Europe to lead in accessible tourism by 2025

13-01-25

Accessible tourism is tourism that can be enjoyed by all people regardless of their physical disabilities. The year 2025 is full of inclusion so that tourists and locals can enjoy European cities without any kind of impediment. Transport, accommodation and tourist attractions have shifted their sectors towards proposals for accessibility for all.

The list of European cities geared towards accessible tourism in 2025, drawn up by the company Stannah Spain, is headed by Madrid and Barcelona, which stand out for their proposals for tourist accessibility and large-scale mobility solutions. 

The two Spanish cities are working on initiatives that guarantee access for all visitors without physical impediments. Without losing their historical essence, Spain's two most important urban centers are committed to the most innovative accessibility with ramps, elevators and handrails at entrances to buildings, buses and subways. In addition, the facilities are also adapted inside in terms of bathrooms and access to the different floors. 

Likewise, they ensure that accommodations and gastronomic spaces are inclusive in the same way, highlighting the central Madrid neighborhoods of La Latina and Malasaña. 

Not to overlook the fact that these are two important cultural destinations, in Madrid the Prado and Reina Sofía museums, and in Barcelona the Sagrada Familia and Parque Güell, which are adapted to mobility in their urban design.

In Barcelona, the initiative committed to physical disability on the beaches stands out, making it a benchmark for inclusive tourism worldwide. To access the sea, Barcelona has implemented walkways and wheelchairs that connect the sand and the water, also called 'amphibious'. 

The accessibility market

Madrid and Barcelona have been able to include themselves in the accessibility market, opening up to tourists with reduced mobility, who, together with their companions, spend up to 30% more than the average visitor, according to MMGY Travel Intelligence.

In turn, these improvements in transportation and access to public buildings also have an effect on the quality of life of both visitors and the local community.  In addition, they see an opportunity to strengthen the tourism market and the local economy. 

After Madrid and Barcelona, there are other European capitals committed to the inclusion of tourists such as Amsterdam, Dublin, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris and London.