Dubai, a destination for all including the disabled

Supplied file photo

Dubai - Accessible tourism should be social responsibility: Expert

Dubai can become a long term destination of choice for all, including travellers with disabilities, said an expert participating in the 'Dubai Inclusive Development Forum 2015', which began on Sunday.
"Travel and tourism providers are slowly but surely coming to the realisation that people with disabilities are a huge target group," Dr Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (Enat), told Khaleej Times on the opening day of the two-day forum.
Calling accessible tourism "part of our social responsibility", Ambrose said the economic contribution is high when it comes to travellers with disabilities.
Ambrose said tourists come in all shapes and sizes, so it's about time countries around the world start letting them in. In the US every year, travellers with disabilities bring in revenues of $17.3 billion.
To raise Dubai's status from 'tourist destination' to 'world-class competitor in tourism', it must invest in accessibility. "Dubai sees a huge influx of visitors year on year. That is its advantage. What it now needs to do is find out what the needs of these visitors are."
"People in the tourism business need to become more and more interested in accessible tourism. Attracting these visitors is vital for the growth of an economy," Ambrose said.
Collecting statistics on the types of people entering Dubai and analysing what they want is a must, he said. "For Dubai to make the most of what it has with regards to tourist visit numbers it needs to conduct visitor surveys, talk to tour operators and collaborate with all the different sectors here to find out where the gaps lie."
By finding out the all round needs of its visitors, he said Dubai can then work on the areas of improvement, in turn making it more competitive as destination of choice for tourists. Globally, one in seven people are disabled - about one billion people. In the UAE, 21,956 people are living with a disability, 13,000 of who live in Dubai.
"On an average, people with access needs in the EU travel with about 1.9 companions. People with disabilities tend to travel with more companions than, say, an elderly person." As a result, an average of three people spend money in the chosen destination for every person travelling with disabilities.
In Europe, one in five people have an access need. If this one person travels to a destination where accessibility is poor, the chances of them returning for a follow up visit is low.
For Ambrose, it's not just the private sector that is responsible for ensuring access is up to scratch.

Isolated access
"You could have the best access in the best buildings in the world, but if public space is lagging when it comes to accessibility, you will not succeed as a long term destination of choice." It is imperative the public sector in Dubai continues to improve its public space infrastructure, he said.
"There is no use having all these little isolated islands with great accessibility if the connecting space in between is not suitable for people with disabilities."
The 'Dubai Inclusive Development Forum 2015' was opened under the patronage of Shaikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Sunday.
Part of the "My Community ... A City for Everyone" initiative, the two-day event is being held for the first time in Dubai and will conclude today.

Emirati dreams of coexistence26-year-old Emirati, Khalfan bin Daher, was born blind. His biggest dream is equality for all. "We are all one, so lets help each other. I don't want one tool for me and one tool for another. We should all coexist together, in the same environment." Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the 'Dubai Inclusive Development Forum', assistive technology consultant, Daher, said Apple's latest product perfectly sums up his future vision for people with disabilities. "They have brought this iPhone out which can be used by everyone, everywhere. It is one price for all and does not have to be adapted to suit a person's need. It does not discriminate. That is smart thinking and I have the same perspective on thinking." For Daher, improved infrastructure in Dubai will improve the quality of life for people with disabilities but the most important message is to treat everyone the same. "My dream is to make the whole community friendly, not just towards disabilities, but towards everyone."

kelly@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Dubai

Kelly Clarke

• kelly@khaleejtimes.com