Rolling Rains Report:

The Alternative to Universal Design - A Video

Video description:

"Quebar barreiras arquitectónicas. O grito silencioso da marreta mostra à sociedade
que a cidadania também se faz de mobilidade."

"Breaking architectural barriers. The silent scream of the sledge hammer shows to society that citizenship includes mobility."

2000 Bali Declaration on Barrier-Free Tourism for People with Disabilities

The 2000 Bali Conference on Inclusive Tourism was a watershed in the field. Below is the conference report.

Regional Training Workshop on Promotion of Accessible Tourism (24-28 September 2000)

Report: Asia-Pacific Conference on Tourism for People with Disabilities (24-27 September 2000)
Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Recommendations

A. Issues

People with disabilities and older persons are growing groups and consumers of tourism services. Families with young children are beginning to travel more. These three groups have similar needs for accessible tourism. However, the majority of tourism service providers in the ESCAP region do not, as yet, understand the economic and social significance of early action to create barrier-free tourism.

The built environment (buildings, streets, parks, public transportation and communication infrastructure) has a major impact on the quality of tourism experience, especially concerning its safety, convenience, efficiency and enjoyment aspects. There is insufficient integration of the planning and development of the built environment and tourism development, both within and across countries.

To create tourism that caters to the full range of consumer needs, there is a need to improve the useability of transportation, accommodation, tourism sites and services, and tour programmes.

B. Promotion of tourism for all

1. Guiding principles

Persons with disabilities have equal right of access to all tourism infrastructure, products and services, including employment opportunities and benefits that the tourism industry can provide. The tourism industry should provide the same choices for all consumers to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities, and protection of the individual's right to travel with dignity.

Tourism master plans, policies and programmes should incorporate the principle of universal access to tourism infrastructure, products and services. Furthermore, access improvement in tourism benefits many other groups, including older persons and families with young children. The inclusion of universal design in tourism development can create environments, products and services that are useable by a wide spectrum of consumers, irrespective of their experience, knowledge, skills, age, gender, as well as their physical, sensory, communication and cognitive abilities. Thus the spirit of barrier-free tourism means the reduction of all physical and non-physical barriers and dangers so that they do not adversely affect tourism experiences and activities.

With regard to tourism access improvement, it is important for all concerned to take into consideration the rights and needs of diverse user groups, including single disability groups, persons with multiple disabilities, and women and girls with disabilities.

2. Strategic actions

(a) People with disabilities and disabled persons' organizations should:

1. Develop empowerment programmes focusing on skills for advocacy and negotiation with the tourism industry;
2. Acquire skills in appraising tourism facilities, programmes and services, and in recommending action to raise their quality, as appropriate;
3. Learn to conduct access surveys;
4. Document and share information on the quality of tourism components and user experiences (accommodation, transportation, tourism sites and services, tour programmes, and information and communications systems);
5. Create local access guides and maps for in-country and foreign visitors;
6. Serve as resource persons or advisors to training institutions and policy-making bodies concerned with tourism services;
7. Communicate rights and needs in an effective manner to people encountered in the course of travel, especially those who are unaware and inexperienced concerning disabled persons or discriminatory in their behaviour;
8. Strengthen craft production and marketing skills among persons with disabilities as an economically viable interface with the tourism industry;
9. Support disabled persons in acquiring training and employment in the tourism industry.

(b) Government authorities should:

1. Train immigration officers and ministry of foreign affairs staff concerned with visa applications on disabled person-friendly procedures to be observed in a systematic manner;
2. Work towards uniform disabled person-friendly immigration procedures at the subregional level;
3. Improve the accessibility of immigration offices to facilitate travel document application by all tourists, including tourists with disabilities;
4. Exempt from customs duty all assistive devices required by disabled persons for supporting their activities of daily living, including computers required by blind persons;
5. Update annually a list of items that should be exempted from customs duty;
6. Simplify customs clearance procedures for all assistive devices required by disabled persons for supporting their activities of daily living, including computers required by blind persons;
7. Train customs officers on ways of communicating with disabled persons, especially with deaf and hard of hearing persons.

(c) Tourism service providers should:

1. Develop in-house programmes to raise awareness, sensitivity and skill levels to provide more appropriate services for persons with disabilities;
2. Communicate more with disabled persons and their organizations to exchange accurate and reliable information for strengthening tourism services to better meet diverse consumer needs;
3. Encourage tourism service providers to make their websites accessible for disabled persons, especially blind persons;
4. Involve disabled persons with the requisite experience and skills in conducting access surveys of premises and to serve as resource persons and advisors in improving tourism services;
5. Introduce barrier-free tourism into the agendas of their regular meetings;
6. Introduce accessibility as a criterion in the ranking of hotels and restaurants.

(d) Tourism training institutions should:

1. Include in training curricula (for all levels) the following contents concerning a client focus that respects the rights and needs of diverse consumer groups, including persons with disabilities: attitude, knowledge and skills development, as well as cross-cultural understanding and appreciation;
2. Develop and use training modules for sensitizing front-line service staff to relate, in an appropriate manner, with disabled travellers.

(e) Inter-governmental organizations should:

1. Foster inter-country exchange and networking concerning experiences and practices on endeavours towards barrier-free tourism;
2. Identify, inter-regionally and within the ESCAP region, best practices in the promotion of barrier-free tourism for wider reference and possible adaptation in the ESCAP region;
3. Facilitate, in cooperation with subregional organizations, inter-country discussion towards the adoption of uniform disabled person-friendly immigration procedures;
4. Work towards the lifting of discriminatory and restrictive conditions, such as the requirements of an accompanying person and medical certification, that are imposed on travellers with disabilities;
5. Explore possible means of granting accreditation to tourism industry establishments that are accessible by disabled persons;
6. Develop an outline of core contents for training tourism personnel;
7. Develop training content and capability to strengthen passenger services at transport interchanges (bus, railway, ferry, ship and airplane terminals);
8. Promote the application of universal design principles to improve the accessibility of tourism sites, especially cultural, heritage and pilgrimage sites.

Organization of the Workshop-cum-Conference

A. Background

ESCAP organized the Regional Training Workshop on Promotion of Accessible Tourism (24-28 September 2000) in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Conference on Tourism for People with Disabilities (24-27 September 2000). The Workshop-cum-Conference were held at Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Social Welfare Board, Government of Indonesia. The Conference, organized by the Community Based Rehabilitation Development and Training Centre, Solo, Indonesia, was co-sponsored by ESCAP, the Nippon Foundation and the Indonesian Society for the Care of Disabled Children. The hosting of both events constituted a contribution of the Government of Indonesia to regional cooperation in support of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons.

B. Objectives

The Conference was organized to provide a forum for the discussion of major issues related to accessible tourism for people with disabilities, with a view to identifying key policy and strategy elements for promoting barrier-free tourism. The proposal for such a Conference had been discussed at the Eighteenth Session of the Regional Interagency Committee for Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee on Disability-related Concerns held in November 1999.

The Workshop was organized to provide participants from ESCAP developing countries with training on a multisectoral approach to the promotion of barrier-free tourism.

C. Attendance

Two hundred participants (200) attended the Workshop-cum-Conference seminar. They were from Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. They included persons with disabilities, tourism officials, tourism industry representatives and human resources development experts from hospitality management institutions. There were three resource persons from Peru, Singapore and South Africa. Their expertise covered the following areas: promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, and citizens' participation on accessibility issues, training persons with disabilities as trainers on the conduct of access surveys, access-related awareness raising among professionals responsible for the design and maintenance of the built environment, barrier-free design and its strategic application.

D. Opening
The First Lady of Indonesia inaugurated the Conference. His Excellency Mr Abdurrahman Wahid, President of Indonesia, delivered the keynote statement at the opening session. His Excellency Mr I Gede Ardika, Minister of Culture and Tourism addressed the participants. There was a rich programme of performances by local persons with diverse disabilities.

E. Programme

The substantive programme of the Workshop-cum-Conference was composed of eight plenary sessions of technical presentations and two group discussion sessions. The technical presentations covered the following: regional overview of universal design principles, rights and needs of persons with disabilities, priorities for strategic action, quality of life and tourism, tourism for people with disabilities, human resources development in tourism, travel health, and the access survey as an empowerment tool.

A field visit programme was organized for the participants to observe Balinese cultural activities and interact with Balinese disabled persons who were engaged in those activities, as well as in craft production.

The resource persons conducted a special training session for the Workshop participants on: strategic interventions for the promotion of accessible tourism; collaboration with tourism authorities on access improvement; and working on access improvement among disabled persons living in urban poverty, and the rights of persons with disabilities.

F. Adoption of the report and closing
The participants adopted their report, including the recommendations and the Bali Declaration on Barrier-free Tourism for People with Disabilities, on 27 September 2000. The Bali Declaration is annexed to this report.

In adopting the report, nine participants formed a networking group on tourism for people with disabilities. The group agreed to disseminate the recommendations and the Bali Declaration through their respective networks. Group members also agreed to maintain e-mail contact with one another, and to provide mutual support and encouragement on follow-up action.

The Minister of Culture of Tourism, Government of Indonesia, received the finalized Bali Declaration from the participants and pledged his commitment to follow-up action in support of the implementation of its operative provisions.

CRPD: Don't Miss the RatifyNow! Blog Swarm

From Australia ... from the USA ... from India ... from New Zealand ...
from Fiji ... from the Philippines ...

Writers and bloggers from around the world joined together to help celebrate and promote the first legally binding international human rights instrument to protect the rights of people with disabilities -- the international disability rights treaty, called the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

They celebrated by writing blog posts for the RatifyNow CRPD Blog Swarm
2008, which can now be read at
http://ratifynow.org/2008/03/29/ratifynow-crpd-blog-swarm-2008/

What did they write about? Some of the topics include ...

... The story of one advocate who watched the birth of the CRPD among
grassroots advocates with disabilities and others in the 1990s ...
... How the CRPD could deliver new hope for people in India with mental
disabilities ...
... How the CRPD represents an evolution from the charity/medical model
of disability to the social or human rights-based model ...
... How the CRPD could make travel go a little more smoothly for
tourists with disabilities ...
... Why the CRPD matters for people who use personal assistance
services or who are seeking the freedom to explore their own sexual
expression ...
... An allegorical tale about farmers, spoons, and plows: Why the CRPD
is well worth celebrating and why our work isn't done just because the
CRPD is about to take full legal force ...
... And more ...

