accessibility of tourism components

Promoting accessible tourism for all

What is accessible tourism?

Accessible tourism enables all people to participate in and enjoy tourism experiences. More people have access needs, whether or not related to a physical condition. For example, older and less mobile people have access needs, which can become a huge obstacle when traveling or touring. Thus, accessible tourism is the ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. This inludes publicly and privately owned tourist locations, facilities and services.

Accessible tourism involves a collaborative process among all stakeholders, Governments, international agencies, tour-operators and end-users, including persons with disabilities and their organizations (DPOs). A successful tourism product requires effective partnerships and cooperation across many sectors at the national, regional and international levels. From idea to implementation, a single destination visit normally involves many factors, including accessing information, long-distance travel of various sorts, local transportation, accommodation, shopping, and dining. The impact of accessible tourism thus goes beyond the tourist beneficiaries to the wider society, engraining accessibility into the social and economic values of society. International action and normative frameworks

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2006. CRPD Article 9 on Accessibility calls for State Parties to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to the physical environment, information, transportation and other facilities and services open or provided to the public. It also calls for the elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, including all transportation and facilities. Furthermore, Article 30 on Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport also calls for State Parties to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the benefits of tourism.

At the 2013, historic UN High-level Meeting on Disability and Development, which included several Heads of State, the link of disability and development was discussed and the meeting called for enhanced action to mainstream disability in the global development agenda. In the outcome document of the meeting, accessibility was identified as a key area for action.

Furthermore, in his message for the 2013 World Habitat Day , UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the international community to make towns and cities accessible to all.

In the recent 2030 Agenda for Global Action containing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2015), Goal 11 focuses on principles to “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. This goal captures tourism and recreation through its call for the provisions of universal design for accessible and sustainable transport systems, inclusive urbanization, and access to green and public spaces. In its 2011 Declaration, The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicted tourism will increase and experience sustained development, reaching 1.8 billion international tourists by 2030. Accessible cities and tourism provisions therefore ensure the full social and economic inclusion of all persons with direct benefits of promoting more sustainable travel habits among users.

What are the barriers to travel and tourism for persons with disabilities?

For persons with disabilities, travelling can be a challenge, as finding the information on accessible services, checking luggage on a plane, booking a room to fulfil access needs, often prove to be difficult, costly and time consuming.

Challenges for persons with disabilities include: • Untrained professional staff capable of informing and advising about accessibility issues • Inaccessible booking services and related websites • Lack of accessible airports and transfer facilities and services • Unavailability of adapted and accessible hotel rooms, restaurants, shops, toilets and public places • Inaccessible streets and transport services • Unavailable information on accessible facilities, services, equipment rentals and tourist attractions

Why is accessible tourism important?

Accessibility is a central element of any responsible and sustainable development policy. It is both a human rights imperative, as well as an exceptional business opportunity. In this context, accessible tourism does not only benefit persons with disabilities, it benefits all of society.

To ensure that accessible tourism is developed in a sustainable manner requires that tourist destinations go beyond ad hoc services to adopting the principle of universal design, ensuring that all persons, regardless of their physical or cognitive needs, are able to use and enjoy the available amenities in an equitable and sustainable manner. This approach foregoes preferential or segregated treatment of differently abled constituents to permitting uninhibited use of facilities and services by all, at any time, to equitable effect.

I am not a person with a disability – how does this affect me?

Accessibility is also an important aspect of realizing the rights of the world’s ageing population. As we grow older, our chance of experiencing a permanent or temporary disability is increased. A focus on accessibility can therefore ensure that we are able to participate fully in our societies well into our older years. Accessibility also benefits pregnant women and persons who are temporarily rendered immobile.

The improvements to physical and service infrastructure that come with a focus on accessibility also encourage a more multigenerational focus in development planning. For families with small children, accessible infrastructure – particularly in transportation, city planning and building design – improves the ability of these families to participate in social and cultural activities.

The United Nations is committed to sustainable and equitable development. Certainly, making basic adjustments to a facility, providing accurate information, and understanding the needs of disabled people can result in increased visitor numbers. Improving the accessibility of tourism services increases their quality and their enjoyment for all tourists, as well as improving quality of life in the local communities.

Other resources:

• UN News Centre: Accessible tourism will benefit everyone, say senior UN officials on World Day
• World Tourism Day 2016 Theme: Promoting Universal Accessibility
• UN Environment : #Tourism4All videos 1 , 2 , 3
• The UNWTO General Assembly adopts Recommendations on Accessible Information in Tourism
• UN World Tourism Organisation Accessible Tourism Manuals
• Disabled World Travel Documents
• European Commission Improving Accessibility
• Sustainable Tourism Online
• 7th Session of the Conference of State Parties to the CRPD
• United Nations World Tourism Organisation Best Practice Guide  
• European Network for Accessible Tourism – World Summit in Montreal, October 2014
• Centre of Excellence for Destination
• European Network for Accessible Tourism
• Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality
• Capitalising on the Grey-haired Globetrotters Economic Aspects of Increasing Tourism among Older and Disabled People

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French: Tourisme et Handicaps Spanish: Fundaciononce Arabic: Arab Tourism Portal German: Russland Barrierefrei

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Tourism for all – UNWTO presents “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development” - Compendium of Best Practices

• All Regions
• 19 May 2021

The UNWTO Affiliate Members Department, within the framework of the activities of the Working Group on Accessible Tourism, organized the Expert Meeting on Accessible Tourism – Good Practices on Accessible Tourism in Nature Areas at FITUR Next.

This event provided a space to recognize the importance of incorporating accessibility into the tourism practices in nature environments, share knowledge and experiences by UNWTO Affiliate Members and other tourism stakeholders, and provide recommendation on how to strengthen accessibility and create an accessible tourism for all.

At the event, the publication Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development – Compendium of Best Practices , available in the UNWTO E-Library, was launched and presented to the audience. This publication is the result of the work carried out in the last months by the Working Group on Accessible Tourism, coordinated by the Affiliate Members Department and chaired by the Spanish Network for Accessible Tourism (Red Estable).

We trust this publication will provide all relevant stakeholders with tools and resources to make their tourism destinations, facilities and services accessible for all

Its aim is to create an accessible pathway in nature, from which to descry a new approach for inclusive tourism development in natural areas, which is very much in line with the UNWTO priority to foster an Accessible Tourism for All and so contributing to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The compilation of best practices included in the publication and the final recommendations provides innovative, inclusive, and sustainable solutions that enable access to nature for all the people.

In the words of UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili: There is still a lot of work to be done, as we are still far from guaranteeing a universally accessible tourism sector. However, we trust this publication will provide all relevant stakeholders with tools and resources to make their tourism destinations, facilities and services accessible for all. We also hope it will serve as a source of inspiration for them to continue working, so that tourism becomes truly accessible.

Within the framework of the event, representatives of the entities which contributed to the publication shared with the audience their projects, all very different in terms of contents but sharing the common goal of promoting an Accessible Tourism for All and supporting the right of people with disabilities to travel. Accessible accommodations in nature, accessibility to natural parks and beaches, and the use of plastic to manufacture accessible products were only some of the topics that were presented.

RELATED LINKS

• Download the news release in PDF
• Expert Meeting on Accessible Tourism: Good Practices on Accessible Tourism in Nature Areas
• Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development in Nature Areas – Compendium of Best Practices

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Accessibility in Tourism: challenges and opportunities

Globally the WHO estimates that 15% of the population has some kind of need for accessibility assistance. For these people, accessible space is essential to be able to carry out daily activities including their leisure time. Also, many people have some temporary difficulty such as pregnant women, recovering from an accident, children, etc. The progressive ageing of the population associated with a longer life expectancy in developed countries also is causing an increase in the number of people with reduced mobility.

The importance of accessible tourism

“Accessible tourism” enables people with access limitations in mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions to function independently and with equity and dignity by delivering universally designed tourism products, services and environments (Darcy and Dickson, n.d.) . According to the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT, n.d.) accessible tourism includes:

• Barrier-free destinations: infrastructure and facilities.
• Transport: by air, land and sea, suitable for all users.
• High-quality services: delivered by trained staff.
• Activities, exhibitions, attractions: allowing everyone to participate in tourism.
• Marketing, reservation systems, websites and services: information accessible to all.

70% of Europeans with disabilities have physical and economic possibilities to travel, this is equivalent to 58.115.778 potential visitors only in the European Union. In the case of Germany, people with physical disabilities spend a total of about 5 billion euros each year on travel, although the number of trips has been reduced due to the lack of accessibility in tourist areas in Europe. In America, specifically in the United States, people with motor disabilities spend about 11,212.90 dollars on travel each year (González, 2014) .

Europe and the United States of America are home to most of the specialized travel agents in this field of providing accessible tourism. However, companies around the world are beginning to appear as a result of a growing need, driven by high-end tourism and due to increased life expectancy in developed countries.

With the growth of the Internet, online travel planning is also becoming more common, leading to an increase in online accessibility maps. As an example, starting in 2016, Lonely Planet began offering accessible online resources by country.

Accessibility and reduced mobility are on the agenda

In the last twenty years, accessible tourism has become a priority for both public and private initiatives in different countries through laws protecting the right to accessibility for people with disabilities.

In the year 2016, the theme of the UNWTO International Tourism Day was “Tourism for All”. The website of this organization refers to the fact that accessibility is not only focused on the elderly, families of limited resources or workers. It also promotes the opportunity for recreation and rest for people with some kind of disability (UNWTO, 2016).

“Governments and the private sector should view the potential for inclusion of 15-17% of the population as an untapped market, as a sound investment in social inclusion – something that could benefit large swathes of the population,” says Charlotte V. McClain-Nhlapo, Global Disability Advisor at the World Bank.

A consistent supply of accessible tourism requires a combination of integrated public and private services, providing reliable and up-to-date information to both residents and tourists. It also requires adequate means of transport and the necessary protection to ensure the safety of all.

Integrating digital, social and sustainable skills in a tourism accessibility strategy

With persons being at the heart of all tourism services, their awareness about the topic, knowledge and necessary skills are critical for successful implementation.

The human element is and will be a key factor in any adapted tourism product design because the levels of attention and care required by these groups must be highly personalised. Social skills (empathy, communication, assertiveness, etc.) are essential in accessible tourism since most of these people will require direct accompaniment or help in carrying out many leisure activities.

The technological revolution with the appearance of internet, robotics, virtual or augmented reality, big data, provides new opportunities to improve the accessible tourist experience in services  and destinations. Providing human resources with the necessary digital skills will favour a better adaptation of these services to the real and specific needs and the different types and levels of disability or reduced mobility.

The level of demand regarding the adaptation of facilities and equipment in accessible tourism is high. A strategy of “inclusion” of groups of people with disabilities results in a greater degree of sustainability of the initiatives. In such a “global” concept, the versatility and adaptability of the tourist offer are perfectly complemented by the fulfilment of environmental criteria and integration in the territory and the local population.

NTG is seeking greater integration of these competencies in the future design of training itineraries, which increasingly need to take into account accessibility requirements.

Practical problems and how to solve them

Specific problems encountered by travelers or tourists with disabilities include:

• Inaccessible or only partially accessible websites
• The lack of wheelchair accessible vehicles
• The lack of well-adapted hotel rooms
• Lack of professional staff capable of dealing with accessibility issues
• Lack of reliable information on the level of accessibility of a specific attraction
• Lack of accessible restaurants, bars and other facilities
• The lack of adapted bathrooms in restaurants and public places
• Inaccessible streets and sidewalks
• The lack of technical aids and equipment for the disabled, such as wheelchairs, bathing chairs and public toilets

Public institutions and the private tourism sector are already working in many cases in a coordinated manner to try to gradually solve these limitations.

EU countries have incorporated minimum accessibility criteria and requirements in the regulations governing public and private buildings and spaces. Tourism regulations establish a series of minimum requirements in terms of accessibility such as, for example, the obligatory of access without architectural barriers in entrances and common areas, the requirement for lifts, adapted public and private toilets, etc.

