The South Moravian Region is improving inclusive tourism by launching a pioneering Accessibility Guide, designed to make travel easier for people with disabilities. Developed in collaboration with Fénix Paracentrum, the guide was trialled in the Znojmo region and neighbouring Lower Austria last year.
Each year, the South Moravia Central Tourism Office collaborates with Fénix Paracentrum to evaluate tourist destinations from the perspective of wheelchair users. These regular assessments have now evolved into a broader initiative in the form of a user-friendly guide that brings together key accessibility information in one place.
“We recognise that tourists with disabilities are a valuable and loyal audience,” said Martina Grůzová, Director of the South Moravia Central Tourism Office. “By providing accessible, upfront information, we empower them to travel and encourage repeat visits. They also tend to stay longer than other tourists.”
The European Union is home to over 100 million people with disabilities — about one in four of the population. They often travel with family or companions and are more likely to choose destinations that clearly communicate their accessibility options online.
The Accessibility Guide also involves existing platforms such as jizni-morava.cz, which provides a map of destinations from the perspective of wheelchair users, and Vozejkmap.cz, a comprehensive accessibility database managed by the Czech Paraplegic Association (CZEPA).
“We want businesses to get used to publishing accessibility information. After all, the European Accessibility Act, which comes into effect this June, requires them to do so. To make this easier, we created free guides so that any business can create its own Accessibility Guide,” said Alena Jančíková, Director of CZEPA.
“Mapping the accessibility of South Moravian tourist destinations is a key tool for ensuring the region is open to all visitors,” said František Lukl, the South Moravian Region’s Deputy Governor for Culture and Tourism. “The South Moravian Region has long supported these activities because we believe that tourism should be accessible and inclusive for all. When constructing or renovating buildings, our aim is to incorporate accessibility as an integral part of the project.”
As part of the European CE-Spaces4All project, dozens of tourist facilities in the Znojmo region were assessed for accessibility. It was found that most of these facilities do not publish accessibility information on their websites, which makes holiday planning significantly more difficult for elderly people, disabled people, and families with young children.
“Many businesses miss out on potential visitors because they don’t publish basic information, such as whether they have a step-free entrance or accessible restrooms,” said Marie Scott, project manager at CE-Spaces4All. She added that operators often worry unnecessarily about labelling their premises as accessible if they do not fully comply with current Czech legislation. “Our response is: show what you have and let the customer decide if it meets their needs. The needs of people with disabilities vary.”
Early feedback from the pilot project has been positive. Businesses saw increased engagement and appreciation from visitors once accessibility information was published. Once the accessibility guides for people with reduced mobility have been fully tested, the concept could be expanded to share accessibility information with other customer groups with specific needs, such as those with hearing or vision impairments.