All at the RatifyNow CRPD Blog Swarm 2008, and all available by
following the link to:

http://ratifynow.org/2008/03/29/ratifynow-crpd-blog-swarm-2008/

Celebrate and learn about the CRPD through the RatifyNow CRPD Blog
Swarm 2008.

Then invite other people to do the same. Please circulate this notice
or post it at your blog or web site -- with, of course, a link to the
blog swarm at

http://ratifynow.org/2008/03/29/ratifynow-crpd-blog-swarm-2008/

Why Accessible Buses Are Important

Mark Roger writes for Travel Agent Central. Fortunately for those of us with disabilities he has an ear for a good story -- and an eye for an interesting companion on a bus ride. I wonder how much better known the needs of travelers with disabilities would be if public transportation were accessible and conversation like this were taking place daily everywhere around the world:

I regularly attend travel forums and expos around the world. If I'm on my game, the morning bus ride from the hotel to the convention center can yield interesting conversations — sometimes the most interesting of the day. While attending the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Bangkok last month, my seat mate was Volker Posselt, managing director of RollOn Travel, a Germany-based company that specializes in handicapped travel to Thailand.

Posselt is a fierce advocate of accessible travel, with nine years in the tour business, having first starting in India. The disabled and their partners make up 90 percent of the company's tour participants. Posselt accompanies many of the tours himself and designs most of the programs, and has personally inspected every hotel and all the sightseeing experiences offered by RollOn Travel.

"It's my job to prepare tours so they move smoothlyV and the non-handicapped participants aren't frustrated," says Posselt.

Usually the focus is on the impairment rather than the needs of the person. The power to change us seems to lie within the medical and associated professions, with their talk of cures, normalisation and science. Often our lives are handed over to them.

Other people's assessments of us, usually non-disabled professionals, are used to determine where we go to school, what support we get and what type of education; where we live; whether or not we can work and what type of work we can do and indeed whether or not we are born at all, or are even allowed to procreate. Similar control is exercised over us by the design of the built environment presenting us with many barriers, thereby making it difficult or impossible for our needs to be met and curtailing our life chances. Whether in work, school, leisure and entertainment facilities, transport, training and higher education, housing or in personal, family and social life, it is practices and attitudes that disable us.

Read on at:

http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/inclusionweek/articles/socmod.htm

And watch for the press release. The Office of Her Majesty's Government Office for Disability Issues describes Equality 2025 as:

Equality 2025 is a big step forward towards the government meeting its commitment to implement the recommendations in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit report ‘Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People’.

Equality 2025 will carry out the promise to disabled people that they will have a direct voice into government to help us design polices and services that they really want.

Air France, are you creating the sort of "voice in government" that serves investors? Perhaps this pattern of treatment is part of a neatly conceived plan to "adjust shareholder value downward" on the order of the incident with passenger Adele Price:

Adele Price, 42, a British citizen, sued the airline in Manhattan federal court seeking unspecified damages.

Price, who was born without limbs because her mother took the drug thalidomide during pregnancy, said in the suit she is able to manipulate a wheelchair and has traveled by air many times.

The suit states that she had bought a ticket in 2000 for travel between Manchester, England and New York. After Price had checked her luggage, she alleged that she was stopped by an Air France agent who told her that "a head, one bottom and a torso cannot possibly fly on its own."

http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/000156.html

A Blog Swarm on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Those who want to contribute to the Blog Swarm on the CRPD still have a chance. For those who are procrastinating there is a sneak preview here.
Readers of Rolling Rains blog should be aware of the uniqueness of this document:

The CRPD is unique in that it is the first international human rights treaty to deal explicitly with tourism and persons with disability. This has extra significance because the document is also a legitimate expression of the political will of the worldwide disability community having arisen out of a laborious but transparent and participatory process. The kernel of the CRPD argument for full inclusion in tourism is Article 30 entitled, “Participation in Cultural Life, Recreation, Leisure and Sport.” Paragraph 5 reads in part:

5. With a view to enabling persons with disabilities to participate on an equal basis with others in recreational, leisure and sporting activities, States Parties shall take appropriate measures:

(c) To ensure that persons with disabilities have access to sporting, recreational and tourism venues;
(e) To ensure that persons with disabilities have access to services from those involved in the organization of recreational, tourism, leisure and sporting activities.

This treaty establishes in international law the principle that Inclusive Tourism means physical accessibility and program accessibility.

The Trend Toward Meaningful Travel

Over at Conde Nast Jill Culora validates what we know about trends in tourism that are being drien by the aging of Boomers -- purpose-drive travel and travel for learning. Her article Twenty Trips doesn't make the obvious link to the principles of Inclusive Travel but that too is to be expected. In its current phase, with the explicit emphasis on the industry transformations necessary to accommodate those with disabilities, Boomers will not self-identify as disabled. They will demand the same transformations but shun the stigma of disability.

From Culora's article on the trend to meaningful travel:

Learning a new skill or delving into an area of interest—whether the French Resistance or Renaissance painting—while on vacation is the latest indulgence in travel. A recent Travel Industry Association survey reports 56 percent of travelers would like to take an educational trip—outranking interest even in spa and family travel—and ShawGuides.com, an Internet directory for travel learning opportunities, cites an increase in site traffic of between 10 and 15 percent annually. "More Americans than ever are looking for self-improvement," says Kristin Lamoureux, tourism studies director at George Washington University. "That's why we're seeing such growth in educational travel and experiential learning." The participants, she says, are mainly from among the 78 million baby boomers who make up more than 40 percent of all leisure travelers and who now have their families and finances in order and are eager to take up new challenges.

Source:

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/detail?articleId=12082

Universal Design Boom: REACT Survey

What happens in home trends gets carried over to hotels, resorts, and cruise ships:

Universal design booming: The baby boom generation and those planning for retirement are driving demand for easy-to-use features and floor plans. Sixty five percent of agents in the REACT survey said that the number of buyers looking for universal design features, such as a master bedroom on the main floor or a single story home, has increased in the last few years.

Source:
http://www.buildingonline.com/news/viewnews.pl?id=6947&subcategory=140

Freedom By Design

Architectural Record notes the Freedom by Design project to bring Universal Desgn experience to a new generation of architects:

Michael Graves, FAIA, has channeled many avatars during his career, from one of the academically minded New York Five in the 1970s, to a populist product designer for the retailer Target. After a bacterial infection paralyzed him from the waist down in 2003, the now wheelchair-bound (sic) architect works to be a champion of universal design, a movement that advocates creating spaces and products that any person, regardless of physical ability, can use.

The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) recently appointed Graves as the honorary chair of its “Beyond Architecture” campaign, which seeks to establish a $2 million endowment to support its Freedom By Design program (FBD), among other initiatives. FBD enlists architecture students to renovate houses for low-income and disabled people. The AIAS had already raised half of its goal as of January, when Graves joined, and it hopes that his affiliation will be a driving force in raising the remaining amount.

Source:
http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/080317graves.asp

New Dehli Adds New Low-Floor Busses

Since 2002 the Indian non-profit organization Samarthyam has been working to improve New Dehli's transit accessibility. On April 1, 2008 their work will see the light of day with the launch of a new Bus Rapid Transit System corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand. Recently Anjilee Agarwal and Sanjeev Sachdeva of non-government Samarthyam demonstrated the system at a press conference.

Initiative for the better: A disabled person with reduced mobility demonstrating the use of the new Bus Rapid Transit System in New Delhi on Wednesday that makes it accessible for all on low floor bus.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System, a joint venture of the Delhi Government and the Industrial Development Finance Corporation, is all set to officially roll out the new Bus Rapid Transit System corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand on April 1

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Delhi Transport Corporation officials waxed eloquent about the benefits of BRTS in making the Capital's public transport disable-friendly. A demonstration of how a wheelchair user will be able to easily access the bus queue shelter and the low-floor buses on the corridor was also provided after the conference

This demonstration was carried out by Anjilee Agarwal and Sanjeev Sachdeva of non-government organisation Samarthyam, which has been associated with the project since its inception in 2002.

The new low-floor buses that would be plying on the BRT corridor would be equipped with a ramp to enable people to board and disembark conveniently. The height of the bus-queue-shelter pavement has been raised to synchronise the height of the bus chassis. These buses would also have reserved space to accommodate wheelchairs.

"These features of this corridor make it accessible not just to the disabled but also to persons with reduced mobility such as senior citizens, families with small children, women wearing high heels," said Ms. Agarwal.

The disabled-friendly features in the system include an access ramp for persons using mobility aids, Braille plates and tactile floor tiles incorporated in the bus-queue-shelter in addition to boasting of well aligned street furniture.
The bus-queue-shelters included in the corridor will be located in the middle of the road with traffic marshals employed to help regulate traffic and help bus commuters cross the road. The segregated road design in BRT corridors will allow commuters to cross only at the zebra crossings when the traffic light is red during its normal cycle. A total of six traffic lights will be installed on the 5.6 km stretch of the trail corridor with each bus-queue-shelter located every 500 metres. According to DIMTS Senior Manager (Bus Operations) A. K. Sinha, the four bus routes to ply on the corridor would be 522, 521, 419 and 423. These would be run exclusively by the DTC. Blueline buses will not be permitted to run on them. The buses will ply in the corridor from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Indian Tourism Minister Ambika Soni on Inclusion at National Congress on Disability Studies in Secondary and Higher Education

Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni today said that any proposal for inclusion of disability studies in academic discipline should be supported as it will create an awareness in society about the needs and rights of the physically challenged.

Inaugurating a three-day National Congress on Disability Studies in Secondary and Higher Education in India here, Soni said: Attitude has to be changed towards the physically challenged persons as they are challenged in a limited sense only and can do wonders in other areas of their expertise or interests.

People at work place, society and in the country as a whole must be sensitized about the needs of the physically challenged and their rights within the Constitutional framework, Soni added.

Referring to the socially and economically disadvantaged groups in the country, she said that we must work towards creating an inclusive society where every person would contribute to the growth and development of the country.

Public awareness campaign for creating such an inclusive growth is the need of the hour, she added.
She said the Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture is sensitive to the special needs of challenged people.

