The evolution of ICTs in accessible tourism: A stakeholder collaboration analysis

Abstract

Although information and communication technologies (ICTs) possess a multitude of possibilities to improve and enhance access for people with disabilities to tourism services, their added value, which is of both a social and economic nature, continues to be neglected by the industry. While existing literature considers stakeholder collaboration as an essential element for fostering sustainable product and service development, a substantial discussion on the subjective perceptions of stakeholders regarding the implementation of ICTs for accessible tourism has yet to occur. To help achieve a common strategy in this regard, this paper offers a qualitative investigation on collaboration patterns and potential pathways towards smart accessible tourism. The results of this study show a common understanding of accessible tourism within the stakeholder groups of (1) people with disabilities, (2) organizations of people with disabilities, (3) H&T service providers, and (4) governmental agencies. The weak standardization of existing websites, mobile applications, booking platforms, and social media when attempting to achieve accessible tourism has been extensively criticized. While collaboration here is visible on a regional level, stakeholders on the national level place superficial information exchange above true in-depth collaboration that aims to achieve a common goal. This tends to obscure who should possess the authority to define and control digitalization for accessible tourism. In the past, this translated into numerous information and communication platforms that were implemented without taking the time to consider the ones already in place. To address these shortcomings, the theory is enhanced via digitalization aspects, resulting in a framework on ICT development for accessible tourism, deriving implications for theory and practice while focusing on recommendations for all respective stakeholder groups.