DETUROPE | 2026
Authors: Raffay Z.
DOI: 10.32725/det.2026.004
Journal: DETUROPE
Year: 2026
Publisher: Regional Science Association of Subotica (Drustvo za Regionalne Nauke)
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access
Cited by: 0
Approximately 15% of the world’s population live with some form of disability, and this proportion is expected to rise in the future. Despite undoubted progress in recent decades, the participation of people with physical, organoleptic, intellectual etc. disabilities in tourism is often blocked by different mental, physical, organisational etc. barriers, or the lack of interest and attention on the part of tourism service providers, even in countries with a relatively high level of socio-economic development, and so the tourism sector is losing a significant economic opportunity, as accessibility is opening up a potential new customer base. Based on the findings in international and Central-Eastern European literature, the results of international studies and research, including statistical data from a recent four-country survey in Central-Eastern Europe, the paper demonstrates the achievements of accessible (or inclusive) tourism so far and outlines some possible solutions for making the tourism sector more inclusive. It also proves that the increased inclusion of people with disabilities is a largely untapped economic opportunity, and also a moral obligation of the majority societies. The overall conclusion of the paper is that accessible tourism may improve the performance of tourism by the inclusion of a large and until now largely unutilised segment, provided that more attention is paid to their special needs and the provision of accessibility becomes a mainstream attitude in the tourism industry. © 2026 Regional Science Association of Subotica (Drustvo za Regionalne Nauke). All rights reserved.
accessibility; Central-Eastern Europe; disabilities; Hungary; inclusive tourism; sensitisation