Training on Accessible Tourism

The Polibea Turismo educational department has given two courses on Accessible Tourism recently: one in Madrid and another one in Arona (Tenerife, Canary Islands). More than 50 people have attended these courses which provide awareness on disability related to the tourist field and hints on serving clients with special needs.

Receiving specialized training is a key deciding factor for managers and staff in order to offer a high quality tourist service to people with special needs. Communication and/or mobility impaired customers have the same requirements as other customers, quality products and services that meet their needs, as much as reliability, and competitive market prices. Excellence in Tourism goes further than featuring designed for all premises: an intended high quality tourist service should be able to offer services that meet requests, needs and expectations of one and every customer; obviously it's a must to know and understand those requests, likes, demands and expectations, something which scarcely happens when it comes to clients with mobility and/or communication impairments.

The supply of accessible leisure resources is increasing day by day in Spain: accommodation, restaurants, natural parks, other nature areas and tourist attractions are being designed and managed more and more with criteria of accessibility/universal design so that everyone can use and enjoy them: fortunately it's an increasing trend. Tourist industry managers are really interested providing accessible premises and services: no doubt they are aware that the disabled community makes up a huge potential target group.

The Polibea Turismo educational department has given two courses on Accessible Tourism recently: one in Madrid and another one in Arona (Tenerife, Canary Islands), this last being organized by the Patronato Municipal de Turismo del Ayuntamiento de Arona (Arona's City Hall Tourist Board).

More than 50 people have attended these courses which provide awareness on disability related to the tourist field and hints on serving clients with special needs.