In some countries, private or mixed initiatives for the enjoyment of tourist services and activities by the disabled have been implemented. They refer to the creation of accessibility standards according to the type of disability, or the definition of labels or certifications of accessible tourism services or destinations. Here are some practical examples of best practice, guidelines and resources to support tourism businesses:

• UK national accessible scheme for tourism
• Manuals on recommendations of adaptations for accessible tourism offer; e.g this one elaborated by Predif the State Representative Platform for People with Physical Disabilities
• Guides of accessible tourist resources on Greenways
• Companies whose product is focused on inclusive tourism. They provide their facilities and equipment with high levels of accessibility and take care of specific training and qualification of their workers many of whom have some degree of disability. E.g. Ilunion Hotels (Spain)

Eurogites is working now on this topic. The project Access IT (INNOVATION FOR ACCESSIBLE TOURISM IN NATURAL AND RURAL AREAS) supports the capacity of EU tourism SMEs operating in nature and rural areas to bridge accessibility gaps through stakeholder co-design of innovative solutions for tourism products for customers with specific access requirements. For more info click here .

Francisco Javier Cansinos Cabello

Inhouse consultant

• Accessible tourism: a reflection from the public and private sectors.

Erika Cruz Coria[a], Carlos Ignacio Patiño Tejada[b]

• https://www.hisour.com/es/accessible-tourism-38586/
• https://www.bancomundial.org/es/news/feature/2018/02/19/turismo-accesible-destinos

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Web accessibility and inclusivity of tourist destinations at social media management. An intercultural analysis of Andalusia and Northern Morocco

• Open access
• Published: 23 August 2023

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Alexander Aguirre Montero   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8109-9342 1 ,
• Lola Hernández Sales   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2877-1726 1 ,
• Mohammed Youbi Idrissi 2 , 3 &
• José Antonio López-Sánchez   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5774-7442 4  

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Tourists with disabilities, representing approximately 15% of the world's population, especially need everything planned for their tourist experiences. Therefore, the contents and level of digital accessibility are vital and significantly impact the final decision to travel to one destination.

This work analyses a total of 165 digital contents (152 in Andalusia and 13 corresponding to Northern Morocco) from the perspective of web accessibility and inclusive communication in social media. The method used is multidisciplinary, carrying out a series of analyses through the statistical language R, TAW as an online tool to analyse the website's accessibility and synthesise guidelines for communicating inclusively in social networks.

The main results show the scarce involvement of public bodies in inclusive communication and digital accessibility, designing content from the universal design perspective. There is no substantial difference between the two regions studied, identifying that European legislation and national regulatory framework in Andalusia's case do not favour a better level of web accessibility, although this is a mandatory aspect. Furthermore, very few differences have been noted in analysing the level of Smart Tourism Destinations when accessibility is fundamental in their conceptualisation. Finally, this research can be identified as state-of-the-art in tourism marketing as a conceptual approach and a starting point for measuring inclusive communication in social networks.

Nowadays, accessible tourism is an opportunity to be placed at the centre of recovery plans in the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, let us facilitate more inclusive societies, using tourism as a lever to achieve this goal.

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1 Introduction

Hereafter, the literature review introduces the research on Accessible Tourism, and contextualises this work. The term “accessible tourism” is relatively new in scientific research, characterised by its transversality. The databases of scientific articles in Web of Science and Scopus were analysed, searching with the terms “Accessible tourism”, “Inclusive tourism”, “Web Accessibility”, and “Inclusive Communication” both in the title and in the abstract and keywords for the selected dates, from 2000 to 2021. A total of 252 research articles have been obtained related to this topic, from the first use of these terms in 1989 to the considerable increase in scientific production related to this research topic from 2018 onwards. Focusing on the terms “Web Accessibility” and “Inclusive Communication”, the following figure shows the evolution of the most used keywords over time, where both concepts are not linked to the most relevant research topics, nodes configured by accessible tourism, accessibility or travel, among others. (see Fig.  1 ).

Source prepared by the authors using VOSviewer

Keywords clustering in accessible tourism research.

In contrast, all the terms related to “inclusive tourism”, i.e. “inclusion”, “inclusive development”, “responsible tourism”, or “responsible tourism”, are within the most current node identified in yellow in the cluster around 2019. The term “Inclusive Communication” itself is not yet represented, although work like this will help narrow this gap.

Analysing the term “Web Accessibility” in the literature review, a total of 29 research articles have been identified in the supplementary (Table 1). The selected articles are from the last decade following the criteria: articles from 2022 regardless of the number of citations; articles from 2018 to 2021 if they have at least one citation; finally, articles from 2012 to 2018 if they have at least ten citations with the aim of identifying papers that have a high level of support for their scientific contribution through the citations obtained during the last decade, as well as more current papers in recent years to analyse the current trend in this research topic. In general terms, the aspect most covered by the previous literature is tourism websites accessibility analyses through automatic tools to destinations management organisations, global airlines, hotels or event sectors. The general results showed that the Web accessibility of tourism websites is generally low. However, there is diversity according to the type of tourism activity, which means that disabled users may have substantial problems accessing websites, as seen in recent works [ 1 , 2 ]. Being one of the specific objectives of this work for the specific case of Andalusia, it has been noted in full support of the results of previous work [ 1 ], that none of the websites of the smart tourism destinations fully complied with the international WCAG 2.1 framework. Moreover, as will be seen in the section dedicated to Smart Tourism Destinations in Andalusia, it has not been possible to verify a better performance in terms of web accessibility for those classified as Smart destinations than those not.

Another issue that has been extensively addressed in these previous works [ 3 ] is that the studies published mainly use manual or automatic evaluations. However, the number of studies using mixed approaches (both manual and automatic) is minimal as well as another identified gap is related to the need for studies using WCAG 2.1. In order to fill these gaps, this paper analyses both manual and automatic web accessibility under WCAG 2.1. In line with the results of some previous works [ 4 ], this paper supports the idea that countries with a long tradition of accessibility in legislative terms do not necessarily perform better in web accessibility analysis. Likewise, the recommendation to carry out comparative research work between continents is another aspect that this work addresses in line with the gaps identified by authors of previous works to complement existing research [ 3 , 4 ].

Finally, the framing of this work concerning research studies shows that people with disabilities use social networks to expand their knowledge related to tourism services [ 5 ], constituting a fundamental tool for eliminating barriers through inclusive communication. Information on social networks to promote tourism services for people with disabilities is minimal. This study contributes to filling this gap by studying the level of inclusive communication used in the different social network profiles by the tourist destinations in the sample studied. To the authors’ knowledge, it is one of the first existing studies in this regard. However, it would be necessary to complement it by assessing the perception of people who experience a disability when interacting with social media platforms.

In this sense, this research addresses the challenges identified on websites and social media in terms of accessibility and inclusive communication, as well as the application that the competent administrations carry out in this area with the existing regulations in both countries. The particularity of this article lies in the fact that accessible tourism is a real opportunity for both mature and emerging destinations for different reasons. For this reason, the study area for this work was Andalusia, a region in southern Spain made up of eight provinces (some inland, such as Seville, Cordoba and Jaen, others eminently coastal, such as Huelva, Cadiz, Malaga, Granada and Almeria) and the northern region of Morocco, i.e. the region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al-Hociema (this region includes other smaller destinations such as Larache, Chef Chaouen, Ouazzane, Bab Berred and Tarquist). These are two territories in which there has been a historical relationship of economic, social and cultural cooperation, primarily in the area known as the “Círculo del Estrecho” [ 6 ]. Relations between these intercontinental territories have been strengthened in recent years, especially in the tourism sector [ 7 ], although there is still room for improvement, for example, on issues such as the one analysed here.

Proof of this is that only 9.2% of tourism facilities and services in EU countries have some level of accessibility. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis has noted that 90.8% of tourist facilities are not adequately prepared for people with special accessibility needs [ 8 ]. In the case of Morocco, mainly due to its proximity to Europe, it has a potential of 138.6 million customers and a gross turnover of 786 billion euros.

Despite these, this article focuses on the universal right to travel on equal terms, and to this end, the information available and its level of digital accessibility are fundamental. The challenges of accessible tourism in today’s digitised world require content designed to be consumed by all, regardless of personal circumstances, disabilities or temporary or permanent limitations [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. At the same time, public promotion agencies have an opportunity to introduce the inclusive use of digital marketing in the tourism industry [ 12 , 13 ].

In this regard, it must be remembered that it is crucial for tourists with special needs to have everything planned and organised before they go on a trip. Therefore, the information available and its accessibility are of vital importance. This significantly influences the final decision to travel to one destination or another. Related web accessibility is the inclusive practice of making it possible for anyone to access a website and consume its content regardless of their circumstances [ 14 , 15 ].

However, this statement is difficult to address when applying established standards of eAccessibility, especially in terms of geographic area. To solve this problem, international initiatives such as the one promoted by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) aim to standardise websites [ 16 , 17 ]. In Europe, Directive (EU) 2016/2102 on the digital accessibility of websites and apps for mobile devices of public sector bodies was published in December 2016 to harmonise the accessibility requirements for websites and apps of public bodies at the European level. In Spain, in general, and for Andalusia, the directive is set out in Royal Decree 1112/2018, of 7 September, on the accessibility of public sector websites and mobile devices. Establishing the obligation for public portals to have an Accessibility section following the model published by the European Commission (EU) 2018/1523, the EU establishes an accessibility declaration model with the information that must be provided and the requirements must be met. As for the United Nations, accessibility to information and communications was established in the Manila Declaration and Recommendations on 7 March 2003 https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/maniladecl.htm . Similarly, the UNWTO digital accessibility statement has published the first international standard on accessible tourism for all, led by UNWTO, ONCE foundation and UNE https://www.unwto.org/news/publication-of-first-international-standard-on-accessible-tourism-for-all .

Morocco does not currently have mandatory legislation on the digital accessibility of public websites. The recommendations followed by some administration areas align with the standards stipulated by the W3C through (WCAG) 2.1. Furthermore, to the regulations issued by the United Nations.

As can be seen, info-accessibility is not an isolated element but a generalised pattern worldwide. On the other hand, the state of research on digital accessibility in tourism websites is limited to a few previous works [ 2 , 4 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].

Because of the above, the general objective of this research is to analyse the levels of digital web accessibility and social media inclusive communication of the main tourist destinations in the “Círculo del Estrecho”. Conducting a cross-cultural study this work aims to analyse the differential component between the European regulatory framework applicable to the case of Andalusia and that applicable to Morocco in the Northern region.

Based on this goal, we address the following research questions:

What are the main good practices and problems regarding digital accessibility in Andalusian and Northern Morocco Tourism Public websites?

Is the regulatory framework for digital accessibility in Andalusia having a positive differentiating effect on the tourism sector compared to the destination of Northern Morocco?

In Andalusia, are Smart Tourist Destinations (STDs) improving the web accessibility of public tourism promotions bodies?

Do tourism administrations in Andalusia and Northern Morocco communicate inclusively on social media?

The research method used was multidisciplinary. The multidisciplinary contribution can be interpreted as the grouping of disciplines that retain their problem-solving approach to find a solution to a common problem. In the research process, the sample under study takes into account in Andalusia, the 22 tourist points established by the National Statistics Institute (INE) https://www.ine.es/index.htm as tourist destinations, 7 of them are included in the network of Smart Tourist Destinations (DTI) ( https://www.destinosinteligentes.es/destinos-inteligentes/).This gives a total of 17 initiatives in 32 tourist destinations. It should be noted that the province of Jaén does not include in the sample any tourist destination based on the two selection criteria belonging to the list of tourist destinations defined by the INE, as well as not currently having any tourist destination in the Smart Destinations Network. As for northern Morocco, in the region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al-Hociema, 5 websites and 8 profiles on social networks have been identified. Tourism promotion in Morocco is centralised in the institutional portal of the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, which does not have promotional websites or profiles on social networks. It should also be noted that there is currently no STD initiative in Northern Morocco, neither with the framework followed in Spain, the SEGITTUR methodology [ 23 ], nor with other frameworks, although there is a growing interest in these issues. Thus, has been obtained a final sample of 37 destinations in Andalusia and Northern Morocco has been obtained, identifying 37 official websites (33 in Andalusia and 5 corresponding to Northern Morocco) and 127 official profiles on social networks (119 in Andalusia and 8 corresponding to Northern Morocco). A total of 165 digital contents (152 in Andalusia and 13 corresponding to Northern Morocco) will be analysed from digital accessibility and inclusive communications perspectives.

Thus, during this process, techniques and tools of data science have been used through the R statistical programming language. TAW, was used to analyse web accessibility in non-social reach, following a decalogue of good practices on accessibility in social reach to analyse whether public bodies promoting tourism communicate inclusively on social networks. Finally, a comparative study through a cross-cultural analysis of the results obtained for both Andalusia and Northern Morocco was conducted. For this purpose, the statistical R programming was used to perform linear regression analysis, principal component analysis for the quantitative variables mainly related to digital accessibility errors, and correspondence analysis for the factor variables related primarily to good practices of inclusive communication in social networks.

