The overall aim of the OSSATE project is to create a new trans-national e-service in Europe, which will allow disabled citizens and their families to find information out about the accessibility of tourist destinations.
The service will be offered via the Web and by mobile phones, and will employ data gathered by National, Regional and City-based tourist organisations.
The prototype service will be developed with the participation of Greek and UK national and regional tourist organisations, and will demonstrate a “live” e-service during the course of the project. The demonstrator will test the organisational, technical and financial viability of such a service, and will provide a concrete platform for the roll-out of a future pan-European Accessible Tourism service , to be established in cooperation with National and Regional Tourist Organisations, tourism providers in the private sector, tourist agencies and user organisations. At present there is no such existing or comparable Europe-wide service.
Making tourist destinations accessible for all visitors is not a ‘minority' issue, although most travel organisations and providers have ignored this fact for decades.
In the 25 EU member states there are approximately 45 million citizens of all ages who have a disability and, due to a lack of accessible transport, accommodation and venues, the vast majority of them and their families are unable to travel as they wish. Many never go on holiday at all.
The difficulties, disappointments and disasters of disabled people's travel exploits have been reported on a myriad of occasions by individuals and disability organisations. Most disabled travellers have experienced severe inconvenience, many have been denied access to places or services enjoyed by non-disabled visitors, and some have even suffered severe accidents as a result of incorrect advice or a lack of appropriate provisions.
Given the demographic ageing of populations in the world's industrialised countries, it is inevitable that the current demand for accessible venues and hotels is going to increase markedly over the next 30 years.
Most disabilities are acquired during older life, as are chronic diseases. But such difficulties need not stop people from travelling and enjoying holidays in other countries and regions of Europe.
If tourist venues and surroundings are adapted or built according to design-for-all principles, the environment need not be an insurmountable challenge for those whose mobility, vision, hearing, or general functional abilities may be impaired.
Tourist destinations that can meet accessibility demands will have a significant advantage in the tourism market. Indeed, European consumer organisations maintain that catering better to the needs of disabled and elderly people can open up one of the European tourism sector's most significant and lucrative “untapped markets”.