Several years ago word came my way about widespread interest in Universal Design in Turkey to accommodate tourism and retirees from around Europe. Then there was a long hiatus of silence until this article in Today's Zaman:
Turkey targets disabled tourists, despite barriersTourism is already a vital part of the Turkish economy, and now Turkey wants to increase its share in revenue from disabled tourists, opening Turkish tourism to a global market worth 80 billion euros.
While the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is asking tourist sites to better organize their facilities to accommodate disabled visitors, a booklet titled "Barrier Free İstanbul for All" has been prepared in English and Turkish with the assistance of the Turkish Association of Travel Agents (TURSAB).
Posted by rollingrains at April 1, 2007 05:30 AMPublished with the support of the İstanbul Governorship, the booklet gives information about İstanbul's transportation, museums, towers, palaces, bazaars, mosques, churches, squares, cultural centers, sport organizations and shopping centers, as well as some of its hotels and restaurants, from the perspective of facilities catering for the disabled, from wheelchair users to the visually or hearing impaired.
However, as the booklet itself admits, it remains difficult to be a disabled tourist in İstanbul.
Having set up a special Barrier Free Tourism for All committee, TURSAB is participating in international fairs and workshops organized for disabled persons, at which it distributed copies of the "Barrier Free İstanbul for All" booklet. TURSAB Chairman Başaran Ulusoy pointed out in a statement from the union, "These efforts to open up Turkish tourism for disabled persons will not only reach a huge market, but will also fulfill Turkey's social responsibility toward disabled persons."
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Interior Ministry sent out warning notices in January drawing attention to recent legislation ruling that all facilities, sidewalks and social and cultural infrastructure must comply with the needs of the disabled persons within seven years.
In Europe alone there are 46 million disabled persons, a figure that reaches 130 billion if pregnant women, because of their condition's impairment of their mobility, and senior citizens are included. According to data provided by TURSAB, 70 percent of this population usually travels with one or two companions, a practice which increases the number of potential tourists.
The barriers of İstanbul
But as "Barrier Free İstanbul for All" points out, there are a multitude of problems facing disabled persons in İstanbul. The booklet evaluates places according to criteria like whether or they are suitable for unaccompanied or accompanied wheelchair users, the hearing impaired, the visually impaired or the elderly.
According to these classifications, while airline transportation has 100 percent compatibility for easy use and access by disabled persons, major bus stations have some shortcomings, like a lack of written signs for the hearing impaired. As for the railways, the booklet underlines that although traveling by rail is comfortable and offers discounts for the disabled or elderly, there might be problems boarding and disembarking trains.
The booklet states that the most suitable museums for disabled visitors are the Rahmi Koç Industry Museum, İstanbul Modern Art Museum and Pera Museum, which are fully accessible by wheelchair users and even have the Braille alphabet in use in their elevators. The booklet strongly advises against disabled tourists visiting the Yerebatan Cistern. Nor are İstanbul's palaces well suited for the disabled; Topkapı and Dolmabahçe have limited accessibility and facilities, while a visit to Beylerbeyi Palace is ruled out by the booklet's advisors. Because of the stairs, the Blue Mosque cannot accommodate those in wheelchairs, even with a companion. A similar problem is true of some of İstanbul's bazaars, though there is limited access.
29.03.2007
AYŞE KARABAT ANKARA