TAW is an automatic online tool to analyse the accessibility of websites ( https://www.tawdis.net/index .), it was created by the CTIC Foundation, Parque Científico Tecnológico, Gijón, Asturias, Spain, taking as a technical reference the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) of the W3C consortium ( https://www.w3.org/ ) . TAW has been the reference tool in Spanish-speaking countries for more than 15 years. However, it is a checking tool suitable for web pages whose language is English. In our study, by using both English and Spanish pages for the cases that do not have translated pages it is understood that it is the tool that best adapts to our specific reality under study.

The main approach when applying accessibility to a website should be to reach the highest possible level. The levels of digital accessibility of a website are measured with the WAI-W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.0, classified as follows:

WCAG 2.1 A. Meets all Priority 1 checkpoints. Websites that do not satisfy this checkpoint will result in one or more groups of users finding it impossible to access the information;

WCAG 2.1 AA. Websites that do not satisfy this checkpoint will result in one or more groups of users encountering difficulties in accessing the information;

WCAG 2.1 AAA. Websites not satisfying this checkpoint will result in one or more user groups encountering difficulty accessing the information.

Digital accessibility is based on four principles:

PERCEPTIBLE (perceived by all people). Information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive. This means that users must be able to comprehend the information being depicted: It can’t be invisible to all their senses;

OPERABLE (all people can interact with it). The interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform;

UNDERSTANDABLE (messages understandable by everyone, especially in social networks). Users must be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface;

ROBUST (ICT products and services compatible with other types of systems or assistive technologies that facilitate accessibility). As technologies and user agents evolve, the content should remain accessible and compatible with a range of assistive technologies.

The sum of the total number of errors committed in the above variables is considered in the analysis as an aggregate variable called Total Errors.

Related to the decalogue of good practices for inclusive communication in social media, the base of the model recently published by Alexa Heinrich [ 24 ] has been followed. It is an eminently practical guide developed considering the experience of both accessibility experts and disability experts  https://www.accessible-social.com/ . Accessible Social is committed to being accessible to everyone who wishes to learn more about inclusive best practices for social media ongoing accessibility efforts work towards conforming to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, level AA criteria. These guidelines help make web content accessible not only to users with sensory, cognitive, and mobility disabilities, but also ultimately to all users, regardless of ability. The main points to be checked under this framework are divided into the following sections: Copy, Images and Audio-visual (see Table 1 ).

The methodology described above is then applied, analysing web accessibility and the level of inclusive communication on social networks both in the main tourist destinations in Andalusia and Tangiers, Tetouan and Al-Hocima, in the northern region of Morocco.

This section presents the results from this study, related to Web Digital Accessibility Analysis and Social Media Accessibility Analysis.

3.1 Webs digital accessibility analysis

First, a database was created containing all the public tourism promotion websites of the tourist destinations in both regions. The database will also support the analysis of digital accessibility, including the results provided by TAW to specify the total number of accessibility errors for each website under study. The different digital accessibility principles, i.e. Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust , were checked for each website (see supplementary Table 2 Destination’s webs digital accessibility analysis).

3.1.1 Accessibility modules by regions and provinces

Next, data of the websites in Andalusia and Northern Morocco that have information on accessible tourism through a specialised information module on accessible tourism and/or decalogue of digital accessibility was gathered (see Table 2 ).

As seen in Table 2 above, the websites with an information module on accessible tourism or a digital accessibility decalogue represent only 36.36% of the total in Andalusia. In Morocco, on the other hand, after analysing all the websites in the northern region, there are no modules with specialised information on this market segment. Andalusia’s improved positioning is due to a digital accessibility decalogue that is mandatory for all public promoting websites. In addition, of the 12 websites with the mandatory digital accessibility decalogue, half (50%) have specialised content or information on accessible and inclusive tourism. It is worth highlighting the lack of information on accessible tourism on the institutional portals of such emblematic destinations as Malaga, Marbella, Granada and Seville.

3.1.2 Web accessibility errors by regions and provinces

The level used to analyse web accessibility in the public tourism promotion portals of Andalusia and Northern Morocco is the W3C Standard Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, level AA. It included a wide range of guidelines to make content more accessible for people with disabilities: blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, photosensitivity, and combinations of these, and some accommodation for learning disabilities and cognitive limitations, using TAW as an analysis tool to measure web accessibility by total errors detected on sites’ HTML and CCS languages. As a quantitative variable ( Total Errors) , a mean and standard deviation analysis was performed for each of the two geographic locations or regions (see Table 3 ).

As shown in the previous figure, the average total errors of the websites analysed in Andalusia are 48.88. At the same time, 142.40 are the average errors of the websites available in the North of Morocco. Seville and Cadiz have the lowest number of errors, averaging 21.33 and 29.28, respectively.

Continuing with the analysis under the WCAG 2.1 AA standard, each kind of error has been analysed, for each principle: Robust, Understandable, Operable and Perceivable, by each destination in Andalusia and the north of Morocco as shown in the figures below (see Figs.  2 , 3 ).

Source prepared by the authors using R

Andalusia Region websites’ errors by component WCAG version 2.1 (level AA).

Errors in Moroccan websites by component WCAG version 2.1 (level AA).

As the previous figure shows, perceivable and operable are the principles with the most errors, with 576 and 382 errors, respectively, with a similar distribution among the different tourist destinations in Andalusia, except Rincón and Córdoba. While the minor errors are related to the principles understandable and robust with 91 and 562, respectively, the latter is on the level as the two most frequent error categories; this is because only two destinations, Benalmádena and Almería, account for almost 50% of the total number of errors identified in the robust category with 271 errors out of the total.

As seen in the previous figure, perceivable and operable are the principles with the most frequently occurring errors on the websites analysed in the destination of northern Morocco. Thus, the most significant digital accessibility problems were identified as the scarce use of alternative texts for images and other accessibility problems linked to the components of the interfaces. In the other two categories, understandable and robust, the errors are more limited, from this, a good performance in the comprehension of the content can be deduced, which is generally interpreted reliably by a wide variety of users, including technical aids.

Complementing the previous analysis, the analysis went deeper into the fundamentals of the accessibility variables of the WCAG 2.1 AA standard: Robust, Understable, Operable and Perceivable, through two complementary analyses. These in a linear regression model to determine which variables are related to digital accessibility and a principal component analysis (PCA) through which the relationship between these variables, that explains digital accessibility, has been analysed. The linear regression model is set out as follows:

Model_Digital_Accessibility  = lm (TOTAL_ERRORS  ~  ROBUST  +  UNDERSTANDABLE  +  OPERABLE  +  Perceivable_estandar  +  ACCESSIBILITY_MODULE  +  REGION, data  =  Webs_Digital_Accesbility_Analysis).

Firstly it has proceeded to standardise the scale of the different types of errors. In the specific case of Perceptible, the number of images on the respective websites has also been considered because most images have a high potential number of errors. In this way, it has not been penalised large portals such as  https://www.visitmorocco.com/en  or  https://www.andalucia.org/en/home , which depend on the Ministry of Tourism of Morocco and Turismo Andaluz, a public promotional entity dependent on the Junta de Andalucía (Andalusian Regional Government).

The model’s outcome is statistically significant, with an R2 of almost 90%. When performing the Shapiro test, it was indicated that the independent variable under study in the Total_Errors model does not follow a normal distribution, which is why we performed a Wilcox test to check the statistical significance of the means of this variable in Andalusia and Morocco and found it to be significant. Therefore, the variable Region is significant, so it can be argued that the geographical location, Andalusia or Northern Morocco, influences the level of digital accessibility of the websites analysed.

In this order, the statistically significant parameters or estimators are Operable, Robust and Perceivable_Standardized. At the same time, Understandable is not significant, a situation that is explained by the fact that the average number of errors of the variable is 2.81, while the errors related to the variables Perceivable_Standardized, Robust or Operable are 29.46, 15.59 or 13.92, respectively. Therefore, it is not that Understandable is not an essential characteristic of digital accessibility, but rather that in the websites analysed, there are fewer errors in this variable compared to the others studied.

Finally, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. Principal component analysis is one of the most widely used multivariate data analysis methods that allow us to investigate multidimensional data sets when dealing with quantitative variables, reducing the analysed variables to two principal components, PC1 and PC2, which describe, in this case, more than 75% of the original variance (see Fig.  4 ).

Principal components by region.

The previous figure shows how the websites relate to the variables that explain digital accessibility. The analysis works in practice as a digital accessibility performance index, where the further to the right on the abscissa axis, the greater the number of total errors the analysed website will have. Also, it identifies the variables Perceptible, Robust and Operable as the most significant influence on the total number of errors and worse relative performance for tourism promotion websites in Northern Morocco.

In the following subsection, for the specific case of Andalusia, the question of some tourist destinations working within the framework of Smart Tourism Destinations has been analysed.

3.1.3 Smart tourism destinations in Andalusia

As a consequence of the proliferation since 2014 of Smart Tourism Destination (STD) initiatives linked to the development of smart cities [ 25 , 26 , 27 ], the variable STD in the particular case of Andalusia has been included in our study to analyse whether the process of converting a mature mass destination into STD has any relationship with better performance on the levels of digital accessibility of tourism promotion websites. Even more so when, by definition, one of the fundamental pillars of smart destinations is accessibility.

From the sample under study, 53.13% of Andalusia´s destinations are immersed in converting to STD. Deepening the distribution of STD initiatives in the provinces of Andalusia (see Fig.  5 ).

Smart tourism destinations in Andalusia by provinces.

The figure above shows the distribution by provinces of the current initiatives launched for developing STDs in Andalusia. Malaga, Seville and Cadiz are the Andalusian provinces with the highest number of STD initiatives. Cordoba, together with Jaén, the fewest, with none. In the case of Jaén, it must also bear in mind that it does not have a tourist destination considered by the INE, which is why it is not represented in the above graph. This is because the development of STDs is primarily linked to mature sun and beach destinations. Supplemented the above data by performing a principal component analysis for this factor (see Fig.  6 ).

Principal component analysis by STDs.

The previous figure has been analysed through principal components of the quantitative and multidimensional data of supplementary (Table 2), developing factors that will be used later in a modelling method through linear regression. As shown, no pattern in the point cloud differentiates STD and NON-STD behaviours, which means that it cannot identify a better performance of these destinations that do not work within the STD framework than those that do. Therefore, the STD variable is not a positive differential component concerning digital accessibility.

3.2 Analysis of inclusive communication in social networks

Firstly, a database has been compiled, which includes the profiles on social networks used by tourist destinations in Andalusia and Northern Morocco to promote tourism content (see supplementary, Table 3 Tourist destinations’ social media analysis).

In supplementary (Table 3), profiles in social networks have been classified geographically by region, province and city. In some cases, the managing body of the tourist destination corresponds to a group of cities or provinces; for these cases, we proceeded with an NA, indicating that this data is unavailable. We carried out a manual collation task for each social network to identify cases of good practices of inclusive communication in their tourism promotion content. These good practices include the appropriate use of the following qualitative variables:  Plain Language, Alternative Text, Captions, Transcriptions, Hashtags  and finally, limited use of  Emojis . The database includes the date the analysis was done, delimiting this study in time.

3.2.1 Inclusive communication, descriptive and correspondence analysis

In this part of the study related to social network analysis, an initial descriptive analysis of the variables that make up the total of good practices has been conducted. In addition, it complements it with a correspondence analysis, as these are qualitative variables or factors, to find out the tendency of the relationship between the different variables, if there are any (see Figs. 7 , 8 ).

Good practices by components.

Good practices correspondence analysis.

As shown in the previous figure, the use of plain and informative text is the most widespread good practice, although it accounts for only half 50.41% of the copies analysed. The use of other good practices of inclusive communication is considerably reduced, and in some of the variables analysed, they are almost anecdotal. This is the case with alternative texts, a good practice to facilitate reading images by screen readers, limited to 1.63% of the profiles analysed, or the transcription of audiovisuals, with only 4.07%. Subtitling is another good practice of inclusive communication on social media that should be encouraged, as it is only presents 8.95% of the social media profiles analysed. Even practices that are simpler a priori to implement are being minimally employed, such as the use of hashtags to classify contents and facilitate their search with 13.82%, or the limited use of emojis so as not to interrupt the reading sequence of screen readers frequently, with the appropriate use of emojis being a practice found in 22.32% of the contents analysed.

