Barriers and preferences to leisure activities for wheelchair users in historic places

Abstract

ABSTRACTHistoric sites and heritage buildings are popular places to visit in many parts of the world. This paper seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the experiences of wheelchair users at heritage sites. A questionnaire was used to collect descriptive data about preferences of and barriers faced by wheelchair users in Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul. Sultanahmet Square is the most popular tourist attraction in Istanbul, and contains an open-air museum featuring the city's oldest relic. The study shows that this heritage site is not sufficiently prepared for wheelchair users who wish to participate in a day trip. The challenges they experienced arose from difficulties many designers encounter while trying to create accessible environments and meet the requirement of restoration and conservation at the same time. The obstacles can only be overcome with the support of national policies that take into account the constraints and barriers that affect each location's accessibility. To promote the development of such policies, awareness about constraints and barriers must be raised among both the designers and service providers in tourism. Universal design offers guidelines that will help lead to better design solutions.