Universal Accessibility Central to Responsible, Sustainable Travel Policies, Secretary-General Says in Message for World Tourism Day

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for World Tourism Day, observed on 27 September:

With almost 1.2 billion people travelling abroad each year, tourism has become a powerful economic sector, a passport to prosperity and peace, and a transformative force improving millions of lives.

Everyone has the right to access leisure and tourism services on an equal basis.  Yet 1 billion people around the world living with disability, along with young children, seniors and persons with other access requirements, still face obstacles in accessing fundamentals of travel such as clear and reliable information, efficient transportation and public services and a physical environment that is easy to navigate.  Even with modern technologies, those with visual, hearing, mobility or cognitive impairments are being left behind in many tourism destinations.

Accessibility is both an important market opportunity and central to responsible and sustainable tourism policies and business development strategies.  I encourage policymakers, destination planners and companies working with people with special needs to work together to remove all barriers, mental and physical, to travel.  On this World Tourism Day, let us recognize that all people can and should be able to participate in tourism and enjoy unforgettable travel experiences.