This course is offered to students who are interested in learning more about accessibility in the context of tourism and in developing accessible/inclusive solutions for industry stakeholders. Upon the completion of the course, the student will become 1) more aware of history and current context of accessibility in tourism industry; 2) more knowledgeable about main recognised types of disability and conditions relevant for customer journeys in travel and tourism; 3) more competent in analysing tourism environments from the perspective of accessibility 4) more skilled in applying world's best practices in accessibility to develop solutions for local tourism contexts.

Accessibility contexts in tourism from the perspective of disability types (physical and cognitive, visible, invisible, permanent, temporary, etc.)
Customer journey (from planning to post-trip reporting) – main stages and segments, seen from accessibility perspective
City geography as an experience for disabled residents and visitors
Urban planning for tourism – infrastructure, services, technology solutions

A task from a partner connected to developing an accessibility solution
Team work sessions, coaching
Presentation sessions, feedback

Individual assignment: Developing Accessible Tourism, written report (literature review) (50%); Team Assignment: Accessible tourism: solution proposal (50%)
Grade 1,2,3,4,5

The course will include the latest reports from disability organisations and tourism organisations. Materials will include contributions from international academic experts and businesses. Guest lecturers and company visits are also included.

The world needs to change to become more inclusive and more constructive, so that everybody has the right to experience historical heritage, exciting events, and inspiring destinations in a safe, dignified and comfortable way. Come to this course and find out what various tourism organisations around the world are doing to advance the accessibility of tourism destinations. Besides learning best practices, you will be able to apply your learning to real business contexts, by looking at accessibility features of industry partners and suggesting possible improvements.

The course has been developed by colleagues from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland), University Cote d'Azur (France), University of Sevilla (Spain), and University of Genova (Italy)

The student should be able to study university level subjects in English.

The individual assignment may be delayed yet submitted with adherance to the instruction. The language is passable and the plagiarism is avoided in the text. The topic is relevant. The sources are listed and made use of in the text. The team presentation touches upon some of the questions mentioned in the instructions and the solution is attractive enough. The proposal is unclear in terms of viability and not precise in describing the social impacts. The presentation works for most of its parts. The submission is delayed beyond the course timeline.

The individual assignment is submitted before the end of the course, and the instructions are adhered to well. The topic is relevant, and the style is close to a formal style of writing. The sources are diverse enough. The plagiarism score is passable. The team presentation delivers answers to most of the points mentioned in the instruction. The solution is realistic and could work in a real context. The proposal has a merit in terms of viability and takes into account sustainable development at least in theory. The presentation is smooth and up to the point. The submission is before the end of the course.

The individual assignment is submitted and presented within the suggested submission time with excellent adherence to the instructions. The text is written in academic English, the sources are diverse and up to date. The report is highly relevant and useful. The plagiarism score is zero. The team presentations answers convincingly and in detail all the questions in the instruction part. The solution is feasible and ready for application in a real context. The proposal is viable and socially responsible. The presentation is excellent both in terms of public speaking and in terms of contents. The submission is within the suggested date.