Abstract
Accessibility constitutes one important consideration in the field of scholarship relating to inclusive tourism development because it is fundamentally about the inclusion of people with disabilities in tourism and in society. This conceptual paper maps how accessible tourism is currently positioned against an established framework of inclusive tourism development and gives examples of relevant accessible tourism studies to recommend a future agenda for more inclusive outcomes that move towards sustainability. The seven elements of Scheyvens and Biddulph’s (2018) conceptual framework for inclusive tourism development form an appropriate and useful tool upon which to examine the current state of accessible tourism. The application of this framework reveals that we still have some way to go. We conclude this paper with a future agenda that posits attention to all seven elements of the inclusive tourism framework for accessible tourism, notably, to increase the involvement of people with disabilities as tourism producers and consumers; increase their self-representation and participation in decision-making; transform power relations; reimagine tourism places and people; and break down social barriers. We especially urge researchers to examine the dominant ableist discourse, to consider how our inquiry can be more participatory and inclusive, and to seek to bridge inquiry, industry and community.
Highlights
Tourism scholars continue to question how the tourism industry and tourism research might drive a more inclusive and sustainable future
With this purpose in mind, the aim of this conceptual paper is to map how accessible tourism is currently positioned against the framework of inclusive tourism development and to give examples of relevant accessible tourism studies to recommend a future agenda for more inclusive outcomes that move towards sustainability
Whilst the seven elements of inclusive tourism development form an appropriate and useful framework upon which to map the current state of play of accessible tourism scholarship so as to propose a future agenda, as is proffered in this paper, it does not provide a means for recommending specific initiatives to combat the social barriers imposed by the tourism industry
Summary
Tourism scholars continue to question how the tourism industry and tourism research might drive a more inclusive and sustainable future. As tourism has long been positioned by scholars as exclusionary, there is a continued need to address the industry’s lack of accessibility that creates social inequality [2] With this purpose in mind, the aim of this conceptual paper is to map how accessible tourism is currently positioned against the framework of inclusive tourism development and to give examples of relevant accessible tourism studies to recommend a future agenda for more inclusive outcomes that move towards sustainability. Considered as both an analytical concept as well as an aspirational ideal, inclusive tourism development “can be used to evaluate current tourism practices to help detect where changes are needed, as well as to guide new tourism development” [2] Before mapping the current position of accessible tourism scholarship against the seven elements of inclusive tourism development, the paper considers the background context of the field of study and discusses the concepts of disability, sustainability, accessibility and inclusive tourism development
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.