The Minister further added that all the world heritage sites are in the process of providing special facilities for such people.

Other important monuments will also be provided with facilities, which would improve access to these monuments to people with special needs. This would enable them to appreciate the heritage of this country in the same manner as other citizens, she said.

The Tourism Ministry is also encouraging the hotels and other tourism related infrastructure to be developed in a manner that people with special needs could also use them as effectively as others.

Source: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/lifestyle/people-must-sensitize-themselves-to-the-needs-of-the-physically-challenged-soni_10029132.html

Tourism in the The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is a historic document because of the prominence that it gives to Inclusive Tourism and Inclusive Destination Development.

To hone in on those topics when reading the CRPD head straight for Chapter 30 entitled, Participation in Cultural Life, Recreation, Leisure and Sport. Then backtrack to Chapters 18 through 21 for Liberty of Movement and Nationality through Freedom of Expression and Opinion, and Access to Information.)

The manual Human Rights. Yes! published by the University of Minnesota provides simple analyses and is helpful for those preparing to advocate for ratification of CRPD. Chapter 14 The Right to Sport and Culture has a section called Tourism that is its module on disability and travel.

Before I offer a critique let me begin by noting that two of the three citations for the section are my research and admit that this section could have been better if my original work had provided the authors with a more well-rounded argument. Specifically, my work would have been more adequate if it had clearly distinguished between physical accessibility to venues, fixtures, and facilities and program accessibility to services and other non-physical entities. Only when both are addressed is inclusion possible.

There are also particular experiences in my own life that make a critique of Human Rights. Yes! and similar tools of special significance to me.

As an undergraduate at the University of Washington I was recruited to do statewide education on Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. I declined the position but retained a keen interest in the process of public education on the rights of my community. As a professional educator at Santa Clara University I was involved in university administration of compliance plans during the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Over the intervening decades I have had numerous opportunities to observe how seemingly small errors in the public education and enforcement processes related to major disability rights legislation can have disproportionately disappointing consequences.

Without serious, systematic, and coordinated efforts to communicate the intent, scope, and consequences of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities this historic moment will slip away and its promise remain unfulfilled.

Human Rights. Yes! succeeds at best practices in course design through good sequencing, defined scope, specific learning goals, appropriate language level, and clear graphic design. In the discussion of tourism it makes clear the unique role of the CRPD in the area of tourism and disability:

Responsible tourism development and tourism that respects the human rights
of persons with disabilities must consider inclusion in planning, designing, and implementing tourism projects. Most important, disabled peoples organizations must participate in such processes and need to engage in accessible tourism advocacy. The CRPD, which is the only major international human rights treaty to explicitly mention tourism, requires States to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to tourism and tourist services.

That is it:

• Affirms Inclusive Destination Development (which is in turn founded on Universal Design)
• Assigns legitimacy to disabled peoples organizations (DPOs)
• Specifies consultative and transparent planning and management processes
• States that the CRPD is unique among human rights treaties in addressing tourism
• Observes that States are required to assure access to tourism and tourist services

Critiquing the training module on tourism as a stand-alone tool and doing so in light of the paragraph quoted and outlined above I find the module’s sidebar to be incomplete and unrepresentative of what it aims to address, namely “The Barriers Faced by Tourists with Disabilities”:

• Inaccessible airport transfer and ill-trained airport staff
• Lack of accessible transport
• Inaccessible hotel rooms
• Professional staff not trained to inform and advise about accessibility issues
• Lack of information about a specific attraction's accessibility (e.g., museums, castles, exhibitions)
• Non-adapted toilets in restaurants and public places
• Inaccessible restaurants and tourist attractions
• Inaccessible streets (e.g., no curb cuts, cars blocking wheelchair access
• lanes)
• Lack of disability equipment rental (wheelchairs, bath chairs, toilet raisers,
• electric scooters)

All these are barriers commonly faced. The question is, “By whom?” The underlying problem is two-fold.

First the examples overwhelmingly reflect those with mobility impairments. Second the examples do not capture the important distinction between physical accessibility (well represented in the examples) and program accessibility (overlooked). (Program accessibility means access to all programs and services offered to non-disabled people once physical barriers are eliminated.)

This list of barriers is followed immediately by “Exercise 14.5: Speaking Up for Accessible Tourism.“ The learning objective of the exercise is, “To examine discrimination in tourism and tourism development and to consider how to take action against it.” I have not field-tested this exercise in role-playing a presentation to a “Tourism Development Board” but I would make some predictions based on experience.

My assumption is that the intended goal of the exercise is to (learn to) convince the board to use their authority in the interest of travelers with disabilities. The chapter’s introductory section stipulates the participation of DPOs for any solution to be legitimate. This suggests a solution-oriented presentation incorporating the foremost cultural product of disability culture for addressing the built environment - the seven principles of Universal Design. Yet the exercise does not present Universal Design either in isolation or as a component of Inclusive Destination Development thus making the logical link to the Board’s area of authority for destination management.

I would predict that by failing to prepare participants with these conceptual tools and by norming the exercise on an implicit person with a mobility impairment the exercise would most frequently result in:

• A laundry list of anecdotal stories of barrier encountered during travel
• A preponderance of physical and attitudinal barriers being recounted
• Superficial reference to or application of Universal Design as a set of mandated measurements (building code specifications) rather than as the design approach with no pre-mandated design solutions
• A scarcity of solutions presented (actionable items that are within the domain of the Board)
• Low participation by exercise participants with non-mobility related disabilities

In fairness to the authors of Human Rights. Yes! the topic of Universal Design is discussed in Chapter 2 on Accessibility. The seven principles are listed. The exercise there explicitly encourages reflection on Universal Design as applied to “people with physical, sensory, learning, intellectual, psycho-social, and multiple disabilities.” Barriers to accessibility are broken down into the four categories of physical, informational, institutional, and attitudinal. However, it would be helpful to review, in Chapter 14, the principles of Universal Design introduced 12 chapters earlier and add some intellectual scaffolding to help participants transition from four abstract categories of barriers to the solution-oriented distinction between physical and program accessibility in tourism. Such a modification would improve the exercise.

For legislative milestones such as CRPD to be sustainable they must be either 1) constantly supported by the legal mechanisms such as monitoring, enforcement, and modification 2) find sustainability outside the legal system or 3) both.

The purpose of the Second International Conference on Inclusive Tourism (ICAT 2007) held in Bangkok in November of 2007 was to promote a rights-based approach to tourism. Citing the the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights –based Society for Persons with Disabilities (BMF), Biwako Plus Five and the Plan of Action for Sustainable Tourism Development in Asia and the Pacific (Phase II 2006-2012). The message of its opening keynote, “Inclusive Tourism: A New Strategic Alliance for the Disability Rights Movement,” was that the most promising means of sustaining inclusion in tourism outside the legal system is the travel and hospitality industry itself. In fact, the claim was made that the industry is moving rapidly to self-standardize to meet the burgeoning demand for travel by persons with disabilities.

The grassroots and institutional efforts of individuals and DPOs around the world to promote ratification of and educate the public on the implications of CRPD play a pivotal role in shaping the industry’s support. That support will be effective and durable to the extent that DPOs succeed in speaking with a unified voice that reflects distilled cultural wisdom such as Universal Design and represents the current experience of their constituency.

However, their constituencies also have ongoing direct access to the industry as consumers, guests, consultants, travel industry employees, academics, and focus-group participants. The legitimacy of DPOs depends on paying attention to the groundswell of interest in this topic by people with disabilities.

A strategy for success in establishing Inclusive Tourism and inclusive Destination Development practices involves careful attention to constituent education on the part of DPOs. It should provide consumers with disabilities with awareness of their rights. It must also make them competent to offer solutions consistent with the overall interests of those in their community with disabilities other than or more extensive than their own. Careful attention to the training we provide on this subject within our own community can make sustainability of the gains promised by CRPD a reality.

Further Resources:

Full Text of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
http://tinyurl.com/3b72g8

Conference Recommendations from the Second International Conference on Inclusive Tourism (ICAT 2007)
http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/002056.html

"To ensure that persons with disabilities have access to sporting, recreational and tourism venues" - CRPD

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) has been called the pinnacle of legal accomplishments protecting the rights of individuals. It is well on its way to ratification. It is also the subject of an upcoming blog swarm (blog carnival/festchrift). The Rolling Rains Report will contribute on the subject of travel and disability:

The rights to participate in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport are reflected in a number of international human rights law instruments, including, for example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Specialized conventions also reflect these rights, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)...

While reflected in various human rights instruments, these rights are not as well-developed as other human rights and are often forgotten. The right of persons with disabilities to participate in a wide array of cultural, recreational, sporting, and leisure activities is recognized as central to full inclusion for disabled people and is therefore defined in some detail in Article 30 of the CRPD. For this reason the CRPD is an important development in human rights law on participation in culture, sport, recreation and related activities.

Source:

Human Rights. Yes! Chapter 14 The Right to Sport and Culture
http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/hreduseries/TB6/index2.html

Is is Deja Vu All Over Again? Jet Airways Humliates India's Paralypiac Shot Put Champion

While the incident involving India's para Olympic shotput champion Malti Hola took place in February it was not reported in the press until March 19. The Times Now reports:

The incident occurred on February 20 on a flight to Delhi from Bangalore. Hola says after a two and a half hour flight, she was made to wait for another one and a half hours on the plane due to a delay in the arrival of the special chair which would take her out of the plane. The athlete did not receive any aid from the crew to visit the lavatory on the plane, resulting in an embarrassing situation for her.

But the problems did not end there. Malvi recalled her ordeal in an interview to TIMES NOW:

"The total journey was almost 2 and a half hours. They made me sit for one more hour and a half because of the 'in chair' (aisle chair) that had not arrived - there was a big communication gap between the cabin crew and the ground staff. The in chair is directly wheeled to the seat and the passenger transferred to her seat. By the time this arrived, I had developed internal problems since I had not been able to go to the toilet. My bladder was full so I started wetting my clothes.

"When I finaly came out, I had a big argument with the ground staff and the Jet Airways people. When my wheelchair came out of the cargo hold, it was totally broken, I was not able to use it at all. You know how essential the wheelchair is to people like us," she said.

