Accessibility in tourism. Photo: Fitur.

TUR4all, Albastar and COCEMFE are the winning projects in the categories of new technologies for accessible tourism, tourism services and inclusive complementary offer and management and promotion of accessibility in the sector, respectively.

Madrid, 23 December 2021.- FiturNext, the FITUR Observatory dedicated to promoting good tourism practices in terms of sustainability, sponsored by Mastercard, today unveiled the three winning initiatives of the 2022 Challenge. In this edition on how tourism can contribute to a more accessible society, TUR4all, Albastar and COCEMFE are the winners in the three categories launched by the Observatory in this edition: new technologies for accessible tourism, inclusive tourism services and complementary offer, and management and promotion of accessibility in the sector, respectively. The awards will be presented on the 19th of January as part of FITUR 2022.

Analysis of the initiatives according to their replicability and impact on accessibility

As every year, the selection process of the winning projects has been determined by the Replicability Barometer and the Impact Barometer, two evaluation models created by the FiturNext Observatory. The first one evaluates the possibilities that the practices developed by the initiatives can be adapted by other actors, with different resources and contexts, and the latter combines different indicators to measure their degree of impact. Lastly, for the final verdict, the conclusions of the FiturNext Advisory Board have been considered, which has provided external and international assessment and which has had four new incorporations in this edition.

Therefore, the Observatory analyses the creation of a community among the people benefiting from the project, their participation in the accessibility value chain, the focus on groups in situations of special vulnerability and the generation of employment for people with some kind of vulnerability.

A tourism offer accessible to all: the pillar of the winning initiatives

The three awarded projects share their contribution to accessibility both in the tourism industry and in the rest of the sectors to foster a more inclusive and egalitarian society.

In particular, TUR4all has been awarded for its contribution in putting new technologies at the service of accessible tourism. It is a collaborative digital platform, launched by PREDIF (State Representative Platform for People with Physical Disabilities), which promotes accessible resources to promote offers and destinations available to everyone. The content is rated by the users themselves and the application has more than 4,600 inclusive tourism resources.

On the other hand, the winning initiative in the category of accessible tourism services and complementary offer, the Albastar airline, with one of its focuses on pilgrimage routes, allows people with any type of disability to travel comfortably on this means of transport. The project generates a positive impact by expanding opportunities to fly barrier-free with all the resources and comforts assured by various destinations. In addition, 90% of the crew members on board are trained in accessibility.

Finally, COCEMFE, the winning project in the category of management and promotion of accessibility in tourism, is a non-profit organisation that, among other actions, organises accessible trips for people with disabilities. Its proposal is beneficial both for users, as it covers the planning of activities, transport and accommodation at the destination, and for organisations and public administrations by helping them with training and their accessibility plans.

Accessible tourism: the roadmap of the finalist initiatives

Special mention should be made of the nine finalist projects of the FiturNext 2022 Challenge that stand out for their contribution to accessibility and which join the three winning initiatives in the final verdict.

Equalitas Vitae, which contributes to accessibility through consultancy services, training and the content creation on its blog Silleros Viajeros.

Viajeros sin límite, which increases the visibility of accessible destinations and activities through first-person videos made by its promoter.

Sentir el alto Tajo, which organises accessible ecotourism activities and packages.

Can Morei, which offers rural accommodation adapted for people with disabilities.

Borja con todos los sentidos, which seeks to promote accessible cultural activities within its municipality while making the destination a pioneer in accessibility in Aragon.

Turisme de Catalunya, which has published the guide “Tourism for All” and carries out training and awareness-raising activities in the tourism sector for the proper adaptation of products and services.

Dominican Access, which fosters accessible tourism and the need for a more inclusive society in the Dominican Republic.

Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, through its accessible tourism programme, disseminates tools and guides so that the community’s tourism services can apply them to their offer and make the destination accessible.

On Wheels App, which allows users to find accessible resources in different cities via its collaborative platform.

A programme to promote an inclusive tourism offer

The awards ceremony, which will take place at Fitur on the 19th of January at 12:30 pm (CET), will be complemented by a series of talks, lectures and presentations with experts specialised in the accessible tourism sector throughout the fair. FiturNext will also present its 2022 report.