Tourism for all
Dear reader,
Tourism should be accessible to everyone as a matter of
course – and that is why the German National Tourist Board
(GNTB) has been working for many years to develop and pro-
mote tourism products and services that make it possible for
every traveller to discover all that Destination Germany has
to offer. This commitment is evident from our close colla­
boration with our partners, the Association of Barrier-free
Destinations, the National Coordination Board Tourism for
All (NatKo) and the Tourism for All working group of the Ger-
man federal states. At the German National Tourist Board,
barrier-free travel is being developed as part of our inno­
vations management, highlighting just how important this
subject is for our work, now and in the future.
Looking ahead, accessibility will continue to be a key factor
for tourism. Demographic change means that the proportion
of older people is rapidly growing, especially in industrial
nations. Barrier-free travel is therefore increasingly becoming
an indicator of quality for tourism services and a competitive
advantage for travel destinations.
This year, to raise awareness of this subject within the
tourism industry, the GNTB is once again hosting a Barrier-
free Tourism Day at the ITB. This all-day event at the world’s
largest tourism trade fair will give key decision-makers
from companies, specialist organisations, associations and
political bodies an opportunity to find out more about acces-
sibility and inclusiveness and to discuss current trends,
opportunities and innovative ideas.
Barrier-free travel is also the theme of this brochure. We want
to get the message across that this is about more than pro-
viding a selection of suitable products and services for people
with restricted mobility. The entire service chain – from how
destinations are promoted, how people obtain information
and how they book, to where people stay, where they eat
and what they experience on holiday – must be critically
reviewed, refined and brought together as a network to
cater for everyone, whether it’s people with disabilities,
older travellers or young families.
Thanks to a huge range of initiatives by special-interest
groups and political bodies, public awareness of the mani-
fold requirements of barrier-free travel has increased signifi-
cantly. The tourism service sector has understood and is
responding to the call. Together with our partners we will
continue to work on making tourism in Germany accessible
to all.
Yours,
Petra Hedorfer
Chief Executive Officer
of the German National Tourist Board
Discover Destination Germany at
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