Hola added that the Jet airways officials "did not have the courtesy to even taken down the complaint. They were just going on apologising for the delay."

For the full report:
http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=6594

For commentary by Peter Tan:
http://www.petertan.com/blog/2008/03/19/more-on-airlines-mistreating-disabled-passengers/

The Benefits of Being Last to Market: AT&T Stumbles Onto UD

In an effort to catch up with the years of strategic advantage in product design enjoyed by world-class innovators in Universal Design in Japan, Korea, and other nations AT&T has released a simple restatement of Universal Design principles.

By branding UD as somehow proprietary to AT&T this cultural product of the Disability Rights Movement created and promoted by quadriplegic architect Ron Mace of North Carolina and further developed since its creation in the 1970's now seems to have achieved the same degree of ubiquity that leads to "greenwashing" marketing strategies.

Universal Design is a set of principles that launch the long hard process of good design not a "let-me-on-the-bandwagon-too" marketing campaign. The generation that invented Universal Design and the Disability Rights Movement - Baby Boomers - is well represented in the 36,200 references that come up when you Google the phrase "I hate my cell phone." AT&T, the future of your product line depends on getting UD right.

Botton line? Show us full lines of universally designed mobile phones operating on US networks - now!

"It is our goal that the concept of 'design for all' is not viewed as a constraint but as a catalyst for innovation across the industry," said Carlton Hill, vice president of Marketing for AT&T's mobile unit. "We believe that, by making our methodology on Universal Design available for all to see, we can show the importance and value of creating wireless products and services that are usable and beneficial to as many people as possible. The end result will be more choices for more consumers."

From FierceDeveloper:

AT&T announced it will publicly release its Universal Design methodology in an effort to encourage application developers and handset manufacturers to consider the needs of seniors and customers with disabilities when creating new mobile products and services. AT&T said principles of Universal Design--the practice of developing apps and products usable by the widest possible spectrum of subscribers--are employed in its fledgling Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier applications, which the operator released late last year to improve the user experience for customers suffering from impaired vision. AT&T said its methodology not only defines and explains the benefits of Universal Design but also several scenarios to further illustrate its relevance--the full document is available at http://developer.att.com/universaldesign.

Developers must first submit applications created via Universal Design principles to AT&T for certification if they wish for the apps to be available on the operator's Media Mall mobile site. Consumers who download premium applications will be billed by AT&T, which will split revenues with the developer. "It is our goal that the concept of 'design for all' is not viewed as a constraint but as a catalyst for innovation across the industry," said AT&T Mobility vice president of marketing Carlton Hill in a prepared statement. "We believe that, by making our methodology on Universal Design available for all to see, we can show the importance and value of creating wireless products and services that are usable and beneficial to as many people as possible. The end result will be more choices for more consumers."

For more on AT&T's Universal Design specs:
-read this release

Posted by rollingrains at 11:53 PM

Accessible Wellington Forum: Tourism for Disabled People and Seniors

Wellington City Council is hosting an Accessible Wellington Forum on
Tourism for disabled people and seniors on 11 April, 2008. Dr Sandra
Rhodda, author of “Tourism for visitors to New Zealand with mobility
problems: a West Coast perspective” April 2007
http://www.taipoutini.ac.nz/taipoutini/report.asp?id=4#item , will speak
on the economic value to New Zealand business of catering for disabled
people and seniors. The Mayor of Wellington, Kerry Prendergast and the
CEO of Wellington City Council, Gary Poole will also speak.

An exhibition of barrier free solutions, Lifetime Design, Go-bus accessible buses and Wellington City Council accessible events, parks and gardens will run at the same time as the Forum.

People are asked to RSVP to Ross Livingstone by 2 April 2008.

For more information:

Contact: Ross Livingstone, Community Advisor-Disability
Postal: Absolutely Positively Accessible, PO Box 2199, Wellington
Phone: 04 801 3134
Mobile: 027 687 6412
Fax: 04 801 3124
Email: Ross.Livingstone@wcc.govt.nz

MTB-Amputee - Resources for Amputee Mountain Bike Riders

Victor G. Walther has created a site for amputees who ride mountain bikes. He includes tips for riding, photos, links, and events

MTB-Amputee is currently working on establishing a week long clinic for amputee mountain bikers to be held on Mount Washington in July 2008.

From the web site:

The purpose of the Clinic is to provide instruction and guidance for beginner and novice amputee mountain bikers, as well as develop advanced MTB skills, technique, and prosthetic devices for expert and competitive riders. Additionally, MTB-Amputee is working on establishing a Ride & Race program that would provide support for competitive riders as well as guidance and instruction for those that wish to compete. Please note that as of yet, MTB-Amputee has not secured the necessary funding in order to cover the cost of hosting the Clinic or Race program. If you would like information on becoming a sponsor, please contact Victor. If you would like to participate or would like more information, please contact Victor at: mtb-amputee@mtb-amputee.com

http://www.mtb-amputee.com/bikeweek.htm

Keese Buchanan on "Remembering Why I Travel"

As Kevin Connolly travels around the world on a skateboard documenting photos of what he encounters as a travelers with no legs, Keese Buchanan reflects on an encounter with a un-named disabled African man in "Remembering Why I Travel":

There are few wheelchairs in Africa and even fewer wheel-chair accessible areas so people who can't walk will buy flip flops and put their hands in them, using them to drag themselves along through mud, garbage and crowds of people's feet. It always breaks my heart, imagine all day scuffling along without anyone to even look into your eyes as they step over you.

A man like this was dressed in a suit, the navy blue sleeves skimming through piles of garbage. He pulled himself up to the table I was at. I bought him and myself some steaming french fries (chips) wrapped, as usual, in someone's old math homework on notebook paper.

Maybe it is hard to travel the way I do, but I travel more to meet people than to see sights, and traveling alone I have opportunities I would never have if I always took solace in other travelers. ... It is scary and lonely sometimes, well, a lot of the time. But in the end, I know traveling this way is the most powerful way to travel. It gets me under the skin of a culture- blisters and all.

And hopefully the reason you write is to open the world that only you see to the rest of us. Thanks, for sharing lunch, Keese. It fed multitudes.

For the full post see Remembering Why I Travel:

http://dailycamera.com/blogs/community-blog-journey-through-africa/2008/mar/16/whytravel/

La Argentina y El Plan Nacional de Accesibilidad (Spanish)

El Ciudadano del famoso destino turistico Bariloche report del Plan Nacional de Accesibilidad:

¿Qué es el plan?

Es un marco estratégico para promover y dar coherencia a las acciones que las Gestiones de Gobierno conjuntamente con otras administraciones y entidades públicas o privadas han de realizar con el objetivo común de suprimir barreras e implantar el denominado Diseño Universal.

Se entiende por Diseño Universal a la actividad por la que cualquier bien o servicio es concebido o proyectado desde su origen para ser utilizado por todas las personas, o el mayor número de ellas posible.

Es también un instrumento posible de ejecutar para poder ampliar el ámbito de la Ley Nacional Nº 24.314 de Accesibilidad de Personas con Movilidad Reducida, para que desde el Gobierno de la Nación se propicie su aplicación; es decir, para favorecer la equiparación de oportunidades de las personas con movilidad y/o comunicación reducida promoviendo a la vez una mayor calidad de vida en toda la población.

Mas

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Inclusive Destination Development
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/travel_with_disabilities/115176

The Rolling Rains Report Featured Entrant in the National Geographic and Ashoka's Changemakers Geotourism Challenge

The proposal to open three Centers of Excellence in Inclusive Tourism that is being considered by Echoing Green Foundation and publicy discussed at Ashoka's Changemakers' Geotourism Challenge has generated 80 comments from around the world here:

http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/5952

The Rolling Rains Report Featured Entrant in the National Geographic and Ashoka's Changemakers Geotourism Challenge

Global competition will uncover most innovative projects that support better tourism

[San Jose, CA, USA] – The National Geographic Society and Ashoka’s Changemakers have introduced the first Geotourism Challenge to identify and showcase innovators in tourism development, management, and marketing.

The one-of-a-kind online collaborative competition is designed to raise awareness about how tourism can help sustain, enhance and preserve local culture and environment.

The Rolling Rains Report is a featured entrant in this initiative at - http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/5951. The Rolling Rains Report is an experiment in achieving social inclusion. As a daily online publication it provides research and educational material emphasizing the quality of tourist experience of a group who has historically been denied access to tourism - people with disabilities.

At the Geotourism Challenge an expanded project is proposed. The Centers of Excellence in Inclusive Tourism Project will bring to scale sustainable inclusive tourism development projects piloted in Asia and the Americas. The project goal is to make the tourism industry an authentic partner in the aspirations, rights, and culture of the disability community by establishing local collaboratives, directed by people with disabilities, to provide tourism product creation, infrastructure design, and destination development services to the tourism and hospitality industry. Matching the profit motive of industry to the pent-up demand for travel opportunities among people with disabilities will be the purpose of three Centers of Excellence in Inclusive Tourism currently under consideration for funding and launch in September 2008. People with disabilities of the USA alone spend $13.6 billion annually on travel. Tourist destinations recognize the market advantage they gain by accommodating this travel sector. One of the world’s largest industries, tourism, can create lasting social change for one of the world’s fastest growing underserved populations, people with disabilities - including aging Baby Boomers and their parents.

Discussion of the Centers of Excellence in Inclusive Tourism proposal is drawing worldwide participation at - http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/5952

The Geotourism Challenge is Changemakers’ 15th collaborative competition and draws on Ashoka’s 27 years of experience in identifying leading social entrepreneurs around the world. To date, the competitions have sourced more than 2,000 local innovations on various themes from more than 125 countries. The Rolling Rains Report is honored to be recognized as a leader in the global movement to create social change through the tourism sector and the foremost voice for Inclusive Tourism and Inclusive Destination Development.

Anyone can participate and comment on entries. Everyone is invited to improve all entries through online collaboration. A panel of expert judges will choose approximately a dozen finalists who demonstrate innovation, social impact and sustainability. Judges include: Keith Bellows, VP, National Geographic Society, Editor-in-Chief, NG Traveler; Susan Berresford Past President, The Ford Foundation; Leonard Cordiner, CEO, whl travel; and Nachiket Mor, President, ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth.

