MIAMI TO HOST WORLD SUMMIT ON ACCESSIBLE TOURISM

‘Providing Access Today for a More Inclusive Tomorrow’

The Destinations for All World Summit on Accessible Tourism will take place on September 19-21, 2021 in Miami, Florida and will present innovations and best practices for the development of accessible destinations for all.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), APPROXIMATELY 15% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION EXPERIENCES SOME FORM OF DISABILITY. INCLUDING FAMILY MEMBERS, MORE THAN 2 BILLION PEOPLE ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY A DISABILITY

“Accessibility in travel and tourism has never been more important than it is today,” notes Eric Lipp, Executive Director of Open Doors Organization (ODO).

“The proof is in the numbers,” Lipp continues. “Access needs to be prioritized on a global scale, but we know a lot of hesitation comes from not knowing where to start, that’s what makes this event so beneficial.

Destinations for All (DFA) is dedicated to the development of inclusive tourism to allow all visitors, whatever their capabilities, to fully participate in the experiences offered by any destination in the world.

This two-day event invites panelists from around the world to share how they’ve made their programs, products or services accessible to visitors with disabilities, the challenges they faced during implementation, and how they were overcome.

Destinations and technology will be big topics.  Hotels, airlines, airports, and ground transport will also be strong discussion points.

It is by sharing and disseminating best practices in accessible tourism that the World Summit on Accessible Tourism helps the industry develop and grow in a way that enables all future visitors to participate in any experience they want.

Failing to promote or provide a path to accessible tourism will exclude a market that continues to grow and neglects the desire for people with disabilities to enjoy the same pleasures from travel as everyone else.

Miami wants to build on previous Accessible Tourism World Summits held in Montreal and most recently in Belgium, where over 400 participants from 255 different organizations and from 40+ countries attended to share experience and best practices.

The 3rd Destinations for All World Summit on Accessible Tourism will be hosted by Open Doors Organization (ODO) with guidance from previous DFA organizers Kéroul (Montreal 2014) and Collectif Accessibilité Wallonie-Bruxelles (CAWaB) (Brussels 2018). More information about the event can be found at destinationsforall2021.com