Figure  8 shows a correspondence analysis of the good practices of inclusive communication on social networks by the destinations belonging to the sample under study.

As shown in the previous figure, the use of good practices in inclusive communication is reflected in the graph in the right-hand area of the ordinate axis. The variable  Region  corresponding to the  North of Morocco  is also relevant in this area. On the other hand, the worst performance of these variables is located on the left, with profiles belonging mainly to destinations in Andalusia. Regarding inclusive communication, based on the decalogue of good practices and the sample under study, Northern Morocco is in a better relative position than Andalusia. However, one must bear in mind that the total number of profiles analysed is much higher in the case of Andalusia, depending on different public entities. In the case of Morocco, the profiles belong mainly to the public accounts of the Moroccan Ministry, thus organising the communication process in a more centralised way.

At this point, the profiles of tourist destinations on social networks will be analysed, classifying them into five groups, from those that do not comply with any good practices to those that comply with four good practices in terms of inclusive communication (see Fig.  9 ).

Total good practices correspondence analysis.

The previous figure shows how the groups of profiles with the worst performance with 0 or 1 good inclusive communication practices are located in the left area, with a reasonably close position. In contrast, the groups of profiles in social networks with 2 to 4 good practices are in the right area of the graph. Visually, the groups or clusters with the worst results are those with the highest number of members, confirming how little interest is devoted to the issue of inclusive communication by tourist destinations. To illustrate this point, we complete the previous quantitative analysis with a qualitative analysis based on the good practice guide for inclusive communication on social networks. In this case, collecting through the UX Check some of the worse practice cases examples trying to limit them (see supplementary, Table 4). A complimentary comment to the previous table can identify a generalised lack of good practices in inclusive communication through the social media profiles of tourist destinations, in some cases, a profound lack. For example, only 1.63% of images use alternative text or a meagre 8.94% use video subtitles. However, the performance of profiles from Northern Morocco is somewhat better, considering that the number of profiles is lower than those from Andalusia. The room for improvement in communicating more inclusively on social networks is enormous for both regions.

3.2.2 Inclusive communication, linear regression analysis

The present section has analysed inclusive communication through social media destinations profiles in Andalusia and North Morocco with a linear regression model where each variable belonging to good practices is the estimator of this explanatory variable. The variables  region  and  social network were added, and their statistical significance was analysed, using the following regression model:

Model_Comunicate_Inclusively  = lm (TOTAL_GOOD_PRACTICES  ~  `PLAIN LANGUAGE`  +  `ALTERNATIVE TEXT`  +  CAPTIONS  +  TRASNCRIPTIONS  +  HASHTAGS  +  EMOJIS  +  REGION  +  Network, data  =  Social_Media_Analysis).

In order to include the latter variable, social networks, a preliminary analysis of mean and standard deviation and correspondence analysis has been conducted (see Fig.  10 ).

Social networks correspondence analysis.

In this first approximation, Instagram and Facebook are the social networks with the highest number of good inclusive communication practices, along with Pinterest, significantly the most inclusive in the group of other social network profiles (OTHER). In contrast, Twitter and YouTube are positioned last, shown as the worst-performing networks to the left of the graph. Social networks such as Facebook and Instagram are positioned to the right, with their position in the diagram depicting a better performance in inclusive communication. The sphere represented by Others reflects the level of inclusive communication of the group of minority social networks in use by the tourist destinations analysed: Flickr, Issuu, Spotify, Blogger, LinkedIn and Pinterest. However, they are the ones that accumulate the highest number of good practices in inclusive communication. This is mainly due to the high performance of LinkedIn and Pinterest. Both social networks perform better in audio videos with subtitles, transcriptions, informative copies and no abusive use of emojis.

Focusing on the regression model, the variables that make up the total of good practices, i.e. plain language, alternative text, captions, transcriptions, hashtags and emojis are significant as expected, as each variable forms a necessary component to communicate inclusively. Concerning the region and the level of good practices in social media, it must be noted the better performance of social media profiles of the main destinations in Northern Morocco, Tangier, Tetouan and Al-Hocima, with an average of two good practices per profile. At the same time, Andalusia has a low average of just one good practice per social media profile (see Fig.  11 ).

Good practices regional analysis.

In the previous figure, the outliers in Andalusia are the profiles that communicate more inclusively on social networks, taking into account the sum of both regions, coinciding with the destination of Malaga and Nerja in the province of Malaga.

4 Discussion

4.1 1st phase discussion. website digital accessibility analysis: accessibility modules by regions and smart tourism destinations in andalusia.

Taking into account the averages and correlations obtained in the previous section, either the limitations presented in the international context, the following reflections are considered relevant to understand the current state of this subject.

According to the results presented in this study, Table 2 shows that of the 33 websites analysed in this article for Andalusia, only 12 websites (36.36%) refer to accessibility or accessible tourism. In contrast, the rest of the websites, i.e. 21, do not make any reference, representing 63.64% of the total. Comparing this study with the data presented [ 2 ], among the results of a total of 19 websites analysed in Portugal, the territories with references to accessibility or accessible tourism are only 10, which represents 53.63% of the total. Thus, better relative performance can be seen concerning digital accessibility corresponding to the websites of Andalusian tourist destinations. In this regard, it should be borne in mind that Portugal has a long history in favour of digital accessibility, as it was one of the first countries to become a member of the accessibility guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Regarding the most common web accessibility errors identified in the pages analysed for Andalusia and Northern Morocco, the results obtained and shown in Figs.  2 and 3 highlight those related to Perceptible, Robust and Operable. In this case, the results coincide with the work carried out in the framework of web accessibility for Portugal [ 2 , 18 , 20 ]. Regarding the understandable principle, some problems and warnings were identified, as shown in Fig.  2 , the web accessibility error with the most insignificant impact on the web pages analysed. This low average of accessibility problems linked to the comprehensibility principle is consistent with previous work [ 21 ].

The results are focused on the web accessibility of public tourism promotion bodies. As mentioned in the methodology, the most relevant destinations in Andalusia and the north of Morocco have been selected, for different reasons, as seen in Table 1 (supplementary). After carefully studying the state of the art, it can be appreciated that some works analyse the web accessibility of public and private entities in the value chain of a tourist destination. These are museums, hotels or leisure activities websites [ 18 , 19 ]. Recent works confirm that more attention is given to the analysis of digital accessibility in official tourism organisations’ websites and Municipal websites, as shown in [ 3 ]. In this sense, there is no previous reference to analyse the accessibility of the official websites of the “Círculo del Estrecho” tourist destinations.

The results aim to raise awareness among the managing bodies of tourist destinations in Andalusia and northern Morocco of the importance of increasing the levels of digital accessibility of websites in both regions for several reasons. Firstly, in the case of Andalusian destinations, the minimum legal requirements still need to be met in many cases. Secondly, in both regions, few websites have a specialised information module on accessible tourism or even a digital accessibility decalogue, even though the latter is compulsory. Thirdly, concerning the northern region of Morocco, no information related to accessible tourism has been identified. Therefore, in the case of this region, web accessibility should be addressed from the initial process—design and implementation—based on international standards of digital accessibility, thus highlighting the level of web accessibility and good practices of inclusive communication on social networks in Malaga, Andalusia as an accessible destination. This destination presents an above-average performance in both parameters of this study; despite this, there is still significant room for improvement since, as shown in Table 2 , it lacks reference to accessible tourism on its official website.

4.2 2nd phase discussion. Analysis of inclusive communication in social networks

The comparative framework with previous works must be more present in this new concept of inclusiveness in social networks. Some studies include the concept of inclusion from the perspective of branding [ 28 ] or the language used [ 29 ] but not from analysing the level of inclusive communication on social networks by compiling the good practices used for tourist destinations. In this sense, as shown in supplementary (Table 3), the results provided in this work aim not only to raise awareness among the managing bodies of tourist destinations in Andalusia and northern Morocco but also to encourage the tourism sector itself to reflect on the importance of increasing the levels of inclusive communication for three main reasons. Firstly, all tourists, regardless of their disabilities or permanent or temporary limitations, have the right to consume the promotional content generated by tourist destinations through social networks without discrimination. Secondly, communicating more inclusively will make it easier for tourist destinations to reach more tourists and, therefore, more potential customers. Third, communicating inclusively the content generated by tourist destinations facilitates the work of organic positioning of digital content at the end of the destination itself.

5 Conclusions

Answering the first research question, the connection between web accessibility and inclusive communication concepts leads to cross-cutting approaches based on concepts such as universal design. In this sense, in a first approximation, these terms are receiving increasing attention from researchers and communication professionals. However, there is still a considerable margin for improvement, as this paper shows. Regarding info-accessibility, a considerable need for digital accessibility on promotional websites of the main tourist destinations in Andalusia and Northern Morocco has been identified. Likewise, there is a critical need for awareness-raising and training for professionals in charge of communication within the tourism marketing function. Related to the most significant digital accessibility errors is the general lack of alternative texts for the images included on the destinations’ websites in both regions. However, Andalusian websites have a slightly higher level of digital accessibility than the northern region of Morocco. This circumstance should not hide the significant shortcomings in terms of digital accessibility which have been detected in the websites of Andalusian destinations. Websites with an accessible tourism information module or a digital accessibility decalogue only represent 36.36%, which should be mandatory for all of them according to regulations.

Concerning the second question, related to the comparison of the websites of tourist destinations in the Strait of Gibraltar, it can be stated that there are no significant differences, highlighting the shortcomings of many websites of destinations in Andalusia not complying with the mandatory legal requirements. The point to note is that the mandatory legislation emanating from the European Union and included in the Spanish regulatory framework (in the case of Andalusia) is not offering a significant differential component in terms of digital accessibility in their websites of public tourism promotion.

Regarding the third research question, currently, a significant number of initiatives in mature mass tourism destinations in Andalusia focused on accessible tourism, supported by new models of tourism management such as Smart Tourism Destinations (STDs). Although the analysis results are conclusive, they do not identify a better performance of the tourist destinations included within the STDs framework than those that do not, which is even more striking when accessibility is a fundamental pillar in the smart destinations. At this point, the component to highlight is that STDs must develop into more accessible tourist destinations by conceptualisation.

Focusing on inclusive communication practices in Andalusia and Northern Morocco as the fourth research question, minimal performance is identified, possibly due to the need for more awareness of this emerging concept in both destinations. Thus, there is a strong need for good practice in using alternative texts to describe images beyond those self-generated by some platforms. The misuse of emojis is widespread hindering the readability of the technologies on which screen readers. The inappropriate use of hashtags frequently mixed with the copy itself or the non-use of the CamelCase style makes screen readers’ work difficult. For all these reasons, there is a considerable gap in the use of good inclusive communication practices, which could also represent an opportunity for those destinations that are increasingly interested in the accessible tourism segment. Currently, most social networks offer help pages to design content that everyone can consume from the universal design paradigm [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ].

The originality of this work is that it represents the first analysis of the accessibility of the websites of the tourist destinations of the “Círculo del Estrecho”, and, more specifically, it is the first time that the northern region of Morocco has been analysed. Moreover, this study represents a step forward compared to previous studies, which were limited to digital accessibility. However, this article opens up a new line of research by analysing inclusive communication on social networks. This research will be significant in tourism marketing due to its conceptual approach and as a starting point for measuring inclusive communication in tourism destinations and social networks.

As a limitation of this work, we can identify several different stages of development of tourist destinations on both sides of the Gibraltar Strait and different regulatory levels. However, the most significant is the difference in tourism management models in both regions, which has led to a significant difference in the number of websites and social network profiles to be analysed for each case. Therefore, future studies should consider the current trends of digital content consumption through any device, considering both the concepts of Web Responsive Design [ 47 ] and Mobile First [ 48 ]. We must recognize that, at present, the most significant number of searches and digital content consumption is done through mobile phones.

Finally, accessible tourism in general and digital accessibility and inclusive communication, as part of social sustainability, are fundamental for transforming tourism destinations. Future work should include indicators to measure these variables in the framework of recent studies on measuring the sustainability of tourism destinations [ 49 ].

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Conceptualization: Alexander Aguirre Montero, Mohammed Youbi Idrissi, José Antonio López Sánchez; Methodology: Alexander Aguirre Montero, José Antonio López Sánchez; Formal analysis and investigation: Alexander Aguirre Montero, Mohammed Youbi Idrissi, María Dolores Hernández Sales; Writing—original draft preparation: Alexander Aguirre Montero, María Dolores Hernández Sales; Writing—review and editing: Alexander Aguirre Montero, María Dolores Hernández Sales; Funding acquisition: José Antonio López Sánchez; Resources: José Antonio López Sánchez; Supervision: José Antonio López Sánchez, Mohammed Youbi Idrissi.

