Greece, Tourism and Disability

Accessibility, Tourism and Greece. How are these three words connected, collide or consistent? The concept of access takes its true value when talking about universal access to all sectors focused to the specific category of people with disabilities. Accessibility is everyone’s right. The right of access for people with disabilities to culture, tourism and entertainment is a fundamental human right, and is directly related to their quality of life and their ability to participate in social activities and in that way should be dealt by the State and its law enforcement agencies, according to the Constitution of Greece. The need to participate in the tourism sport activities, the lack of access in the structured or not environment for the disabled groups of visitors, create misinterpretation and lack of guaranteed levels of services. In 2003, which was also the European Year for People with Disabilities, in the Council of Ministers of the EU the resolution on the Accessibility of people with disabilities to Cultural Infrastructure was adopted in many respects, including accessibility to travel and tourism. It was that year when the first official actions to build access to the ‘sea and sand’ were run in Greece under the guidance of the Ministry of Development. Since then many accessible beaches were created in many Greek places and structures has been used independently by people with disabilities. After a great number of beaches all over, the accessible beaches and bathing facilities remain minimal in number and location.