2023-05-31 18:28:44
Increasingly inclusive tourism and mobility for the over 3 million Italians with disabilities, thanks to adapted rental cars that make even people with special driving licenses totally independent when traveling and getting to know the local area. This is the objective of ‘Independent life (not) goes on vacation’, a campaign created by Aism (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association) with the patronage of Enit and Fish (Italian Federation of Overcoming Disability) and the appreciation of ministers for Disabilities and Tourism.
The project aims to make available to people with disabilities in possession of a special driving license an adapted car rental service through the Sicily by Car platform, which has joined the initiative. By 2025, the initiative aims to reach up to ten airports in important Italian cities such as Milan, Rome, Florence, Naples, Palermo, Catania, Turin, Bari, Trapani and Perugia, selected on the basis of passenger needs and tourist potential .
Accessible tourism represents a sector in constant growth, underline the promoters of the project. In Italy there are over 3 million people with disabilities, 87 million in Europe: being able to experience tourism in freedom and autonomy is a fundamental right for every citizen, which pertains to the design of life and self-fulfilment. Too many barriers that still stand in the way of the concrete exercise of this right, also emerged from the annual Multiple Sclerosis Barometer (MS) presented this morning in the Senate by Aism, and which reports a highly critical picture of access to transport services, accommodation facilities, cultural heritage: not only physical barriers, but also related to the processes and models of organization of services, as in the case of traditional car rental services. For this reason Aism, faithful to the Agenda of the Sm 2025, has decided to intervene concretely, creating with private partners such as BIL Benefit and Sicily by car a model that opens up the possibility of renting cars for people with special licenses. By asking for and obtaining the patronage of institutional subjects such as Enit and networks of associations of people with disabilities such as Fish.
“A project that enhances the country’s ability to offer inclusive tourism solutions – says the Minister for Disabilities, Alessandra Locatelli – by removing an obstacle to freedom of movement, contributing to realizing the right to autonomy and independent life, expanding the potential of the entire national tourism system through services capable of building truly intelligent communities because they are inclusive, accessible, sustainable”.
“Another significant step in the context of Aism’s 2025 Sm and related pathologies Agenda – highlights Francesco Vacca, national president of Aism – which promotes an accessible and inclusive environment to guarantee the autonomy of people with disabilities and build sustainable communities requires universal accessibility”.
According to Istat data, people with more serious limitations are also those who show less satisfaction with the activities they usually carry out in their free time: only 8.3% declare themselves very satisfied and 31.2% declare themselves not very satisfied satisfied.
#Inclusive #tourism #mobility #million #Italians #Aism #campaign