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Montero, A.A., Sales, L.H., Idrissi, M.Y. et al. Web accessibility and inclusivity of tourist destinations at social media management. An intercultural analysis of Andalusia and Northern Morocco. Univ Access Inf Soc (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-023-01020-y

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Components of tourism: Structure of the tourism industry

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The travel and tourism industry is argued by many as being the largest industry in the world. It is, therefore, no surprise that the structure of the tourism industry is quite complex, involving many components of tourism.

With many different types of tourism and types of businesses operating within the tourism industry, from private companies to charities and NGOs, the structure of the tourism industry is made up of many different segments and components.

In this article I will provide you with an overview of the structure of the tourism industry, outlining the types of organisations and stakeholders in tourism that are involved.

Structure of the tourism industry

Components of tourism, international organisations, national tourist boards, regional tourist boards, tourist information centres, travel by air, travel by road, travel by train, travel by water, hotels chains, hostels and budget accommodation, holiday parks and campsites, accommodation innovations, world travel market, football world cup, glastonbury, holi festival, day of the dead, natural attractions, built attractions, tour operators, travel agents, ancillary services, components of tourism | structure of the tourism industry, structure of the tourism industry | components of tourism: further reading.

The importance of tourism is demonstrated when you can see how big the industry is!

The structure of the industry is made up of several components of tourism and involves many different stakeholders. These components are all interrelated in one way of another. The components of tourism make up the entire tourism system.

There are several integral components of tourism. Without these components, the tourism industry would struggle to function. I have explained what this means below, but before you read on, take a look at this short video that I made (and if you like what you see, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel)!

This was demonstrated, for example, during the Coronavirus pandemic, which halted air travel around the world. Travel services are a vital component of tourism and without these services being operational, the tourism industry struggled to survive!

There are six major components of tourism, each with their own sub-components. These are: tourist boards, travel services, accommodation services, conferences and events, attractions and tourism services.

Below, I will explain what each of the components offer to the tourism industry and provide some relevant examples.

Components of tourism: Tourist boards

A tourist board is an essential component of tourism and an integral part of the structure of the tourism industry.

A tourism board is responsible for the promotion of tourism in a particular area. This could be a city, a region, a country or a group of countries.

A tourism board is usually Government funded and is usually a public travel and tourism organisation (although this is not always the case).

A tourism board is also often referred to as a Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO).

Most tourist boards focus on promoting tourism in a particular area, city or country. There are, however, some organisations which aim to promote tourism across more than one country.

Whilst these organisation often have many functions other than tourism, they will also play a role in the promotion of tourism in particular parts of the world. This could include the European Union , the ASEAN network or organisations such as the United Nations.

A national tourist board is a national organisation whose aim is to promote tourism across the country.

There are usually several management bodies that are involved with a national tourist board. They are essential stakeholders who determine many aspects of tourism in the country, such as budgets, taxation and regulations.

Said management bodies include the parliament, the tourist board, an auditing committee and the Prime Minister, President or Head of State.

The national tourist board is funded from tourist taxes, membership fees, Government funding and other sources.

Examples of national tourist boards (often most commonly referred to by their ‘campaign title’ as opposed to the Government title) include Visit Britain , Incredible India and Amazing Thailand .

A regional tourist board is a tourist board that focusses on a particular region of a country. They are often a sub-division of a country’s national tourist board.

Regional tourism boards are often funded and operated in the same way as national tourist boards.

Examples of successful regional tourism boards include: Visit Cornwall in the UK, Kerala Tourism in India, Visite Montreal in Canada and Cape Town Tourism in South Africa.

A tourist information centre is the place where tourists can go for advice and help with regards to all matters related to tourism in the area.

In the tourist information centre (TIC) you will find staff who are knowledgeable about the local area. There will often be a range of printed and digital information for you, including leaflets, maps, coupons and guidebooks. Sometimes there will be virtual tourism facilities.

Tourist information centres have been an important component of tourism throughout the history of travel and tourism , however, they are coming under increasing pressure as a result of information that is available online. This has resulted in fewer people visiting TICs in person.

Most major tourist areas will have a tourist information centre. These are usually centrally located.

Tourist information centres are funded by the local Government.

Other posts that you might be interested in: – What is tourism? A definition of tourism – The history of tourism – Stakeholders in tourism – Dark tourism explained – What is ABTA and how does it work? – The economic impacts of tourism

Components of tourism:Transport services

The relationship between transport and tourism is strong.

According to the most commonly accepted definitions of tourism, a person must travel away from their home environment for at least one night in order to be a tourist (although I would argue that this definition needs updating given that it doesn’t account for novel forms of tourism such as a staycation or virtual tourism ).

Based on this fact, therefore, transport is an integral component of tourism. Without transport, people cannot reach their intended destination.

There are a range of different transport types. The most common and popular methods of transport that make up the structure of the tourism industry, however, are: air, road, train and water .

Travel by air has grown exponentially in the past few decades. With the introduction of low cost airlines and deregulation, the competitive market has been a tourist’s paradise.

New routes opening up has introduced tourists to areas that they may never have been able to reach before and low prices have resulted in more of us taking more trips abroad using air travel as our means of transportation.

Travel by air is an essential component of tourism and this was demonstrated during the Coronavirus epidemic. During this time most air traffic was halted, which had a devastating impact of the tourism industry world-wide.

Travel by road is also a core component of tourism, particularly for domestic tourism .

Travel by road is more popular in some countries than others. This largely depends on accessibility options (i.e. what is accessible by road), distances required and road conditions.

In destinations where travel by road is popular, there are often many car hire or rental companies.

Travel by train is very popular in destinations that have good rail networks in infrastructure.

In some parts of the world, such as China and Japan, there are world-class high-speed railways that can be more efficient than flying.

In other parts of the world, the rail journey is part of the tourism experience. A good example of this is the Siberian Railway.

In Europe you can buy an affordable interrail pass , which allows you to travel throughout Europe using the rail system.

Travel by water is also an important component of tourism.

The structure of the tourism industry includes cruises, ferries and leisure boats, among other types of travel by water.

Travel by water can vary considerably in price and can include anything from a round the world cruise to a short long tail ride in Thailand .

Components of tourism: Accommodation services

Accommodation services make up an important part of the structure of the tourism industry.

Whilst accommodation services were traditionally focussed mainly around the hotel industry, nowadays accommodation options for tourists are much more varied. This adds an additional layer of complexity to the structure of the tourism industry.

There are many hotel chains that operate throughout the tourism industry and that are a key component of tourism.

Multinational corporations have expanded throughout the tourism industry with key players being hotel chains such as Marriott, Radisson, Hilton, Travel Lodge and Holiday Inn.

However, hotel chains such as these have come under increased scrutiny as a result of the economic leakage in tourism that they cause.

Hostels and budget accommodation options are popular with budget travellers and backpackers.

There are a range of hostels found throughout the world. These are particularly popular in destinations where accommodation is expensive, such as London, New York and Singapore.

The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) and Hostelling International are popular hostel providers that are found across the UK and overseas.

Billy Butlin changed the face of the British holiday market with the introduction of his seaside holiday parks back in 1936.

Since this time, other similar chains have expanded throughout the UK and the rest of the world.

Camping is also an important component of tourism. There are camp sites situated throughout the world ranging from safari camps to glamping (glamorous camping).

Homestays have become an increasingly prominent component of tourism.

Whilst bed and breakfast accommodation has been around for a very long time, nowadays there are many more options that are grounded on the concept of a homestay.

The sharing economy has seen the growth and introduction of many types of accommodations into the travel and tourism sector that did not exist before.

The most popular of these is Airbnb, where people rent out a room or an entire property to tourists. You can read more about how Airbnb works here .

In recent years consumers have been demanding new and unusual experiences more than ever. In response to this, we have seen many accommodation innovations emerge throughout the world.

From staying in an ice hotel in Finland, to sleeping in a hammock in Borneo to a night in a haunted castle in Wales, there are many different types of accommodation options that can make your holiday a little bit more exciting!

Components of tourism: Conferences and events

Conferences and events make up a significant part of the structure of the tourism industry.

Conferences, which often come under business tourism , come in all shapes and sizes around the world.

From a small academic gathering to a large-scale summit involving national leaders from around the world, conferences are an important component of tourism.

Likewise, the event sector is also a significant part of the tourism industry.

There are millions of events that take place around the world each year that vary in size and function. Many of these form an integral part of the tourism industry.

Examples of major conferences and events around the world

There are many major conferences and events that take place around the world every year. Here are a few of my favourites:

The World Travel Market (WTM) is held in London each November. This is a large event that is held at the Excel venue.

WTM provides travel industry experts with the opportunity to showcase their work, learn more about the industry and to network.

ITB is the world’s leading international travel trade show. It is held in Berlin each year.

Similar to the WTM, this large-scale event enables industry professionals to network and undertake continuous professional development.

The vast majority of people are familiar with the Football World Cup.

The Football World Cup is held every four years in a different location.

The Football World Cup attracts millions of tourists from all over the world. The event also acts as a stimuli for tourism as the nation will often use the opportunity of hosting the event as a chance to market tourism in the area to those who are tuning in from their TVs from around the world.

Sports tourism , which includes events such as the Football World Cup, contributes significantly to the overall tourism industry.

Glastonbury is a popular British music festival. It takes place each summer in Somerset.

Glastonbury is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts. In addition to music, the festival hosts dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other arts to entertain visitors.

Glastonbury attracts many domestic tourists as well as international tourists.

San Fermin is a festival that is held in Pamplona, Spain each July.

San Fermin, also known as the ‘Running of the Bulls’ is a historically-rooted festival that lasts five days. It involves dancing, eating and drinking, games and the famous bull races and fights.

San Fermin has been subject to a lot of controversy in recent years, with many people protesting that it is a cruel form of animal tourism .

Holi Festival is known as the ‘festival of spring’, the ‘festival of colours’ or the ‘festival of love’.

Holi Festival is celebrated in India each year during the month of March.

Holi Festival is famous for the way in which coloured paints are used and often thrown onto people’s faces and clothes.

This is a Hindu festival that signifies the victory of good over evil.

The Day of the Dead festival, locally referred to as ‘Dia de los Muertos’, is a festival that is celebrated in November each year in Mexico.

This day is a celebration of the deceased, whereby it is believed that the alive and the dead are reunited. On this day many people will create offerings for the deceased.

Many people choose to dress up as skeletons and in halloween-type outfits and they celebrate with food, drink and music.

Components of tourism: Attractions

An essential component of the tourism industry are the tourist attractions.

There are a multitude of different tourist attractions around the world.

Some are built, some are natural. Some are paid, some are free. Some are famous, others are not. Some are large and some are small.

Natural attractions are just as it says on the tin – natural. In other words, they are attractions that have not been made by man.

Natural attractions are found all over the world and vary in size and scope. There is even a definitive list of the seven natural wonders of the world .

I have visited many natural attractions around the world, here is a list of some of my favourites:

• Drakansburg Mountains, South Africa
• Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
• Mount Toubkal, Morocco
• Sahara Desert, Morocco
• Red Sea, Egypt
• Dead Sea, Israel
• Sierra Nevada, Spain
• Chicken Island, Thailand
• Niagara Falls, USA
• Rocky Mountains, Canada
• Pammukale Thermal Pools, Turkey
• Iceland (the island is filled with wonderful natural attractions!)
• Amazon Rainforest , Ecuador
• Cenotes, Mexico
• Iguazu Falls, Brazil
• The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
• Waterways of Kerela, India
• Mount Hallasan, South Korea

Built attractions also make up an important part of the structure of the tourism industry.

There are many built attractions throughout the world. Some attractions are built for the purpose of tourism, such as theme parks or museums. Other attractions are built for other purposes but then become tourist attractions, such as the Empire State Building or the Sydney Opera House.

I have visited many built attractions throughout the world. Here are some of my favourites:

• Robin Island, South Africa
• The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
• La Sagrada Familia, Spain
• The Eiffel Tower, France
• The United States Capitol Building, USA
• Statue of Liberty, New York
• Petronas Towers, Malaysia
• Marina Sands Bay Hotel, Singapore
• Angkor Wat, Cambodia
• Taj Mahal, India
• Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia
• Houses of Parliament, UK
• Sheikh Zayed Mosque, UAE

Components of tourism: Tourism services

Tourism services are an essential component of tourism. Without many tourism services, the tourism industry would fail to adequately function.

