Accessible Tourism IN GREECE: A satisfaction survey on tourists with disabilities

People with disabilities make up a large, ever-increasing percentage of the world's population. Today, after many efforts of global and national organizations, they are institutionally treated as equal members of society. One of these activities in which they have the right but also the need to participate, is tourism. Accessible tourism is about making it easier for them to enjoy tourism experiences. Making tourism more accessible is not only a social responsibility – there are also economic benefits through an expanding of potential tourism market. Accessible tourism presupposes a tourism offer that shapes accessible tourism products, infrastructure and services, both from the public and the private sector. Greece successfully complies with international standards in the legislative field, incorporating the decisions and directives of international organizations and the European Union. It makes every effort to facilitate the disabled people, adopting the principles of a universal design, a design for all. The purpose of the research of this paper was to investigate the satisfaction of tourists with disabilities from the existing infrastructure, tourist products and services they used during their holidays in various places in Greece. In addition, it is investigated to what extent and in which sectors there are prospects for improving accessible tourism in Greece. In practice, the present research has shown many weaknesses and shortcomings in some areas of accessible tourism. The evolution of this form of tourism has not reached the level to achieve unimpeded transportation, accommodation and entertainment in general, so that the tourists can fully enjoy their holidays. Regarding the service of the staff in general in the accommodation areas and in the tourist areas, tourists are quite satisfied with the services they provided. Greece may make efforts to improve these infrastructures, but as the responses of people with disabilities show, they are not enough to move around safely and comfortably. It seems there is a lack of mechanism in Greece for certifying, monitoring and evaluating accessibility standards.