*By Giota Moschopoulidou
Accessibility and inclusion are reshaping modern tourism, transforming the destination experience into a functional, equitable and accessible experience for more visitors and local communities.
In recent years, modern tourism has been redefined, as the value of a destination is reflected not only in its infrastructure or international image, but also in its ability to meet the diverse needs of visitors equally. In this context, “inclusive tourism” or “tourism for all” is not a separate category, but a comprehensive approach to redesigning the tourism product itself.
The key change is that the destination no longer requires visitors to adapt to it, but is organised to cater for a wider range of people – people with disabilities, older people, families with young children, or travellers with temporary mobility restrictions. Thus, accessibility is no longer treated as a special provision but becomes a structural element of the design and quality of the overall experience, with a direct impact on both equal access and the competitiveness of destinations. Accessibility is not an isolated measure – it is not limited to a ramp or a specific piece of infrastructure. In fact, it involves a chain of services and spaces that must operate seamlessly. From public spaces and transport to hotels, museums and digital information platforms, everything is interconnected to form a single experience, where any “break” in one link affects the whole.
This approach is based on “Universal Design”, that is, the design of spaces and services that can be used by everyone, without the need for special adaptations. At international level, accessibility has now been enshrined as a right through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, whilst the World Tourism Organisation systematically promotes the “Tourism for All” model. In Europe, the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030 further reinforces this approach.
In recent years, the debate on accessibility has become increasingly linked to the ageing population, the rise in the number of people with functional limitations, and the digitalisation of travel services. Today’s traveller is not only seeking an experience, but also functionality, clear information and safety at every stage of the journey. In this context, technologies such as mobile applications, audio guides, real-time information, Braille and accessible digital platforms enhance independence right from the start of the travel planning process.
Accessibility, however, is not merely a matter of physical infrastructure. For people on the autism spectrum, clear signage, quiet spaces and simple, predictable information are essential prerequisites for experiencing the place itself. At the same time, meaningful accessibility depends not only on design, but also on human resources: trained staff and coordinated services. And although this is an area with growing demand and clear growth potential – as travellers with accessibility needs often travel more with companions – implementation often remains fragmented, rather than integrated into a single system of experience.
In Greece, destinations such as Skiathos are seeking to approach accessibility not as an isolated measure, but as part of a wider improvement to the tourist experience, through initiatives such as the “Accessible Tourist Destination Label”. The logic of the “tourism chain” treats the trip as a single experience – from arrival and transport to accommodation and services – with the aim of reducing discontinuities and enhancing the overall functionality of the destination. Thus, accessibility emerges not simply as a technical issue, but as a key criterion of quality, maturity and inclusion.
In this context, Ms. Maria Iliopoulou, psychologist and educational psychologist, and president of the Hellenic Association for Asperger’s Syndrome, answers two crucial questions about the transition of tourism towards a more inclusive model. The first concerns what actually changes for a destination when accessibility and inclusion cease to be treated as an “obligation” or a formal certification and become an integral part of its identity and day-to-day operations, as well as how this change affects not only people with disabilities, but the overall experience of all visitors and the local community.
“The first change is not about infrastructure. It’s about the way you look at it,” she notes. “In the way you begin to look at your place – not as something that ‘works’ or ‘doesn’t work’ for the average visitor, but as something that includes or excludes people without even realising it. The question ‘who is this place for?’ changes the way you see everything.” From there, she explains, the entire day-to-day running of a destination is transformed. Inclusion ceases to be the remit of a specific department and becomes a way of operating: in the way the receptionist responds, in the signage in public spaces, but also in the way a waiter caters for the diversity of guests. It is no longer something that is “implemented”, but something that “exists”. And here a crucial paradox emerges: a place designed for everyone loses nothing – on the contrary, it gains. Rest areas created for people with sensory sensitivities are used just as much by the elderly, tired travellers or parents with young children. The clear and practical information that a visitor on the autism spectrum needs is often exactly what makes travel easier for anyone. “With an inclusive approach, everyone benefits,” she notes.
At the level of local society, this change takes on an even deeper dimension. A destination that invests in inclusion invests not only in visitors, but also in its own residents: in children with disabilities who grow up there, and in families who do not have to apologise for diversity in public spaces. “This feeling that the community ‘suits’ you is priceless”, she says. “And visitors feel it too, because hospitality is not a technical skill; it is a culture”. In Skiathos, as he says, this change is already beginning to become apparent through information and awareness-raising initiatives in organisations such as the hospital, the fire service and schools. “It is not just a matter of tourism policy. It is a change in the way a society views diversity. And this change is not seasonal – it remains”.
The second question concerns the transition from a model based on basic services to one based on meaningful participation and professional integration of people on the autism spectrum, as well as the extent to which examples such as Skiathos or Costa Navarino demonstrate that this can be put into practice. The answer is clear: this is one of the most significant paradigm shifts that Greek tourism can undergo. “Serving someone is very different from recognising them as part of the place”. People on the autism spectrum – particularly those with Asperger’s syndrome, who often possess specialised skills in specific areas – do not merely need access as visitors, but can play an active role in the tourism ecosystem.
Costa Navarino is a prime example, having developed structured staff training programmes to understand neurodevelopmental differences, as well as practices for integrating people with disabilities into the business itself. “It’s not about tolerance, it’s about meaningful integration,” she emphasises. As he explains, people on the spectrum can excel in roles that require stability, precision and structure – from file management and quality control to accounting, groundskeeping or event planning. Tourism is an industry with a huge variety of roles: The question is not whether there is space, but whether there is the will to create it.
In Skiathos, the initiative is still in its early stages and focuses mainly on raising awareness within the local community and improving the visitor experience. However, the aim is a long-term one: to create the conditions that will enable people on the autism spectrum to live and work there with dignity. This requires collaboration with businesses, educational institutions, families and organisations.
In closing, she notes that Tourism has a unique advantage as a sector for change: it is visible, it affects the country’s international image, and best practices spread quickly. “If we can demonstrate that it works in destinations such as Skiathos or Costa Navarino, we can pave the way for many more.”
Source: traveldailynews.gr