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<\/a><\/p>\nFirst, some background information on the creation of our Hidden City Tor-Tour: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n People with disabilities have the right to and should have the same quality of life as their healthy peers. Being excluded from certain areas of life due to their disabilities is not acceptable<\/i><\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n One such, life-enhancing activity not freely available to people with disabilities is tourism. However it is an area that is of great importance to them, as it is for us, in terms of leisure, health and community building.<\/span><\/p>\n In recent tourism research, accessible tourism has played no, or hardly any role, which indicates the necessity to open up and do further research in this field. Actually, we prefer to use the term <\/span>inclusive tourism<\/i><\/b>, which has a broader meaning and gives a fuller picture of what this area of tourism is really about. Inclusive tourism is accessible to everyone, so <\/span>the target group is much wider than just people living with disabilities. It is extended to everyone who needs a barrier-free environment<\/span><\/i>, including the elderly, families with young children, or those with temporary injuries. (Inclusion means social acceptance of all groups of society.) For these target groups, tourism is still an issue in many countries. Service providers in the hospitality industry, such as accommodation providers or travel agencies do not see them as potential customers. Unfortunately, Hungary is one of these countries.<\/span><\/p>\n As part of the project called \u201c<\/span>If there\u2019s no barrier, we\u2019re coming too!\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0 running between March 2019 and January 2020, funded by Strengthening Civil Organisations, People First Association has developed a new, attention-grabbing, accessible guided tour in P\u00e9cs,\u00a0then introduced in 2021 as a regular tourist attraction, in cooperation with the Tourinform office in P\u00e9cs.<\/span><\/p>\n The aim of the tour is to sensitize and engage society. People with disabilities do not want to participate in tourism separately. They would like to participate in tourism together with their able-bodied peers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Accessible\/inclusive tourism is an excellent opportunity for the two groups to collaborate, which is also the most successful way of sensitizing.<\/span><\/p>\n We want to achieve implementation based on broad partnership, with the involvement of professional and non-governmental organizations,\u00a0city government as well as the general public, which would support social inclusion, so important to us.<\/span><\/p>\n A barrier-free environment is not only good for people with disabilities!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Influencing <\/span>city marketing<\/i><\/b> with the needs of people with disabilities in mind and innovation are both important aspects of the project. In order to achieve the latter, we are trying to take advantage of the emerging trend that <\/span>tourists are looking for novelty and unusual experiences.<\/i><\/b> They are looking for different approaches and points of view also when exploring new cities.<\/span><\/p>\n The Hidden City Tour shows the city through a different lens. It shows participants how people with disabilities can visit certain tourist attractions in the city and what kind of tricks they need to play at times in order to reach their destination. Participants can experience first hand what is possible and what is impossible for people with disabilities, what kind of compromises they need to make, what it means not to give up, as well as all the feelings that arise in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n All of this is intended with a touch of irony, though. <\/span>We have no intention of communicating negativity<\/span><\/i>, rather we would like to have some fun and create good impressions. We would like to put the focus on the ingenuity, creative and positive attitude, and the incredible will of people living with disabilities, as well as sensitise able-bodied participants and educate them about how they can be of help.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nAccessibility is a fundamental problem for people with disabilities, especially when the areas declared accessible by healthy society are, in fact, not accessible. <\/span><\/p>\n