The finalists will have the opportunity to present their innovations at The Geotourism Challenge Summit this fall. Three winners will be chosen by online voting and receive $5,000 each.

###

About National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 300 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 8,800 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com or visit the Web page for the Center for Sustainable Destinations at www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/.

About Ashoka’s Changemakers

Changemakers is building the world's first global online “open source” community that competes to surface the best social solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Changemakers focuses on thematic, collaborative competitions, inviting innovators from around the world to profile and collaborate with a global community of investors, thought leaders and enthusiasts. To date Changemakers has launched 14 successful collaborative competitions and attracted more than 2,000 high-impact solutions from more than 125 countries. Changemakers builds on Ashoka’s 27-year history identifying and selecting leading social entrepreneurs and its belief in “Everyone a Changemaker” global society. Get involved. Find out more about how to nominate, enter, comment and vote in our collaborative competitions at www.changemakers.net

For more information please contact:

Delyse Sylvester
Director of Communication
Ashoka's Changemakers
250-551-0570
dsylvester@ashoka.org

About Scott Rains and the Rolling Rains Report

Dr. Scott Rains writes daily on travel and issues in the tourism industry of interest to people with disabilities.
His work appears online at http://www.RollingRains.com and http://withtv.typepad.com/weblog/travel/ . Rains’ articles have also appeared in New Mobility, Emerging Horizons, Contours, Design for All India, Accessible Portugal, Audacity, Travel and Transitions, eTur Brazil, Co-Walking Korea, Turismo Polibea, Current Rehabilitation, [with]TV, and Disaboom among others. For his research on the topic of Universal Design and the travel and hospitality industry he was appointed as Resident Scholar at the Center for Cultural Studies of the University of California Santa Cruz (2004-05)

For more information please contact:

Dr. Scott Rains
Publisher, The Rolling Rains Report
srains at oco dot net

USA Today on Inclusive Air Travel

The story "Airlines Tackle Wheelchair Need" covers common themes here are RollingRains.com but gives them a much wider audience. Here are two champions of Inclusive Travel quoted in the well-researched report by Barbara De Lollis:

By 2030, Open Doors estimates that nearly 24% of the U.S. population will be disabled, and 15% severely disabled, resulting in about 53 million more disabled people than in 1997. The group estimates that around a third of adults with disabilities fly at least once every two years.

It's not just aging that contributes to the increase in travelers with disabilities. Medical technology allows people who have endured severe trauma from war, vehicle crashes and the like to travel with relative ease, says Kate Hunter-Zaworski, director of the National Center for Accessible Transportation at Oregon State University.

"We are facilitating living a fuller life, and air travel is essential to a full life," she says.

At JetBlue, the growth in passengers who request wheelchair assistance has outpaced overall passenger growth consistently since 2004. Last year, about 262,000 JetBlue passengers, or 1.2%, requested such assistance when making their reservations.

For the full story:
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-03-12-wheelchair-travel_N.htm

Recognition to Jack Sink, Susan Kovas, and the Town of Chester, South Carolina

Charles Perry writes in the HeraldOnline:

Wylie Park doesn't offer something for everyone yet, Chester leaders say.

Sure, the 48-acre city park sports a miniature golf course, a rugged, mile-long nature trail and a pool. But the park doesn't have a place where someone in a wheelchair can travel or where mothers with strollers can pace.

Outdoor accessibility was considered a luxury when we began public advocacy for ubiquitous barrier-free environments in the 1970's. Today we see that it has rightly become a cornerstone of family values.

Thank you, Chester, South Carolina and all the visionary leaders who just keep "doing the right thing" day in and day out at the local level without fanfare and for the good of the entire community.

Universal Design builds up communities!

Full article:
http://www.heraldonline.com/109/story/423039.html

Indicorps

Tourism and accessibility awareness are on the rise throughout India. Could a Rolling Rains reader become a 2008-2009 Indicorps Fellow and in the process gain the competencies needed to eventually develop a truly sustainable Inclusive Tourism project in India? Why not?

Indicorps is a non-profit organization that offers opportunities for aspiring young leaders of Indian-origin to engage in intense grassroots development projects through one or two-year public service fellowships. We are currently recruiting soon-to-be college graduates and professionals of Indian origin for our August 2008-2009 Fellowship.

Indicorps seeks to engage the most talented young Indians from around the world on the frontlines of India's most pressing challenges; in the process, we aim to nurture a new brand of socially conscious leaders with the character, knowledge, commitment, and vision to transform India and the world.

From Indicorps

Why Now?

We are currently recruiting soon-to-be college graduates and professionals of Indian origin for our August 2008-2009 Fellowship. There are over 50 exciting community-based projects ranging from educating tribal youth in Maharashtra to increasing production of natural dye based products in Karnataka.

Why Indicorps?

• The structured program encourages young professionals from the Indian diaspora to challenge their comfort zones, place others' interests before their own, push their own potential to affect change, explore their relationship with India, and understand what it means to lead by committing themselves to innovative grassroots projects.

• Indicorps believes that giving one's time and energy, without any attachment to the outcome, regardless of the circumstances, is an unparalleled personal experience in service. At the same time, the fellowship is a chance for fellows to address their own identity, recognize their personal boundaries, and understand how to produce change in their environment(s). The fellowship is deeply rewarding, a transformational and challenging personal journey, and part of Indicorps’ collective experiment for change.

• Indicorps firmly believes that contributing to the development of India at a grassroots level will help Indians around the world better understand their heritage, explore ways to strengthen the global Indian community, and encourage civic responsibility at home in their respective countries. Indicorps focuses on the Diaspora in order to foster a sense of responsibility within the Indian community.

Deadline: Applications are due March 31st, 2008.

Contact: If you have any questions or need any more information, please contact Shilpa Shah (outreach@indicorps.org) or visit (http://www.indicorps.org)

Walking the Talk in the UK

The Times reports that government compliance with its own regulations on inclusion hit a hard patch. The original timeline seems rather aggressive for something so important and comprehensive. Still, justice delayed is justice denied:

The disclosure comes as the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), chaired by Trevor Phillips, last week began its first inquiry into human rights in Britain. The commission was set up last year to replace the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Along with all other public bodies it was meant to implement an overarching equality scheme, setting out its position for its staff on race, gender, disability and other potential areas of discrimination by January 1 this year. It failed to do so, prompting ministers to lay a statutory instrument before Parliament, extending the deadline to April 1 this year.

Full article:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3524788.ece

TSA Excess and the Safety of a Traveler With a Disability

WFTV in Florida reports on overzealous airport security in the US endangering the life of a traveler with a disability:

James Hoyne, 14, has a feeding tube in his stomach and carries a back-up in a sealed clear plastic bag. Hoyne said two weeks ago a TSA officer insisted on opening the sterile equipment, contaminating his back-up feeding tube which he later needed.

"I said 'Please don't open it' and she said 'I have to open it whether you like it or not. If I can't open it, I can't let you on the plane,'" Hoyne said of his conversation with the TSA screener.

Full story:
http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/15511359/detail.html

Declaration of The 2nd International Conference for Universal Design in Kyoto 2006

We gathered here in Kyoto to exchange ideas about the topic "Considerate and Decisive - Listen to the users and deliver."

In Yokohama in 2002, we identified that Universal Design is for the accomplishment of a society that places high value on the individual, and we recognized that it is an urgent task for us to establish the relationships between the users and providers/producers.

One year after the conference in Yokohama, The International Association for Universal Design (IAUD) was set up to accomplish and disseminate these ideals, to report our activities, and to consider the future direction, we organized the second conference for Universal Design.

It is now more recognized that cooperation between users and providers is vital to accomplish the needs of various types of users. Active participation of users in the process, introduction of Universal Design concepts to primary and secondary education, and government procurement of Universal Design products are examples of concrete moves toward the fulfillment of our goal.

We have to think over how our activities will contribute to the global challenge for the sustainable society, and how such activities will be evaluated in the long run.

I

In that respect, we may have to review the significance of this conference being held in Kyoto, where the past and the present is mingled, and future is continually created.

It is all the more important to remember that the Kyoto Protocol on UN Convention on Climate Change was discussed and adopted in this same conference hall.

We believe that our present will guide us to the future just as we learn from the past.
So let us find our direction from within our past accomplishments.

We will progress further.

In the world still exists discrimination, poverty, war, environmental pollution, selfishness, and indifference.
Universal Design is determined to courageously struggle to solve such problems. And we will strive for a society where everyone can live a peaceful, comfortable life.

Let's continue with our dialogue.

We are confident in our belief that we have a responsibility for the future. We declare that we will continue our pursuit toward that goal.

Mitsuo Kawaguchi
Chairperson, Executive Committee
The 2nd International Conference for Universal Design in Kyoto 2006

http://www.ud2006.net/en/report/declaration.html

European Regulation on Air Passengers' Rights

Brussels, 5 March 2008 – Guaranteeing full accessibility of disabled passengers to the transport system and overcoming the existing barriers in Europe remain a priority for the European disability movement, but also for the European Commissioner Jacques Barrot, as he expressed yesterday during a meeting with Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum (EDF): “I can guarantee you my full commitment to advance access of disabled people the transport system’, said the Commissioner.

Referring to the recent entering into force of the European Regulation on Air Passengers’ Rights, Barrot highlighted the importance of a proper implementation of this key text: "adopting the Regulation was only the first step; we will now use all our means to make sure that it is also correctly implemented, but most important, we need disabled users’ support to do it well”.

Yannis Vardakastanis welcomed Barrot’s commitment to disability issues and stressed the important role of 50 million disabled people in the European integration process: “By securing access of disabled people to all forms of transport, the European Union is responding to the needs of citizens at the very grass root level, contributing to the improvement of their daily lives” said Vardakastanis to the Commissioner.

The discussion also focused on the forthcoming European Regulations on maritime and coach passenger rights, currently in preparation. “The Regulations will be proposed in the course of 2008; we will particularly make sure that the discrimination of passengers with disabilities will be addresses in these texts through a series of specific measures”, promised the European Commissioner. Barrot also thanked the European Disability Forum for the numerous cases of discrimination reported in the field of maritime transport and agreed on the need to simultaneously address the rights of disabled passengers and the accessibility requirements to be applied to this sector.

