Accessible Tourism Standardisation Work

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Accessible Tourism Standardisation Work

Why tourism matters

According to UNWTO, over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification, to become one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world. An ever-increasing number of destinations worldwide have opened up to, and invested in tourism, turning it into a key driver of socio-economic progress through the creation of jobs and enterprises, export revenues, and infrastructure development. The number international tourists has grown from 25 million in 1950 to 1 186 million in 2015.

The need to develop Accessible Tourism

The international standard on accessible tourism for all will offer clear guidelines for tourism planning and destination management as it will provide recommendations and requirements on the key aspects of policy making, strategic frameworks and specific characteristics of infrastructure, products and services.

The international standard on accessible tourism for all targets all tourism public and private sector stakeholders at all levels, namely local, regional, national and international, as well as other stakeholders from economic sectors related to tourism and the sphere of universal accessibility.

International Committees & developing Accessible Tourism standards

ISO/TC 228 is a technical committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) responsible for developing internationally accepted standards for terminology and specifications of the services offered by tourism service providers, including related activities, touristic destinations and the requirements of facilities and equipment used by them, to provide tourism buyers, providers and consumers with criteria for making informed decisions.

International Standards Committee: ISO/TC 228/WG 14 "Accessible Tourism"
National Standards Committee: NSAI/TC 023/SC 05/WG 07 "Accessible Tourism”

NSAI Invitation to Get Involved

The NSAI would like to invite interested parties, including organisations representing the tourism sector, accessibility and usability organisations, and older persons to participate in this important work.

The first meeting of ISO/TC228/WG14 “Accessible Tourism” will take place on the 13th and 14th of February in Madrid Spain at the Spanish Standards Organisation Body. It is the intention of NSAI to establish a National Mirror Committee (NSAI/TC 023/SC 05/WG 07 "Accessible Tourism”) to follow this work and make submissions on any projects developed by ISO/TC228/WG14.