- Accessible airport transfer
- Wheelchair accessible vehicles
- Well adapted hotel rooms
- Professional staff capable of informing and advising about accessibility issues
- Reliable information about a specific attraction's accessibility (church, castle, exhibition, etc.)
- Adapted toilets in restaurants and public places
- Accessible restaurants, bars, etc
- Inaccessible streets (cars parking in the stepwalk, etc)
- Lack of disability equipment rental (wheelchairs, bath chairs, toilet raisers, electric scooters)
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Brief History
Europe and United States of America share the majority of the existing companies in this niche. However, around the world many companies start to appear as the result of a growing need, pushed also by the senior tourism - a tendency verified in all developed countries due to a growing life expectancy age. Countries like Portugal, Spain, UK, Germany, France and north European countries are prepared to receive tourists in wheelchairs, as well as providing disability equipment and wheelchair accessible transport. Denmark is also one of the leading countries in wheel-chair and disabled accessibility and has been so for a long time.
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