During the meeting, EDF President presented to the Commissioner the proposal for a comprehensive European disability Directive, tackling disabled people’s discrimination in all fields of life, including transport. Welcoming the proposal and congratulating the EDF for the success of its campaign “1million4disability” in favour of the disability Directive, Barrot recognised the specificities of the discrimination faced by disabled people, “made of prejudges and stereotyped , but also of structural barriers”

For more information on the EDF campaign “1million4disability”: www.1million4disability.eu

For more information, please contact: Helena González-Sancho Bodero, EDF Communication and Press Officer; Tel: (+32 2) 282 46 04; Mobile phone: (+ 32 ) 485 64 39 93; E-mail: communication@edf-feph.org

The European Disability Forum (EDF) is the European umbrella organisation representing the interests of 50 million disabled citizens in Europe. EDF membership includes national umbrella organisations of disabled people from all EU/EEA countries, as well as European NGOs representing the different types of disabilities, organisations and individuals committed to disability issues. The mission of the European Disability Forum is to ensure disabled people full access to fundamental and human rights through their active involvement in policy development and implementation in Europe.

Modern Language Association Call for Papers: "Disability and Human Rights"

Call for Papers: Session Sponsored by the Modern Language Association (MLA) Committee on Disability Issues in the Profession, MLA Annual Convention, San Francisco, Calif. -- December 27-30, 2008

"Disability and Human Rights"

In recent years, disability scholars and activists have increasingly
turned to the language of human rights as a framework for advocating
and understanding the ethical claims of the disability rights movement
and the aims of politicizing disability as a social justice project.
For many, the appeal of such an approach lies in large part with its
explicitly inclusive reach; for to speak of "disability rights" as
"human rights" insists that disability matters are universal concerns
rather than "special needs."

Correlatively, this holistic and integrative approach to disability has also been promoted by the international human rights community. For their political project, incorporating disability under the rubric of human rights consolidates a more robust and expansive framework for the politics of "rights", as it reflects the postulate that, in the words of a 2002 report sponsored by the United Nations, "civil and political rights, on the one hand, and economic, social and cultural rights, on the other, are interdependent and interrelated."

This special session, sponsored by the MLA?s standing committee on
Disability Issues in the Professions, invites papers that explore the
intersections of disability rights and analysis in terms of the
political language of human rights. We seek papers that historicize,
theorize, or chronicle this development in any national or global
contexts. We are especially interested in papers that consider the
linkage of disability and human rights as it implicates or is
implicated in the contemporary critique of the human rights
political project as implicitly individualistic, universalizing,
Western, and colonial. Papers may address cultural histories, legal
discourse, critical theory, literature, visual culture, public policy,
and/or the academic profession. We are especially interested in
considerations that engage global concerns and would additionally
welcome responses to from feminist, queer, or postcolonial theoretical
perspectives.

Possible topics include:
-- the language of "disability", the language of "human rights"
-- disability-based response to the challenge of cultural relativism
and other critiques of international human rights project
-- representations of "disability rights" as "human rights" in
literature, art,
performance, or film
-- disability rights in academic contexts
-- legal texts, such as treaties, constitutions, cases, etc.
-- disability and the construction of the human
-- conceptualizations of the post-human or non-human
-- issues of political and cultural praxis
-- transnational contexts and comparative approaches
-- cultural historical and critical legal approaches
-- discourses of "dignity" and "inclusion"
-- the critical/political limits of "rights" discourse (i.e., how
"rights" function as "norms")
-- human rights, civil rights, and citizenship

Please send abstracts of 250-300 words and a short (2 page) CV with
updated contact information by March 28 to:

Dr. Eden Osucha (English, Bates College) by email at eosucha@bates.edu

Note: Panelists must become members of the MLA by April 7

From March 2008 Global Access News Travel E-Zine

The latest issue of Global Access News Travel E-Zine is out with this article entitled "New York City Buses" by Derek Guzman. Derek runs wheelchair accessible guided tours in Paris and New York City. I highlight this article because NYC can be rightly proud -- of doing what we did for the first time in history at home in Seattle:

As I left the bus I asked the driver about wheelchair accessibility on the city’s bus system. “Every bus in the system is accessible” he told me. Across the whole city? “All five boroughs, the whole city”. I was impressed. I thought of Seattle, which to this point operated my idea of the consummate bus system – every bus in King County Metro’s fleet is wheelchair-accessible. Indeed, Seattle’s was the nation’s first transit system to be able to make this claim. However, New York City is far bigger than Seattle, and the fact that the Metropolitan Transit Authority could also achieve 100% accessibility on its busses was doubly impressive to me.

For the full story:
http://www.globalaccessnews.com/newyorkguzman08.htm

Forum européen des personnes handicapées (French)

>>> Communiqué de presse

Les droits des passagers handicapés, au cœur de l’agenda européenne

Rencontre hier à Bruxelles entre Jacques Barrot, Commissaire européen au Transport, et Yannis Vardakastanis, leader du mouvement européen des personnes handicapées

Bruxelles, 5 mars 2008 – Garantir une totale accessibilité des passagers handicapées au système de transport et surmonter les barrières existantes en Europe demeurent parmi les grandes priorités du mouvement européen des personnes handicapées, mais aussi parmi celles du Commissaire européen au Transport, Jacques Barrot, tel qu’il l’a exprimé hier lors de sa réunion avec le Président du Forum européen des personnes handicapées (FEPH), Yannis Vardaksatanis : “Je peux vous garantir mon engagement total afin de faire progresser l’accès des personnes handicapées au système des transports“, a déclaré le Commissaire.

Faisant référence au Règlement européen sur les droits des passagers aériens handicapés, récemment entré en vigueur, Barrot a souligné l’importance d’une bonne application de ce texte clé: "l’adoption du règlement n’était que le premier pas; désormais nous utiliserons tous les moyens à notre disposition afin d’assurer sa correcte application, et pour bien le faire, nous avons besoin du soutien des usagers handicapés”.

Yannis Vardakastanis a favorablement accueilli l’engagement de M. Barrot envers les questions liées au handicap et a souligné l’important rôle que les 50 millions de personnes handicapées jouent dans le processus de construction européenne: “En assurant l’accès des personnes handicapées à toutes les formes de transport, l’Union européenne répond aux besoins des citoyens de base et contribue à améliorer leurs vies de manière tangible” a exprimé Vardakastanis au Commissaire.

La discussion s’est également focalisée sur les futurs règlements européens en matière des droits des passagers maritimes et des autocars, en cours de préparation. “Les règlements seront proposés au cours de 2008; en particulier nous nous assurerons de la prise en compte de la discrimination à laquelle les passagers handicapés font face et cela, à travers des mesures spécifiques”, a promis le Commissaire européen. Barrot a également remercié le Forum européen des personnes handicapées pour les nombreux cas de discrimination dont l’organisation lui a fait part dans le domaine du transport maritime. Il a par ailleurs exprimé son accord sur la nécessité de travailler simultanément dans l’amélioration des droits des passagers handicapés et les critères d’accessibilité qui devront être appliqués dans ce secteur.

Au cours de la réunion, le Président du FEPH a présenté au Commissaire la proposition de directive européenne en matière de handicap actuellement promue par le Forum, dont le but est de combattre la discrimination des personnes handicapées dans tous les domaines de la vie, y compris les transports. Barrot a favorablement accueilli cette proposition et félicité le FEPH pour le succès de sa campagne “1million4disability” en faveur de la directive, tout en reconnaissant les spécificités liées à la discrimination des personnes handicapées, “faite de préjugés et des stéréotypes, mais également, de barrières structurelles”.

Pour plus d’information sur la campagne du FEPH “1million4disability”: www.1million4disability.eu

Pour plus d’information, veuillez contacter: Helena González-Sancho Bodero, Responsable de Communication et Presse; Tel: (+32 2) 282 46 04; GSM : (+ 32 ) 485 64 39 93; Courriel: communication@edf-feph.org

Le Forum européen des personnes handicapées (FEPH) est la plateforme européenne qui représente les intérêts de 50 millions de citoyens handicapés au sein de l’Union européenne. Les organisations membres du FEPH incluent les plateformes nationales des personnes handicapées de tous les Etats membres de l’UE et de l’Espace économique européen, ainsi que les ONG européennes représentant les différents types de handicap. La mission du FEPH est de garantir le respect total des droits fondamentaux et humains des personnes handicapées par le biais d’une implication active dans le développement et application des politiques européennes.

Rail Travel Woes

Until Universal Design is ubiquitous stories like these will continue where claims of accessibility turn out to be based on inadequate definitions of the word and explanations like "they needed someone with them to care for them" do not pass for acceptable customer service. Travel advice from Stuff.co.nz:

Shirley and Roy Dyer, who live in Rolleston, near Christchurch, said they could not even use the toilets on the 11-hour trip from Christchurch to Greymouth and back last Friday.

When the train pulled into the Greymouth railway station, Shirley Dyer said she and her husband did not want to get off because it was such a hassle getting back on. "It took about half an hour to get on the train in Christchurch so we didn't want to go through that again.

Blind Hotel Guests Charged for Guide Dogs

First the good news, this couple has been reimbursed their $85:

A blind couple are angry they were charged cleaning costs after spending their honeymoon with their two guide dogs in a Wellington hotel... the Central Terrace Heights serviced apartments.

They were shocked when they were charged $85 for professional carpet cleaning [for dog hairs], the Dominion Post reported...

Terrace Heights Serviced Apartments operations manager Rob Rameka said many Wellington hotels would not let guide dogs stay but the Central Group did not discriminate and did blind people a favour by accepting them.

"We did something nice for them because they wanted a harbour view, which I kinda thought was funny because they're blind ... but we put them in a nice room," he said.

The full article:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10491958

Barreras Arquitectónicas en Monetideo (Spanish)

Reportaje sobre la vida (no) acessible en Uruguay en el diario El Pais Digital:

Aunque hay 65 mil personas con discapacidad motriz, sólo hay cuatro edificios, una calle y dos ómnibus pensados para ellos. Las barreras arquitectónicas discriminan tanto que únicamente el 16,5% de las personas en silla de ruedas tienen trabajo.

continúa

Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management at Heritage Sites: Huangshan, China

The World Tourism Organization and UNESCO are jointly organising the
UNWTO/UNESCO Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management at Heritage
Sites in Huangshan, China, on 24-27 March 2008.

