The world’s fourth most-visited destination works to be the best for tourists with disabilities
150 million disabled tourists annually spend billions of dollars
Tourists of determination prefer visiting cities friendly to them
The team includes representatives of government bodies and private agencies dealing with tourists
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, has launched Dubai Team for Accessible Travel and Tourism as part of the endeavours to consolidate the emirate’s global standing as round-the-year destination accessible to all.
He unveiled the decision during a meeting he organised of senior officials in both government agencies and private organisations dealing with travel and tourism businesses.
His Excellency Jamal Al Hai, Deputy CEO at Dubai Airports and Team Leader, expressed deep appreciation for the support provided by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed to the travel and tourism industry in Dubai.
He said: “Accessible tourism is an important sector for our national economy as well as helps promote the rights of People of Determination to move around and travel without hassles and obstacles. The Dubai team will work to offer a good image of the UAE to the world as a pioneering tourism with hospitality services for all visitors being of the best in class.”
The senior Emirati official called upon the team members, each expert in their fields, to jointly work to advice on improvements at our airports, airlines, hotels, shopping centres and other touristic places to provide the best services for tourists with disabilities in the emirate.
He explained: “The goal behind establishing the team is to put the authorities from the public and private sectors under one roof, to discuss needed to permanently improve facilities and services for disabled tourists. We will be working on the agenda through having brainstorming sessions, exchanging opinions and identifying the achievements of each agency representing a field.”
The Team will hold meetings with People of Determination to get acquainted with their needs and requirements during their movements in cities and while travelling to and in destinations.
Ghassan Suleiman Amhaz, Team’s General-Coordinator, said the number of People of Determination has reached about one billion, or the equivalent of 10-15 per cent of the total population in the world. The World Health Organization has called them an important segment of society that pumps hundreds of billions of dollars annually into the global economy through the travel and tourism streams.
He pointed out the number of Tourists of Determination has reached about 150 million annually who look to travel and visit cities and other destinations that meet their special requirements satisfactorily. According to the European Network for Accessible Tourism estimates, the volume of lost opportunities for the global economy stands at 142 billion euros due to their reluctance to move to cities and touristic places that are not property and appropriately accessible for them
