News

10.10.2008 - Moravian-Silesian region for all

PRESS RELEASE
10 October 2008 - Moravian-Silesian is the first inladn region with accessible tourism system ready for practical application. The region has even presented a new accessible tourism logo which was designed to help tourists identify accessible locations and tourism products. Implementation of the whole issue was being prepared during last 3 years by KAZUIST - consulting company from Třinec - in cooperation with 10 other organizations mostly based in Moravian-Silesian region. Their common pilot accessible tourism project "Beskydy for All" which has been successfully implemented with the CIP EQUAL support can go ahead thanks to the regional support.

"It is a part of so-called social tourism aiming to open an access to tourism infrastructure, products and destinations for tourists with special needs e.g. people with disabilities, elders or families with children. That´s exactly what was missing here and why Moravian-Silesian region decided to involve in and co-finance the project dissemination. Making tourism accessible for all is one of our priorities", Deputy to the President of Moravian-Silesian Region for Economic Development, Mr. Pavel Drobil said.

In cooperation with Kazuist, regional authority aims to promote its no-barrier thinking strategy on the national and international level. At the same time the region responds to the official European Parliament call to member states and regions for joining and implementing activities towards accessible tourism. Strengthening attention to disabled, elders and families with children as a target tourist groups is also in compliance with tendency to subdue the traditional image of industrial region.

"The crucial point is impementation of a brand new accessibility evaluation system in tourism" says Jarmila Šagátová, the head of the leading project partner Kazuist. "At present, there are 58 hotels and pensions classified by a system available on websites www.jedemetaky.cz (means "we are going too"), whereas 19 have already succeeded in getting the "No-barrier" sign as a certification of accessible service" she adds. "Not only we wanted to map the "hard" i.e. architectural barriers, but most of all we focused on creating new tools able to reduce the "soft" barriers  in tourism such as information inaccessibility or lack of specific competencies a staff employed or preparing for work in tourism should have" concludes Šagátová.

The project partners had, in preparation phase, addressed tourists, hotel and restaurant owners, their staff as well as those interested in working/starting entrepreneurship in the social sector or those just willing to engage in the regional development activities. "We have got many arguments this is a right way for the region - for example we observe rising interest in the project outcomes in other regions. We have a pleasure to be considered there the pioneers of accessible tourism", said Pavel Drobil. He points out also that accessible tourism brings much more benefits for the region such as integration of people with handicaps to society, stimulation of business activity in tourism and social economy and consequently creation of new job opportunities.

Now, the experts on accessible tourism in region will go ahead with further development and promotion of a new evaluation system to entrepreneurs and general public.

Contact: Ms. Ilona Ostruszková, kazuist@kazuist.cz, certifikacnibod@kazuist.cz, phone No: 558 335 479