World Heritage Sites include many of the world's grandest monuments and natural wonders, such as Huangshan Mountains; and these constitute a great attraction for cultural and nature-oriented tourists.

Heritage sites and monuments require management that preserves them
for future generations and at the same time makes them accessible to
the public for purposes of education and enjoyment. The UNWTO/UNESCO
Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management at Heritage Sites is thus
being organised to tackle specific issues related to heritage areas in
site management with a view to advocating sustainability principles.
The conference will focus on the following key policy issues, through
presentations from a range of countries and sites, interactive debates
and field exercises through the Huangshan case:

A. Maximizing economic benefits of heritage site tourism:

1. Generating benefits for local communities and for site conservation
(employment, businesses, linking with local products and services,
site financing through tourism)

2. Presentation of heritage values for a quality tourist experience
(information, communication, interpretation, programmes)

B. Reducing negative impacts of tourism:

3. Congestion management (management of high volume of tourist flows,
seasonality, infrastructure and transport, etc.)

4. Environmental management (conserving quality of build structures,
landscapes and natural areas, waste, water and energy management)

Please find the conference documents and registration form at:

http://www.unwto.org/sustainable/

Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism: Kerala, India

The following document, known as The Cape Town Declaration, resulted from the 2002 Responsible Tourism in Destinations conference in Cape Town. The Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism will be held in Kochi, Kerala March 21-24, 2008

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN DESTINATIONS

Shaping sustainable spaces into better places

We, representatives of inbound and outbound tour operators, emerging entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, national parks, provincial conservation authorities, all spheres of government, tourism professionals, tourism authorities, NGOs and hotel groups and other tourism stakeholders, from 20 countries in Africa, North and South America, Europe and Asia; having come together in Cape Town to consider the issue of Responsible Tourism in Destinations have agreed this declaration.

Mindful of the debates at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in 1999, which asserted the importance of the economic, social and environment aspects of sustainable development and of the interests of indigenous peoples and local communities in particular.

Recognising the global challenge of reducing social and economic inequalities and reducing poverty, and the importance of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in the process.

Recognising the importance of the World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics, which aims to promote responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism and sharing its commitment to equitable, responsible and sustainable world tourism and its STEP initiative with UNCTAD, which seeks to harness sustainable tourism to help eliminate poverty.

Conscious that we are now ten years on from the Rio Earth Summit on Environment and Development, and that the World Summit on Sustainable Development taking place in Johannesburg will put renewed emphasis on sustainability, economic development, and in particular on poverty reduction.

Aware of the World Tourism Organization, World Travel and Tourism Council and the Earth Council’s updated Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry and the success achieved by a number of businesses, local communities and national and local governments in moving towards sustainability in tourism.

Aware of the work of the UNEP, and the Tourism Industry Report 2002, and work of UNESCO, and other UN agencies, promoting sustainable tourism in partnership with the private sector, NGOs, civil society organisations and government.

Aware of the guidelines for sustainable tourism in vulnerable ecosystems being developed in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Conscious of developments in other industries and sectors, and in particular of the growing international demand for ethical business, and the adoption of clear Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies by companies, and the transparent reporting of achievements in meeting CSR objectives in company annual reports.

Recognising that there has been considerable progress in addressing the environmental impacts of tourism, although there is a long way to go to achieve sustainability; and that more limited progress has been made in harnessing tourism for local economic development, for the benefit of communities and indigenous peoples, and in managing the social impacts of tourism.

Endorsing the Global Code of Ethics and the importance of making all forms of tourism sustainable through all stakeholders taking responsibility for creating better forms of tourism and realising these aspirations.

Relishing the diversity of our world’s cultures, habitats and species and the wealth of our cultural and natural heritage, as the very basis of tourism, we accept that responsible and sustainable tourism will be achieved in different ways in different places.

Accepting that, in the words of the Global Code of Ethics, an attitude of tolerance and respect for the diversity of religious, philosophical and moral beliefs, are both the foundation and the consequence of responsible tourism.

Recognising that dialogue, partnerships and multi-stakeholder processes - involving government, business and local communities - to make better places for hosts and guests can only be realised at the local level, and that all stakeholders have different, albeit interdependent, responsibilities; tourism can only be managed for sustainability at the destination level.

Conscious of the importance of good governance and political stability in providing the context for responsible tourism in destinations, and recognising that the devolution of decision making power to democratic local government is necessary to build stable partnerships at a local level, and to the empowerment of local communities.

Aware that the management of tourism requires the participation of a broad range of government agencies and particularly at the local destination level.

Recognising that in order to protect the cultural, social and environmental integrity of destinations limits to tourism development are sometimes necessary.

Having, during the Cape Town Conference, examined the South African Guidelines for Responsible Tourism, tested them in a series of field visits, and explored how tourism can be made to work better for local communities, tourists and businesses alike, we recognise their value in helping to shape sustainable tourism in South Africa.

Recognising that one of the strengths of the South African Guidelines for Responsible Tourism is that they were developed through a national consultative process, and that they reflect the priorities and aspirations of the South African people.

Recognising that Responsible Tourism takes many forms, that different destinations and stakeholders will have different priorities, and that local policies and guidelines will need to be developed through multi-stakeholder processes to develop responsible tourism in destinations.

Having the following characteristics, Responsible Tourism:

• minimises negative economic, environmental, and social impacts;
• generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
• involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances;


• makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world's diversity;


• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;


• provides access for physically challenged people; and


• is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

We call upon countries, multilateral agencies, destinations and enterprises to develop similar practical guidelines and to encourage planning authorities, tourism businesses, tourists and local communities – to take responsibility for achieving sustainable tourism, and to create better places for people to live in and for people to visit.

We urge multilateral agencies responsible for development strategies to include sustainable responsible tourism in their outcomes.

Determined to make tourism more sustainable, and accepting that it is the responsibility of all stakeholders in tourism to achieve more sustainable forms of tourism, we commit ourselves to pursue the principles of Responsible Tourism.

Convinced that it is primarily in the destinations, the places that tourists visit, where tourism enterprises conduct their business and where local communities and tourists and the tourism industry interact, that the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism need to be managed responsibly, to maximise positive impacts and minimise negative ones.

We undertake to work in concrete ways in destinations to achieve better forms of tourism and to work with other stakeholders in destinations. We commit to build the capacity of all stakeholders in order to ensure that they can secure an effective voice in decision making. We uphold the guiding principles for Responsible Tourism which were identified:

Guiding Principles for Economic Responsibility

• Assess economic impacts before developing tourism and exercise preference for those forms of development that benefit local communities and minimise negative impacts on local livelihoods (for example through loss of access to resources), recognising that tourism may not always be the most appropriate form of local economic development.
• Maximise local economic benefits by increasing linkages and reducing leakages, by ensuring that communities are involved in, and benefit from, tourism. Wherever possible use tourism to assist in poverty reduction by adopting pro-poor strategies.
• Develop quality products that reflect, complement, and enhance the destination.
• Market tourism in ways which reflect the natural, cultural and social integrity of the destination, and which encourage appropriate forms of tourism.
• Adopt equitable business practises, pay and charge fair prices, and build partnerships in ways in which risk is minimised and shared, and recruit and employ staff recognising international labour standards.


• Provide appropriate and sufficient support to small, medium and micro enterprises to ensure tourism-related enterprises thrive and are sustainable.

Guiding Principles for Social Responsibility

• Actively involve the local community in planning and decision-making and provide capacity building to make this a reality.
• Assess social impacts throughout the life cycle of the operation – including the planning and design phases of projects - in order to minimise negative impacts and maximise positive ones.


• Endeavour to make tourism an inclusive social experience and to ensure that there is access for all, in particular vulnerable and disadvantaged communities and individuals.


• Combat the sexual exploitation of human beings, particularly the exploitation of children.


• Be sensitive to the host culture, maintaining and encouraging social and cultural diversity.


• Endeavour to ensure that tourism contributes to improvements in health and education.

Guiding Principles for Environmental Responsibility

• Assess environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of tourist establishments and operations – including the planning and design phase - and ensure that negative impacts are reduced to the minimum and maximising positive ones.
• Use resources sustainably, and reduce waste and over-consumption.
• Manage natural diversity sustainably, and where appropriate restore it; and consider the volume and type of tourism that the environment can support, and respect the integrity of vulnerable ecosystems and protected areas.
• Promote education and awareness for sustainable development – for all stakeholders.
• Raise the capacity of all stakeholders and ensure that best practice is followed, for this purpose consult with environmental and conservation experts.

We recognise that this list is not exhaustive and that multi-stakeholder groups in diverse destinations should adapt these principles to reflect their own culture and environment.

Responsible tourism seeks to maximise positive impacts and to minimise negative ones. Compliance with all relevant international and national standards, laws and regulations is assumed. Responsibility, and the market advantage that can go with it, is about doing more than the minimum.

We recognise that the transparent and auditable reporting of progress towards achieving responsible tourism targets and benchmarking, is essential to the integrity and credibility of our work, to the ability of all stakeholders to assess progress, and to enable consumers to exercise effective choice.

We commit to making our contribution to move towards a more balanced relationship between hosts and guests in destinations, and to create better places for local communities and indigenous peoples; and recognising that this can only be achieved by government, local communities and business cooperating on practical initiatives in destinations.

We call upon tourism enterprises and trade associations in originating markets and in destinations to adopt a responsible approach, to commit to specific responsible practises, and to report progress in a transparent and auditable way, and where appropriate to use this for market advantage. Corporate businesses can assist by providing markets, capacity building, mentoring and micro-financing support for small, medium and micro enterprises.

In order to implement the guiding principles for economic, social and environmental responsibility, it is necessary to use a portfolio of tools, which will include regulations, incentives, and multi-stakeholder participatory strategies. Changes in the market encouraged by consumer campaigns and new marketing initiatives also contribute to market driven change.

Local authorities have a central role to play in achieving responsible tourism through commitment to supportive policy frameworks and adequate funding. We call upon local authorities and tourism administrations to develop - through multi-stakeholder processes - destination management strategies and responsible tourism guidelines to create better places for host communities and the tourists who visit. Local Agenda 21 programs, with their participatory and monitoring processes, are particularly useful.

