[Tourism and handicap--progress in integration into general travel and vacation services]

Disabled tourists to a greater extent than hitherto possible, wish to integrate in the tourism mainstream and share in the "civic right to holidaying", notwithstanding the numerous architectural and transportation barriers to their mobility they still have to put up with. This is further aggravated by the fact that information about the choice of appropriate touristic opportunities is not readily accessed by the prospective holidayer. There hence is a need to step-up communicative marketing efforts in the field of tourism for disabled persons, to enable broader dissemination of available holiday opportunities adapted to the specific, individual needs. Representative studies have been able to show that worries are unfounded that the presence of people with disabilities might have adverse effects on mainstream business. Rather, the desire for harmony that prevails during one's holiday, is suggested to entail a greater ease of interaction. A target group-oriented social management approach should therefore be employed to adequately prepare tourism workers for creative handling of this social-integrative task. Both the tourist industry and tourism policy-makers at federal and laender levels have recognized the need for action towards inclusion of disabled tourists. Founded in April 1996, it hence will be a major task of the National Coordinating Unit, Tourism for All to focus the various interests involved, and to contribute to turning holidaying of disabled people into holidaying without handicap.