Description
Tourism of persons with disabilities (PWD) is not only a form of recreation, but also an element of rehabilitation, it raises self-esteem, self-confidence, and promotes integration. However, the participation of PWD in tourism is marginal. Project objective is to empower vulnerable groups by alleviating the concerns of PWD may have with getting out of their house and enjoying tourism. The project is targeted at the community of PWD who use a wheelchair, and at their families, friends, neighbors, volunteers. The project will be carried out by PWD with the help of assistants (AS). An instruction video on how to move safely from the wheelchair to a car, a bed and a chair with AS help will be prepared and published on generally accessible websites. It will contribute to safer use of wheelchairs by PDW with AS help, and increase the awareness and abilities of the people from PWD environment on how to help PWD properly. The project will also help improve inaccurate and misleading information about hotel facilities adapted for PWD needs and it will promote tourism of PWD. A website promoting hotels and B&Bs adapted to PWD needs from Małopolskie voivodeship will be developed.
Summary of project results
"The experiences of the foundation show that information on availability of hotels adapted to the needs of disabled persons are often incomplete and inaccurate, and no information is offered on how to assist persons using wheelchairs in moving from the wheelchair e.g. to a car. The aim of the project was to counteract exclusion of persons with disabilities through highlighting the problem that tourist facilities are not adapted to the needs of such persons, to offer them information on tourist facilities adapted to their needs in attractive tourist localisations, and to popularise the methods of moving safely from wheelchair to e.g. a car with the help of an assistant As a result of the implementation of the project, the owners of hotels enhanced their knowledge on the needs of persons with different disabilities, and local authorities learned about poor adaptation of their tourist facilities. The Internet portal was launched for persons with disabilities to help them in finding appropriate hotels in Małopolskie and Podkarpackie voivodeships, and an instruction was posted on the Internet on how to assist persons on wheelchairs in changing to other means of transport. 77 hotels were examined. The results of the survey, highlighting the existing shortcomings, were presented to their managers. The portal
www.noclegibezbarier.pl was launched to inform on hotels in Małopolskie and Podkarpackie voivodeships adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities (1409 pageviews, 468 sessions), a summary report was published on the survey performed (analysis of 77 questionnaires, indicating shortcomings in hotel facilities, and presenting the best adapted facilities; 100 copies forwarded to central and local government institutions responsible for tourism), and a training film was posted on the web page of the organisation, Facebook (564 views) and YouTube (721 views) presenting methods of safely changing means of transport by persons using wheelchairs with the help of an assistant. The project activities benefited persons with disabilities searching for information on hotels in attractive tourist localisations in the two voivodeships and for guidance to their assistants and/or family members on how to help to move from the wheelchair."
Summary of bilateral results