Below I will explain the three major tourism services that make up the structure of the tourism industry.

A tour operator is the individual or organisation who puts together a trip.

Typically, a tour operator would package together essential elements including accommodation, transport and transfer. They would then sell this package to the tourists.

However, tour operators are becoming fewer in recent years. Consumers are now far more Internet savvy and are more capable of researching the individual elements of their holiday and booking this independently. This is known as dynamic packaging .

Traditionally, a travel agent would sell the product that the tour operator has produced i.e. the package holiday.

While travel agents have and continue to sell individual holiday components, they have historically been most commonly used by tourists who wish to book a package holiday.

In today’s society, there is far less scope for travel agents than there used to be. A few years ago it would be easy to finish school and to get a job in a travel agent selling holidays. Now, however, people are more likely to set up their own travel agent business online or to be employed by an online retailer.

Many high street stores have now closed as there is little demand these days for holidays to be booked in this way. Instead, many people are selling holidays and travel services via their blogs or websites.

The travel agent does still exist, but he has changed the way he looks.

Ancillary services are another core component of tourism.

Ancillary basically means ‘extra’ or ‘additional’. An ancillary service in the context of tourism, therefore, is any product or service that is additional to the core elements of accommodation, transport and transfer.

Here are some examples of ancillary products:

• Attraction tickets
• Meal tickets
• Extra luggage
• Currency exchange
• Airport parking

As you can see, the tourism industry is large and complex, but understanding the different components of tourism isn’t too difficult.

All of the components of tourism are interconnected in one way or another and many rely on one another to be successful.

Want to learn more about the structure of tourism? I have listed some recommended texts below.

• An Introduction to Tourism : a comprehensive and authoritative introduction to all facets of tourism including: the history of tourism; factors influencing the tourism industry; tourism in developing countries; sustainable tourism; forecasting future trends.
• The Business of Tourism Management : an introduction to key aspects of tourism, and to the practice of managing a tourism business.
• Tourism Management: An Introduction : gives its reader a strong understanding of the dimensions of tourism, the industries of which it is comprised, the issues that affect its success, and the management of its impact on destination economies, environments and communities.

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Tourism consists of various components and components of tourism also known as the 4 ‘A’s of tourism. Without these components, tourism cannot be operated. A tour of an individual is influenced by various elements or components. There are 4 ‘A’s of tourism:

1.       Attraction 2.      Accessibility 3.      Accommodation 4.      Amenities Let’s know about each in detail:

1.  Attraction:

Attraction is one of the most important components of tourism. It pulls a person towards a destination or inspires him to make a visit. Nowadays, everyone seeks attraction in everything- the clothes they wear, the food they eat, the place they live in, etc. Attraction helps people to decide which place to visit. According to NYU, 68% of people pay more attention to attractive places to visit. Tourists can be attracted by several attractions like waterfalls, sunrise, historical sites, sports, etc. Attraction works as magnetic power on the pull factor of tourism. There are three major attractions that attract more tourists:

•       Built Attraction: These attractions are those which have been made by a human, like a museum, zoos, cultural and historical sites.
•       Site Attraction: These attractions are created by nature like the Himalayas, rivers, waterfalls, etc.
•       Event Attraction: Organizing a special program or event by a country attracts tourists.

 2. Accessibility:

Accessibility is another important component of tourism. Accessibility means the way by which a tourist can easily reach the desired destination. A destination should not only be attractive but accessible also. Some modes of transportation to reach a destination are very necessary. Cheaper modes of transportation receive a maximum number of tourists. Transportation plays a vital role, if a tourist destination is located at a place where no transport can reach then that destination become of little value. The following provision should be there for accessibility:

•      Accessibility of Road Transport
•      Accessibility of Rail Transport
•      Accessibility of Air Transport
•      Accessibility of Marine Transport

More tourists will visit a place if more transport modes are available.

 3.  Accommodation

Accommodation is another important factor that influences the tourist to choose a destination. Every tourist wants a good accommodation where he can spend the night peacefully and be served good food. The destination should be easily accessible along with good accommodations so that tourists can relax and have a good time. Accommodation must include hotels, guesthouses, apartments, restaurants, and Bar for refreshment. Accommodation should be designed in such a way that tourists can afford it according to their paying capacity. Accommodation should be well designed with all facilities. Accommodation is very important because no one will visit a place although it has an attraction, and accessibility but unavailability of Accommodation

4. Amenities:

 amenities are a very important component of tourism as its not easy to win the heart of travelers with the absence of required amenities. the absence of amenities may distract tourists. amenities are elements that help the tourist to get satisfaction and pleasure from the destination. these are extra services and facilities that are provided by travel agencies, airlines, hotels, etc. amenities include all necessary facilities and services to make a tourist feel comfortable in travel for example rest, food, entertainment, sport, etc. types of amenities:.

•      Natural: Beaches, Climbing, Fishing, Trekking etc.
•      Man-Made: Cinema, Fair and Festival, Internet, Music, Drama etc.

       Conclusion:

Apart from these four ‘a’s of tourism, there is also another important ‘a’ of tourism which refers to affordability. the travel expenses like accommodation charges, transport fees, and entrance fees should be at affordable prices. the above-mentioned ‘a’ should be balanced equally to pull more visitors to any destination and there should be some interesting things to explore for different age groups of tourists. thus, these 4 ‘a’s are very important to generate more tourism flow and acts as a backbone of tourism destination in any country..

Gaurav Gera

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San Diego Travel Blog

Local insight to help you plan your next San Diego vacation.

April 25, 2024 By Chelsea Bear

San Diego’s accessibility shines in a tour by mobility scooter

Planning a trip to a new location is always exciting — especially to somewhere like San Diego, which is known for its beautiful weather, vibrant neighborhoods and countless things to do that cater to all kinds of interests.

That being said, if you’re traveling with any kind of disability there are a lot of things to consider when planning a trip, whether for work or play. I can say that from experience: I was born with a physical disability called cerebral palsy, which affects the way I walk, and I use a mobility scooter when traveling.

I absolutely love to travel and have never felt that my disability should hold me back from visiting new places or experiencing new things — and it shouldn’t hold you back, either! I’ve been to more than 10 countries outside the United States, and have visited dozens of cities domestically. Having had my fair share of positive and negative travel experiences with my mobility scooter, I’ve learned some things over the years that help each trip go a little more smoothly than the last. I also document my accessible-travel experiences on social media to help share resources with my followers or fellow disabled travelers, at @RealChelseaBear on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. 

I had the privilege of visiting San Diego for the very first time in October 2023, and again in March 2024, and both trips were absolutely incredible! I can genuinely say that no matter what part of San Diego I was in, I was very impressed with its accessibility. Here are highlights of all the things I did while in San Diego, as well as recommendations and tips for planning a visit here while keeping accessibility in mind.

Discovering Balboa Park on a Mobility Scooter

My initial impression driving into Balboa Park for the first time was: WOW.  The buildings and monuments scattered throughout the park have extremely beautiful and intricate architecture which is so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I was surprised to learn that the park is home to 18 museums, adding even more culture and character to the entire area. Plus, the gardens, large fountains, duck pond and overall landscaping were breathtaking. 

While at Balboa Park I went to the Mingei International Museum, which celebrates folk art from around the world. I learned a lot about folk art and viewed a lot of incredible exhibits. Right across the courtyard was The San Diego Museum of Art, which boasts an internationally renowned collection of more than 32,000 works, dating from 3000 B.C. to the present day.

Accessibility at each museum was seamless, with ramps and elevators available to help me get to each floor with my mobility scooter and enough space between the pieces of art where I never had issues with navigating around the showrooms. Beyond these two museums, there are many more throughout Balboa Park, all within a short walk or roll — including the San Diego Air & Space Museum , the San Diego Automotive Museum , the San Diego Model Railroad Museum , the Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum, and the Comic-Con Museum , to name a few. Most offer accessible tours, too!  If museums aren’t your interest, I still recommend stopping by Balboa Park at some point during your visit to San Diego. I went on three separate days and each day there were exciting things going on throughout the park, so I recommend visiting even if it’s just to walk or roll around the beautiful scenery. There are various food options, vendors selling jewelry and art, and street performers doing magic tricks or playing musical instruments. Plus, there’s a free concert every Sunday at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Parking is free and there are plenty of accessible parking spaces. 

If you love waterfront views …

… then San Diego is the place to be! One of my favorite areas by far was the Embarcadero , including Seaport Village. The waterfront area extends along San Diego Bay, is easily scootable, and has so many different things to do, see and eat. There are a lot of shops and restaurants, as well as local vendors and entertainment scattered throughout. 

Beyond the incredible views of the sailboats and yachts in the bay, I was extremely impressed with the area’s dedication to accessibility. 

Whenever I came across a couple of steps to get into an establishment, there was a sign with a disability icon and arrow pointing to the nearest ramp. Figuring out an accessible entrance is sometimes the biggest battle when traveling, so I was really grateful to see how San Diego prioritized signage and accessibility in this way. Bonus points, the waterfront is only a few blocks away from San Diego’s lively downtown and Gaslamp Quarter areas, making it really easy to get from one area to another without needing to figure out transportation. 

Something I really enjoyed doing along the Embarcadero was a Harbor Tour with Flagship Cruises & Events. They had a ramp so I could easily get on the boat with my mobility scooter, and there was a tour guide who shared history and interesting facts about the area – and we got to see a lot of seals! Full disclaimer, the ship did not have an elevator so I had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to the top platform. But there’s plenty of room and seating for you and your party to fully enjoy the tour on the first floor of the boat if you’re unable to do steps. 

You can also enjoy public art and sculptures, visit the USS Midway Museum or the Maritime Museum of San Diego , or catch a concert at the new outdoor bayfront concert venue, the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park along the Embarcadero. 

Accessible beaches await

You can’t visit San Diego without seeing the Pacific Ocean , right? Well, that was at least my mindset as an East Coast native. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I stayed in the Mission Beach area for a few nights and saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. The sky was spewing neon pink, yellow and orange, and although I took dozens of photos, none did it justice. It’s just one of those sights you absolutely need to see in person! Not to be demanding but, add it to your bucket list. 

All jokes aside, it was really easy for me to roll along the boardwalks on my mobility scooter at Mission Beach and La Jolla Shores . There were plenty of shops, bars and restaurants that were level to the ground, so it was extremely easy for me to scoot inside, and the options for where I could go were not limited, which is something I usually run into in other cities. Both areas gave beach-town vibes but still had impressive accessibility features.

If you’d like to get onto the sand, San Diego offers free manual or power beach wheelchairs at nine popular beaches. Most of the wheelchairs are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so I recommend calling in advance or getting to the beach early to ensure availability. Three beaches in San Diego also have sand access mats, which allow you to wheel out onto the beach to really soak in the views. You can find more information about Access Trax and other accessible options here .

I was also pleasantly surprised to learn about the adaptive activities offered in San Diego. I love a little adventure when I travel, and I had the amazing experience of going on a kayak tour of the Seven Caves with Bike and Kayak Tours Inc. in La Jolla . I’ve kayaked plenty of times before, being a Floridian, but to be fully transparent I was a little intimidated to be kayaking on the Pacific Ocean, since the waves are a little more rough than the ones I’m used to. I expressed my concerns to my tour guide and they quickly adapted, allowing me to switch from a single kayak to a double kayak, with one of the other tour guides joining me on the kayak. She made the entire experience comfortable for me, helping paddle to move us along through the tour and adjusting my seat to ensure I was supported. It was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. We saw leopard sharks through the crystal-clear waters, as well as different fish, sea turtles and harbor seals. The tour guide shared some unique facts about La Jolla Shores and the beautiful caves, and we even got to kayak inside one of the caves! The tour guides were extremely accommodating and assisted my sister in helping me navigate walking in the sand and getting in and out of the kayak as well. If you plan to go on this adventure, I recommend calling in advance to share your specific needs so they can plan accordingly before your arrival.

Living it up in the Gaslamp Quarter

I also stayed in the Gaslamp Quarter for a few nights, and it was a great central location with a lot of options only blocks apart. Accessibility-wise, the curb cuts on each corner were really smooth and easy to navigate on my mobility scooter. I was really impressed with how clean and clear the sidewalks were, too. It was really easy to get to different restaurants or entertainment options. I’m always a huge fan of walkable areas because they reduce the need to worry about transportation with a mobility scooter, so I definitely recommend this area.

