International Accessible Tourism Forum - Asia & the Pacific
The Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are organizing an International Accessible Tourism Forum with the participation of UNWTO. The forum is entitled The Future of Tourism for All - Advancing Accessible Tourism in the Asia and the Pacific Region and will take place in Seoul on 11 and 12 December 2023.
Background:
1.3 billion people experience significant disability. Millions of us will develop specific access requirements due to factors such as age, dependency status or diverse health conditions. For these customers and their families, travelling is challenging and sometimes impossible. It is due to the way the environments and services that we depend on have been conceived, in all spheres of our lives, including tourism.
Improving the accessibility of tourism destinations, products and services benefits all of us, local communities and visitors alike, with or without disability. Upgrading accessibility also opens tourism up to an immense potential market and new sources of revenue. Seniors and travelers with disabilities often travel off-season, have time for leisure, and bring substantial financial benefits to the industry, with a higher spend per capita. Travelers with disabilities are loyal customers and usually don’t travel alone.
This conference will focus on Asia and the Pacific region and outline how making an investment in accessibility now will pay dividends in the future, creating a tourism experience that can be enjoyed by everybody. It will feature an enriching discussion engaging experts from Europe, Asia and Australia, and serve as a networking platform for launching new international projects.