We call upon the media to exercise responsibility in the way in which they portray tourism destinations, to avoid raising false expectations and to provide balanced and fair reporting.

We all have a responsibility to make a difference by the way we act.

We appreciate Calvia’s (Spain) intention to host the second conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations in May 2004; and recognise that this provides a focus for our work over the next two years. The Calvia Conference will focus on the roles of local authorities and tour operators in working to achieve responsible tourism.

We commit ourselves to work with others to take responsibility for achieving the economic, social and environmental components of responsible and sustainable tourism. The Calvia Conference will provide us with the opportunity to share further experience and to assess progress towards achieving better places for hosts and guests. We look forward to hearing about progress in South Africa in implementing its national responsible tourism policy and reviewing developments in other destinations.

Cape Town, August 2002

Co-chairs Mike Fabricius Western Cape Tourism & Harold Goodwin International Centre for Responsible Tourism

Further Resources:

The International Centre for Responsible Tourism
http://www.icrtourism.org/index.shtml

DestiNet
http://destinet.ew.eea.europa.eu/

CNVLD Announces Annual National Disability Awards

The Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled) (CNVLD) has caught the spirit of the Recommendations of the Second International Conference on Accessible Tourism with its new National Disability Awards program.

As part of its ongoing commitment to promoting the Rights of Persons with a Disability, the CNVLD is proud to announce the inaugural CNVLD Annual National Disability Awards recognising commitment to accessibility and support in the Cambodian corporate sector.

After signing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability in October 2007, the Cambodian Government recently passed its domestic disability law.

Rising investment in Cambodia has also led to rapid urban development in the capital Phnom Penh. In response to Cambodia’s changing landscape, the CNVLD National Disability Awards aim to encourage local corporate sector social responsibility in Disability Rights and Access.

The 2008 CNVLD National Disability Awards will be presented for:

• Best Access: Hotel /Hospitality
• Best Access: Retail
• Best Access: Educational Institute
• Best Access: Restaurant
• Best Employer
• Best Corporate Support for Disability Rights

The CNVLD will assess the disability friendliness of some of Cambodia’s leading businesses based on a number of criteria including accessibility (entrances, steps, ramps, lifts, helpfulness / understanding of staff, use of facilities), positive employment and support for disability issues.

The inaugural 2008 CNVLD National Disability Awards winners will be announced on 1st September 2008. Category winners will be presented their awards along with the year’s best athletes by H.E Ith Sam Heng Minister of Social Affairs, Youth and Veteran’s Rehabilitation at the 2008 National Volleyball League Finals at the Olympic Stadium at the end of September 2008.

Award winners will receive unique a Cambodian trophy produced from destroyed AK-47s by Armed Art and a framed certificate. Award winners will also be provided stickers to promote their Accessibility Friendly’ status in their premises. Each winner will also be specially profiled on the CNVLD website.

More on the Travolution/Fortune Cookie Travel Website Accessibility Survey

HotelMarketing.com echoes the keynote address, "Inclusive Tourism: A New Strategic Alliance for the Disability Rights Movement" and the Conference Recommendations of the Second International Conference on Accessible Tourism (ICAT 2007) held at the UN in Bangkok November 2007. It does so by quoting from the Travolution analysis of the recent UK website accessibility study done by Fortune Cookie. Standardization in the field of Inclusive Tourism is the order of the day from the construction of hotel rooms, treatment of airline passengers, to the construction of web sites:

Technology moves fast. How can accessibility - and disabled people - keep pace? The answer may lie in standardisation.

Now Travolution and Fortune Cookie have the opportunity to do something paradigm shifting. Here's how:

1. Replicate the original study of UK websites at the end of the year in preparation for 2009 (The 2009 version could be announced at the Society for Accessible Tourism & Hospitality (SATH) Congress in Orlando, Florida January 2009)
2. Reverse the focus of the original study (Examine the accessibility of the top 5 destinations visited by travelers with disabilities from the UK)
3. Coordinate internationally (Collaborate with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and disabled peoples' organizations (DPOs) in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as they evaluate the accessibility of their travel websites and those of the top 5 travel destinations of people with disabilities for each of these countries)
4. Educate widely (Create simple resources educating the travel industry on the business advantages of accessible information. Include best practice recommendations as well as mandated legal minimums. Provide similar material for consumers to enable them to present their needs to businesses and tourism ministries in an informed and solution-oriented manner. Encourage translation and distribution of these resources.)
5. Announce globally (Present the results of the international study of top travel websites for English-speaking travelers with disabilities at the April 2009 International Conference on Accessible Tourism (ICAT) Conference in Singapore and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT)
6. Repeat annually (Become the monitor of travel industry compliance with standards of online accessibility. Disseminate best practices. Award excellence.)

Analysis of the study results is available at Travolution: http://www.travolution.co.uk/Articles/2008/02/12/1270/Accessibility+-+gaining+access+to+an+online+world.html

E-Access '08

Julie Howell, Director of Accessibility at digital design agency Fortune Cookie, will deliver the keynote speech at Headstar’s E-Access ’08 conference in London on 23 April 2008. Fortune Cookies has a specialty in travel web site development.

More about Julie at BBC's Ouch! - Close Up with Julie Howell

Fortune Cookie is also proudly sponsoring the event.

Now in its forth year, and described by Headstar as ‘bigger and better than ever’, E-Access ’08 will provide delegates with a unique opportunity to hear about the very latest trends in web accessibility from some of the world’s foremost experts on disabled people’s access to technology.

Web accessibility standardisation and access to the world of social networking will be on the agenda, which features a presentation from Simon Stevens of the virtual community Second Life.

Responding to the invitation to open the conference, Julie Howell says, “E-Access ’08 the UK’s premiere web accessibility conference. Businesses interested in understanding how accessible design can deliver incredible return on investment should clear their diaries on 23 April and get along to this vital conference. I am extremely honoured to give the keynote and delighted to be sharing the stage with the UK’s foremost accessibility experts and fellow disability rights campaigners.”

Howell continues, “E-Access ’08 will be more than a conference. It will be an opportunity to learn how the way we design our websites can deliver both business and social benefits that will blow minds in the boardroom and improve the lives of disabled people immeasurably. I’m sure this conference will be one of the highlights of my year.”

Fortune Cookie has received a clutch of awards form making clients’ website more accessible to disabled people, including several RNIB ‘See It Right’ Awards, Communicators in Business Excellence Awards and the 2007 Chartered Institute of PR Excellence Award for ‘Best Website’ for Diabetes UK. Fortune Cookie has demonstrated that accessibility can deliver stunning return-on-investment, as proven by its redesign of the Legal & General website, which has enjoyed a 300% boost in customer conversion since the site was made more accessible.

About Fortune Cookie

Founded in 1997, Fortune Cookie is one of the UK’s most well-respected digital design agencies, famous for delivering beautiful, findable, accessible websites that deliver stunning return on investment. Clients include Legal & General, Kuoni, Big Lottery Fund, Arsenal FC and Amnesty International. In 2007, the agency’s 10th anniversary year, websites designed by Fortune Cookie were short-listed for major design awards a total of 11 times.

Further information about Fortune Cookie is available at www.fortunecookie.co.uk or contact Julie Howell at Julie.Howell@fortunecookie.co.uk

About E-Access ‘08

For more information about E-Access ’08 and to book a place visit http://www.headstar-events.com/eaccess08/

PNUD: Projetos sociais na área de turismo no Brasil (Portuguese)

A revista Envolverde reporte:

ONU quer turismo contra pobreza no Brasil

Por Rafael Sampaio, do Pnud

PNUD pretende obter recursos do governo espanhol para projetos nessa área; proposta de apoio ao PAC também será discutida.

O PNUD vai propor ao governo espanhol acordos de cooperação para implantar projetos sociais na área de turismo no Brasil. A idéia é aproveitar o potencial do setor para desenvolver programas de capacitação, geração de emprego e preservação do meio ambiente. A proposta será apresentada nesta semana, durante reunião entre a Espanha e representantes de escritórios do PNUD na América Latina.

“O Brasil tem grande potencial para turismo, e a atividade pode ter impacto positivo na redução da pobreza, pois pode gerar empregos e conhecimento”, avalia Maristela Baioni, representante do PNUD Brasil no evento, que acontece nesta terça e na quarta-feira, em Cartagena, na Colômbia. “O movimento do setor privado espanhol no Brasil pode ser acompanhado de cooperação para projetos”, afirma.

A sugestão do PNUD é que a cooperação na área de turismo seja definida como uma das áreas prioritárias na parceria entre a agência da ONU e o governo espanhol. O PNUD formularia e apresentaria projetos relacionados ao setor para serem implantados com apoio da Espanha, maior doador do PNUD internacional.

O PNUD Brasil também vai propor um projeto para fortalecer o PAC (Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento), que poderia ser inserido em uma linha de apoio já aprovada pelo governo espanhol, relacionada a parcerias entre o setor público e privado. O projeto, ainda em elaboração, prevê monitorar o programa do governo para verificar seu impacto na redução da pobreza, além de mapear as potencialidades de empresas e outras instituições privadas para parcerias.

Outro projeto que o PNUD Brasil vai apresentar na reunião é ligado à violência. A idéia é escolher uma comunidade em um município violento e desenvolver, por cerca de quatro anos, um trabalho com outras agências da ONU. “A partir daí, pode-se por em prática ações de educação para infância e combate ao tráfico de drogas, por exemplo”, sugere Maristela.

Home Design Trends Survey of the American Institute of Architects.

Jenny Sullivan reports on the current Home Design Trends survey by the American Institute of Architects. The story continues to be that Universal Design and green design fit together:

Those consumers who are buying new or renovating their homes appear to be more budget conscious and environmentally minded than in years past. Renewable flooring and countertop materials ranked among most popular kitchen features in the latest poll (at 61 percent and 49 percent respectively), along with drinking water filtration systems (44 percent), and recycling centers (45 percent).

On the bathroom side, radiant heat flooring topped consumers' wish lists (at 60 percent), followed by multi-head showers (59 percent), doorless showers (59 percent), universal design elements (58 percent), low flow toilets (57 percent), hand showers (42 percent), and LED lighting (39 percent). These preferences indicate a similar greening of bathroom spaces, as well as mounting currency for accessible design features, no doubt fueled by the aging boomer population