With rows of restaurants and bars throughout Gaslamp Quarter, I was also delighted to see a strip of comedy clubs. I went to a comedy show at American Comedy Co. and it was a great venue. The main entrance to the theater had stairs, but they had an elevator available for me to get to the show easily. 

Something unique that I loved about this particular area was how the local MLB stadium, Petco Park , is located within the downtown area. Whether you’re catching a concert or cheering on the San Diego Padres , it’s an easily accessible venue to get to. 

Fantastic food options

Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the diverse and high-quality food scene in San Diego. One restaurant in particular, Callie , was one of the best meals I’ve had in years. The Mediterranean menu offered a variety of mouthwatering options, and the hummus was some of the best I’ve ever had.

Another great venue to check out is Liberty Public Market . Located right next to the Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens , which is an extensive brewery and restaurant with a delicious flight of IPAs, the public market had a lot of diverse and authentic food options to enjoy. I splurged a bit while there because there were too many good choices to choose from! I had handcrafted lobster ravioli from Pasta Design, a delicious bowl of ramen from Slurp Taiyaki & Ramen, and authentic Argentinian empanadas from Parana Empanadas. My only regret is that I didn’t get to try something from every vendor!

Try an Old Town Trolley Tour

If you’re looking for one activity that can give you a full overview of all that San Diego has to offer, the hop-on/hop-off Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego is the way to go. Each trolley vehicle has an accessible lift for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and you can leisurely explore the 11 stops during the tour. It brings you through Old Town , the Embarcadero, the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy , and Balboa Park. It’s an easy way to get around and sample many different areas of San Diego.

If you’ve been needing a sign to book a trip to San Diego, let this be it! As someone with a physical disability, it’s hard to come by destinations that are so accommodating and with so much to offer. The views, the food, the people, the activities, it all speaks for itself. Thank you for coming along on my journey as I explored San Diego. I can’t wait to go back, and hope you get to visit soon!

You can find additional recommendations and things to do in San Diego at https://www.sandiego.org/explore/things-to-do.aspx .

Chelsea Bear is a content creator based in Florida who shares her experiences of living with cerebral palsy on social media with the handle @RealChelseaBear . CP impacts the way she walks, and she uses a mobility scooter part-time for long distances. She is passionate about accessible travel and documents her experiences of living with a disability by sharing educational, uplifting, and lighthearted posts that strive to share resources, celebrate inclusion, and create acceptance for people with disabilities.

Funded in part with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds

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As Venice grapples with overtourism, the city tests a 5-euro fee for day-trippers

Willem Marx

The storied city of Venice, Italy, has begun charging fees for day trips by tourists.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

The Italian city of Venice has introduced a daily fee for visitors as part of an effort to control the crowds of tourists that too often overwhelm the city, especially in the summer months. But as Willem Marx reports, this new charge on arrivals is not proving entirely popular with all the locals.

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WILLEM MARX, BYLINE: Venice is an iconic island city filled with baroque beauty and gliding gondolas, its ancient, narrow streets often crammed with crowds of visitors. Authorities recently barred cruise ships from docking in the lagoon around Venice. Now, this new plan means people arriving for just a day must pay 5 euros, roughly $5, for a ticket valid from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Given the crowds, city officials like Marco Bettini says this new approach has become unavoidable.

MARCO BETTINI: I cannot guarantee a suitable visit to the city if we don't know how many people are coming to Venice.

MARX: Young children and visitors who've booked a hotel will be exempt from the fee, and so will residents, but that doesn't mean all Venetians are happy about this new idea.

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UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER #1: (Speaking Italian).

MARX: One man at this protest rally called it a sad day for Venice, as the new entrance fee turned his city into a museum, a theme park. "And besides," he said, "the police would struggle to enforce the new rules."

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER #2: (Speaking Italian).

MARX: Other residents say the ticket will only really hinder day-trippers, and the new charge will do nothing to combat the mass tourism from around the world that at times overwhelms their city.

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Chanting in Italian).

MARX: "We live here, and we will stay here," they chant. And it's not just residents and local leaders in Venice working to preserve their community against the impact of tourism. In the stunning Cinque Terre region on the other side of Italy, a famous coastal path now charges visitors who choose to walk it. In Capri, ferry costs are going up, and in Florence, authorities have banned short-term rentals on sites like Airbnb. Italy remains among the most visited countries on Earth, and authorities welcome the impact those visitors have on their economy, but they say they must find the right balance between Italian residents in their hometowns and those from elsewhere who wish to enjoy them.

For NPR News, I'm Willem Marx.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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Venice tests a 5-euro entry fee for day-trippers as the Italian city grapples with overtourism

Under the gaze of the world’s media, the fragile lagoon city of Venice launches a pilot program Thursday to charge day-trippers a 5-euro (around $5.35) entry fee that authorities hope will discourage visitors from arriving on peak days and make the city more liveable for its dwindling residents. (AP Video by Paolo Santalucia)

Stewards check tourists QR code access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. The daytripper tax is being tested on 29 days through July, mostly weekends and holidays starting with Italy’s Liberation Day holiday Thursday. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment, while another 70,000 will receive exceptions, for example, because they work in Venice or live in the Veneto region. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

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Tourists line up to enter at the at St.Mark bell tower in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

A steward shows the QR code access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. The daytripper tax is being tested on 29 days through July, mostly weekends and holidays starting with Italy’s Liberation Day holiday Thursday. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment, while another 70,000 will receive exceptions, for example, because they work in Venice or live in the Veneto region. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Stewards check a tourist QR code access outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. The daytripper tax is being tested on 29 days through July, mostly weekends and holidays starting with Italy’s Liberation Day holiday Thursday. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment, while another 70,000 will receive exceptions, for example, because they work in Venice or live in the Veneto region. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Citizens and activists confront police during a demonstration against Venice Tax Fee in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. The daytripper tax is being tested on 29 days through July, mostly weekends and holidays starting with Italy’s Liberation Day holiday Thursday. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment, while another 70,000 will receive exceptions, for example, because they work in Venice or live in the Veneto region. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Tourists arrive outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday, April 25, 2024 to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Tourists enjoy a ride on gondolas in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Marco Bettini, director of Venis Informatics System, gestures as he talks to reporters at the police Venice control room, in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday, April 25, 2024 to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Workers prepare the tourist tax cashier desks outside the main train station in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday, April 25, 2024 to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Venice councillor Simone Venturini speaks with reporters in front of a tourist tax totem in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday, April 25, 2024 to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Tourists enjoy a sunny day at St.Mark square in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

A citizen shows a ticket with the writing ‘Veniceland’ during a protest against Venice Tax Fee in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. The daytripper tax is being tested on 29 days through July, mostly weekends and holidays starting with Italy’s Liberation Day holiday Thursday. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment, while another 70,000 will receive exceptions, for example, because they work in Venice or live in the Veneto region. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Citizens and activists stage a protest against Venice Tax Fee in Venice, Italy, Thursday, April 25, 2024. The fragile lagoon city of Venice begins a pilot program Thursday to charge daytrippers a 5 euro entry fee that authorities hope will discourage tourists from arriving on peak days. The daytripper tax is being tested on 29 days through July, mostly weekends and holidays starting with Italy’s Liberation Day holiday Thursday. Officials expect some 10,000 people will pay the fee to access the city on the first day, downloading a QR code to prove their payment, while another 70,000 will receive exceptions, for example, because they work in Venice or live in the Veneto region. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Under the gaze of the world’s media, the fragile lagoon city of Venice launched a pilot program Thursday to charge day-trippers a 5-euro ($5.35) entry fee that authorities hope will discourage visitors from arriving on peak days and make the city more livable for its dwindling residents.

Visitors arriving at Venice’s main train station were greeted with large signs listing the 29 dates through July of the plan’s test phase that also designated separate entrances for tourists, and residents, students and workers.

“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’’ said Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”

Not all residents, however, are persuaded of the efficacy of the new system in dissuading mass tourism , insisting that only a resurgence in the population will restore balance to a city where narrow alleyways and water buses are often clogged with tourists.

Hundreds of Venetians protested against the program, marching festively though the city’s main bus terminal behind banners reading “No to Tickets, Yes to Services and Housing.” Protesters scuffled briefly with police with riot gear who blocked them from entering the city, before changing course and entering over another bridge escorted by plainclothes police officers. The demonstration wrapped up peacefully in a piazza.

Tourists arriving at the main station encountered almost as many journalists as stewards on hand to politely guide anyone unaware of the new requirements through the process of downloading the QR code to pay the fee.

Arianna Cecilia, a tourist from Rome visiting Venice for the first time, said she thought it was “strange” to have to pay to enter a city in her native country, and be funneled through separate entrance ways for tourists. She and her boyfriend were staying in nearby Treviso, and so downloaded the QR code as required. But she was still caught off-guard while soaking in her first view ever of Venice’s canals by the sight of the entrance signs and her boyfriend telling her to get out the ticket.

On the other side of the entrance ways, workers in yellow vests carried out random checks at the train station. Transgressors face fines of 50 to 300 euros ($53 to $320), but officials said “common sense” was being applied for the launch.

The requirement applies only for people arriving between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Outside of those hours, access is free and unchecked.

Tourists take pictures at the St. Mark square in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Venice has long suffered under the pressure of overtourism, and officials hope that the pilot project can help provide more exact figures to better manage the phenomenon.

The city can track the number of hotel visitors, which last year numbered 4.6 million and is down 16% from pre-pandemic highs. But the number of day visitors, which make up the majority of the crowds in Venice, could only be estimated until recently.

A Smart Control Room set up during the pandemic has been tracking arrivals from cellphone data, roughly confirming pre-pandemic estimates of 25 million to 30 million arrivals a year, said Michele Zuin, the city’s top economic official. That includes both day-trippers and overnight guests.

But Zuin said the data is incomplete.

“It’s clear we will get more reliable data from the contribution” being paid by day-trippers, he said.

Venturini said the city is strained when the number of day-trippers reaches 30,000 to 40,000. On peak days, local police set up one-way traffic for pedestrians to keep the crowds moving.

Residents opposing the day-tripper tax insist that the solution to Venice’s woes are to boost the resident population and the services they need, limiting short-term rentals to make available more housing and attract families back from the mainland.

Last year, Venice passed a telling milestone when the number of tourist beds exceeded for the first time the number of official residents, which is now below 50,000 in the historic center with its picturesque canals.

“Putting a ticket to enter a city will not decrease not even by one single unit the number of visitors that are coming,’’ said Tommaso Cacciari, an activist who organized a protest Thursday against the measure.

“You pay a ticket to take the metro, to go to a museum, an amusement park. You don’t pay a ticket to enter a city. This is the last symbolic step of a project of an idea of this municipal administration to kick residents out of Venice,” he said.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro declared the launch day, coinciding with an Italian holiday, a success, registering 15,700 paying visitors, 50% more than anticipated.

More than 97,000 others had downloaded a QR code denoting an exemption, including to work in Venice or as a resident of the Veneto region. Hotels in Venice, including in mainland districts like Marghera or Mestre, provided a QR code for visitors to attest to their stay, which includes a hotel tax — accounting for 40,000 of those.

Venturini, the tourist official, said that interest in Venice’s pilot program has been keen from other places suffering from mass tourism, including other Italian art cities, and municipalities abroad such as Barcelona, Spain, and Amsterdam.

But Marina Rodino, who has lived in Venice for 30 years, doesn’t see the fee as the cure-all. Neighboring apartments in her residential building near the famed Rialto Bridge once inhabited by families are now short-term apartment rentals.

The corner butcher shop closed. Yet she noted that the new entrance fee requirement will still allow young people to flood the city in the evening for the traditional aperitivo, which can grow rowdy.

She was passing out mock European Union passports for “Venice, Open City,” underlining the irony of the new system, and challenging its legal standing with citations from the Italian Constitution guaranteeing its citizens the right to “move or reside freely in any part of the national territory.”

“This is not a natural oasis. This is not a museum. It is not Pompeii. It is a city, where we need to fight so the houses are inhabited by families, and stores reopen. That is what would counter this wild tourism,’’ Rodino said.

