I am extremely pleased at recent events in Rio de Janeiro toward inclusion in the tourist sector:
* Brazil will train 200 people with disabilities in tourism and
hospitality in order to meet the demand for improved service to
travelers with disabilities.
* Rio de Janeiro has contracted with the French organization Tourisme &
Handicaps to do infrastructure audits and upgrades. They claim to have
standardized on EU protocols.
* Brazil has also launched an inclusive Destination Development campaign
of upgrading the accessibility of public restrooms
Consultation with the Brazilian disability community and those who monitor access and audit tourist destinations does not seem to have taken place beforehand. As a result the French contractor has presented their proprietary standards as EU standards (there are 40 legitimate standards in the EU and we all work diligently toward harmonization under the leadership of ENAT) and some accessibility claims are a bit exaggerated:
Through this visit [of Tourisme et Handicap] it was possible to verify that the situation is better than we imagined. Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado) and Sugar Loaf, for example, need only small adaptations to be totally accessible. The agency left with is the European Union norms that are going to guide the work, said the sub secretary who pointed to the Hotel Sofitel in Copacabana as ideal in terms of accessibility for people with physical disabilities.
In all, the trend is positive. After consultation with the Brazilian disability community results could be excellent.
Posted by rollingrains at January 16, 2008 03:07 PM