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Europe: Venice residents protest as city begins visitor charging scheme – as it happened

Locals say city is against plan and accuse authorities of turning Venice into a ‘theme park’ by charging day trippers for visits

• 1d ago Summary of the day
• 1d ago ‘Recipe for disaster’: Venice entry fee sparks confusion and protest on day one
• 1d ago Italian state broadcaster journalists to strike
• 1d ago Why is Spain’s prime minister considering resigning from office?
• 1d ago Spanish prosecutor seeks dismissal of case against prime minister's wife
• 1d ago Protests in Venice as city introduces fee
• 2d ago Amsterdam targets river cruises
• 2d ago 'What fee?' Tourists react to new Venice fee
• 2d ago NGO cautions about environmental impact of over-tourism
• 2d ago Venice access fee: what is it and how much does it cost?
• 2d ago Welcome to the blog
• 2d ago ‘Are we joking?’: Venice residents protest as city starts charging visitors to enter

‘Are we joking?’: Venice residents protest as city starts charging visitors to enter

Authorities in Venice have been accused of transforming the famous lagoon city into a “theme park” as a long-mooted entrance fee for day trippers comes into force.

Venice is the first major city in the world to enact such a scheme. The €5 (£4.30) charge, which comes into force today, is aimed at protecting the Unesco world heritage site from the effects of excessive tourism by deterring day trippers and, according to the mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, making the city “livable” again.

But several residents’ committees and associations have planned protests for Thursday, arguing that the fee will do nothing to resolve the issue.

“I can tell you that almost the entire city is against it,” claimed Matteo Secchi, who leads Venessia.com, a residents’ activist group. “You can’t impose an entrance fee to a city; all they’re doing is transforming it into a theme park. This is a bad image for Venice … I mean, are we joking?”

Once the heart of a powerful maritime republic, Venice’s main island has lost more than 120,000 residents since the early 1950s, driven away by a number of issues but predominantly a focus on mass tourism that has caused the population to be dwarfed by the thousands of visitors who crowd its squares, bridges and narrow walkways at the busiest times of the year.

Read the full story .

Summary of the day

A long-mooted entrance fee for day trippers came into force in Venice .

Venice is the first major city in the world to enact such a scheme.

The €5 (£4.30) charge is aimed at protecting the Unesco world heritage site from the effects of excessive tourism.

But the scheme got a shaky start, bewildering people staying in hotels who needed to prove their exemption.

Protesters in Venice expressed their opposition to the new fee.

Opponents argue that the fee is against the principle of freedom of movement and will do nothing to meaningfully address over-tourism.

There was tension between police dressed in riot gear and the estimated 500 people protesting against the fee.

Meanwhile, Madrid’s prosecuting authority sought the dismissal of a case against the wife of Spain’s prime minister.

Journalists at Italian state broadcaster RAI will strike next month, reporters’ trade union Usigrai announced.

‘Recipe for disaster’: Venice entry fee sparks confusion and protest on day one

Venice’s entrance charge for day trippers has got off to a shaky start, bewildering people staying in hotels who needed to prove their exemption and drawing protests from some residents.

The €5 (£4.30) charge, aimed at curtailing over-tourism, has ignited fury among some residents. The charge kicked in at 8.30am on Thursday and will apply on 29 peak days until 14 July as part of a trial phase.

Most of the day trippers arriving at Santa Lucia station came prepared with a QR code proving they had paid the €5 toll, but the initiative caused confusion among people staying in hotels who were unaware they had to go through the rigmarole of confirming their exemption online.

Nicolas Schmit , the Socialist lead candidate in the European elections, has spoken out in defence of Pedro Sánchez and his wife, Begoña Gómez .

We condemn the latest far-right attacks in Spain, which are using spurious claims to harass Begoña Begoña Gómez, her husband Prime Minister @sanchezcastejon and their family. See what our president Stefan Löfven says 👇🏻: https://t.co/lxTP0JbOil #YoConPedro — PES 🌹🇪🇺 (@PES_PSE) April 25, 2024

Italian state broadcaster journalists to strike

Journalists at Italian state broadcaster RAI will strike next month, Reuters reported.

The journalists are protesting against the “suffocating control” over their work by the Italian government, reporters’ trade union Usigrai said today, criticising political attempts “to turn RAI into a mouthpiece for the government.”

Why is Spain’s prime minister considering resigning from office?

On Wednesday night, Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez , abruptly announced he was cancelling his public duties for the rest of the week and considering resigning from office. He said he would announce his decision on Monday.

What prompted the shock announcement?

Although Spanish politics has become increasingly polarised, personal and bitter over recent years, Sánchez said he had felt compelled to consider his position after what he called a baseless “harassment and bullying operation” conducted against him and his wife by political opponents and hostile sections of the rightwing and far-right media.

The announcement came hours after a Madrid court said it had opened an investigation into Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez , “for the alleged offence of influence peddling and corruption”. The investigation followed a complaint from the pressure group Manos Limpias (Clean Hands).

Read the full explainer here .

Spanish prosecutor seeks dismissal of case against prime minister's wife

Madrid’s prosecuting authority today sought the dismissal of a case against the wife of Spain’s prime minister, Reuters reported.

The move came a day after a judge agreed to look into a private complaint against Begoña Gómez over alleged influence peddling and business corruption.

Pedro Sánchez , the prime minister, cancelled his public duties for the rest of the week and said he is considering resigning, blaming a “harassment and bullying operation” by his political and media opponents for a court’s decision to launch an investigation.

Here are more photos from today’s protest in Venice .

Entrance fees, visitor zones and taxes: how Europe’s biggest cities are tackling overtourism

Mass tourism, promoted by cash-hungry councils since the 2008 crash and fuelled by cheap flights and online room rentals, has become a monster.

After plummeting during Covid, tourism numbers are soaring again and set to exceed pre-pandemic ­levels this summer. The number of low-cost airline seats in Europe, which rose 10% annually from 2010 and hit 500m in 2019, could pass 800m in 2024.

Before lockdown, Airbnb, the ­biggest but far from only ­platform for short lets, saw triple-digit growth in some European ­cities. The net result is that the most ­popular city break destinations now annually host 20 or more visitors for each local.

What to do about it, though, is no easy question. Delicate ­balances need to be struck between the much-needed revenues and jobs generated by tourism, and the ­quality of life of residents; between managing tourism and ­discouraging it.

One strategy that Seville – 3 million tourists a year for 700,000 inhabitants – may adopt is to charge for the big attractions. Since January, foreign visitors to Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, which gets about 3.5m ­visits a year, have been paying €25 for the privilege.

Other cities are relying on better management – Athens, for example, last summer introduced a time-slot system for visits to the Acropolis, while summer access to Marseille’s Calanques is now regulated through a free reservation scheme.

Some places are launching ­information campaigns aiming to reshape tourist flows. France, where 80% of visits are concentrated in 20% of the country, will this spring roll out a €1m campaign urging domestic and foreign tourists to head more off the beaten track .

Read the full story.

When tourists flock to a travel-guide hotspot - clogging ports with dirty cruise ships and pumping planet-heating pollutants out of planes - the environment is one of their first victims. That’s why Barcelona’s plan to fund climate action with a tourist tax could solve two problems at once: limiting the number of visitors who strain the drought-stricken city’s water supplies and financing green policies that clean the air and keep people safe during heatwaves. The city council said it will invest €100m in climate control systems in 170 schools - 148 of which are primary schools - over the next five years. It plans to pay for the measures, which it estimates will benefit 55,519 students, by hiking the tourist tax. Heatwaves have grown hotter, longer and more common as carbon pollution has baked the planet. As well as the large death toll from heat - which scientists pegged at 70,000 people across Europe in 2022 - hot weather makes it harder for students to learn. Barcelona’s plan includes sticking solar panels on rooftops to produce enough energy to power new heat pumps, which keep buildings warm in winter and air conditioners, which keep them cool in summer. The city plans to share the extra energy from the solar panels with the local communities.

Protests in Venice as city introduces fee

Here are the latest images from Venice , where some are protesting a new five-euro fee.

• Europe live

More on this story

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Venice to trial €5 ticketing system for day visitors from 2024

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Venice tests a 5-euro entry fee for day-trippers as the Italian city grapples with overtourism

VENICE, Italy — Under the gaze of the world’s media, the fragile lagoon city of Venice launched a pilot program Thursday to charge day-trippers a 5-euro ($5.35) entry fee that authorities hope will discourage visitors from arriving on peak days and make the city more livable for its dwindling residents.

Visitors arriving at Venice’s main train station were greeted with large signs listing the 29 dates through July of the plan’s test phase that also designated separate entrances for tourists, and residents, students and workers.

“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’’ said Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”

Not all residents, however, are persuaded of the efficacy of the new system in dissuading mass tourism , insisting that only a resurgence in the population will restore balance to a city where narrow alleyways and water buses are often clogged with tourists.

Hundreds of Venetians protested against the program, marching festively though the city’s main bus terminal behind banners reading “No to Tickets, Yes to Services and Housing.” Protesters scuffled briefly with police with riot gear who blocked them from entering the city, before changing course and entering over another bridge escorted by plainclothes police officers. The demonstration wrapped up peacefully in a piazza.

Tourists arriving at the main station encountered almost as many journalists as stewards on hand to politely guide anyone unaware of the new requirements through the process of downloading the QR code to pay the fee.

Arianna Cecilia, a tourist from Rome visiting Venice for the first time, said she thought it was “strange” to have to pay to enter a city in her native country, and be funneled through separate entrance ways for tourists. She and her boyfriend were staying in nearby Treviso, and so downloaded the QR code as required. But she was still caught off-guard while soaking in her first view ever of Venice’s canals by the sight of the entrance signs and her boyfriend telling her to get out the ticket.

On the other side of the entrance ways, workers in yellow vests carried out random checks at the train station. Transgressors face fines of 50 to 300 euros ($53 to $320), but officials said “common sense” was being applied for the launch.

The requirement applies only for people arriving between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Outside of those hours, access is free and unchecked.

Venice has long suffered under the pressure of overtourism, and officials hope that the pilot project can help provide more exact figures to better manage the phenomenon.

The city can track the number of hotel visitors, which last year numbered 4.6 million and is down 16% from pre-pandemic highs. But the number of day visitors, which make up the majority of the crowds in Venice, could only be estimated until recently.

A Smart Control Room set up during the pandemic has been tracking arrivals from cellphone data, roughly confirming pre-pandemic estimates of 25 million to 30 million arrivals a year, said Michele Zuin, the city’s top economic official. That includes both day-trippers and overnight guests.

But Zuin said the data is incomplete.

“It’s clear we will get more reliable data from the contribution” being paid by day-trippers, he said.

Venturini said the city is strained when the number of day-trippers reaches 30,000 to 40,000. On peak days, local police set up one-way traffic for pedestrians to keep the crowds moving.

Residents opposing the day-tripper tax insist that the solution to Venice’s woes are to boost the resident population and the services they need, limiting short-term rentals to make available more housing and attract families back from the mainland.

Last year, Venice passed a telling milestone when the number of tourist beds exceeded for the first time the number of official residents, which is now below 50,000 in the historic center with its picturesque canals.

“Putting a ticket to enter a city will not decrease not even by one single unit the number of visitors that are coming,’’ said Tommaso Cacciari, an activist who organized a protest Thursday against the measure.

“You pay a ticket to take the metro, to go to a museum, an amusement park. You don’t pay a ticket to enter a city. This is the last symbolic step of a project of an idea of this municipal administration to kick residents out of Venice,” he said.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro declared the launch day, coinciding with an Italian holiday, a success, registering 15,700 paying visitors, 50% more than anticipated.

More than 97,000 others had downloaded a QR code denoting an exemption, including to work in Venice or as a resident of the Veneto region. Hotels in Venice, including in mainland districts like Marghera or Mestre, provided a QR code for visitors to attest to their stay, which includes a hotel tax — accounting for 40,000 of those.

Venturini, the tourist official, said that interest in Venice’s pilot program has been keen from other places suffering from mass tourism, including other Italian art cities, and municipalities abroad such as Barcelona, Spain, and Amsterdam.

But Marina Rodino, who has lived in Venice for 30 years, doesn’t see the fee as the cure-all. Neighboring apartments in her residential building near the famed Rialto Bridge once inhabited by families are now short-term apartment rentals.

The corner butcher shop closed. Yet she noted that the new entrance fee requirement will still allow young people to flood the city in the evening for the traditional aperitivo, which can grow rowdy.

She was passing out mock European Union passports for “Venice, Open City,” underlining the irony of the new system, and challenging its legal standing with citations from the Italian Constitution guaranteeing its citizens the right to “move or reside freely in any part of the national territory.”

“This is not a natural oasis. This is not a museum. It is not Pompeii. It is a city, where we need to fight so the houses are inhabited by families, and stores reopen. That is what would counter this wild tourism,’’ Rodino said.