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« SicilyforAll » and «Bookingbility» web sites highlight the places that are accessible to a potentially 260 million strong market, in Europe alone, of those who have mobility difficulties.
Today, booking a hotel and organizing your trip in and around Sicily is at your fingertips. Images of relaxing on sun-drenched beaches, enjoying beautiful natural sea and landscapes float into mind for the majority of us come holiday time. Yet, not everyone can count on it being an easy, laid back experience. Very often those with mobility difficulties find unpleasant surprises or unforeseen obstacles holidaying in places that simply do not have the necessary facilities. This is why two new portals have been created, both of them Sicilian, dedicated to accessible tourism: « SicilyforAll » and «Bookingbility».
The first has been thought up for those with special needs, supporting, enhancing and promoting four UNESCO sites in Sicily: Etna, the Roman Villa in Piazza Armerina, the Aeolian Islands and the late Baroque towns of the Noto Valley. In doing so, sea, volcanos, archaeology, art and culture Sicilys protagonists – are suddenly to be truly enjoyed by everyone.
« SicilyforAll » has been created as part of the UNESCO MUST Project (Mobility Unesco Sustainable Tourism) which was the idea of six specialists in the field of tourism: Errequadro, a leader in the field of consultancy and marketing in the tourist hotel sector, Logos Communications, the Sicilian UNESCO Foundation, Ecotours, Crilù Travel and CeSVoP, the Centre for Voluntary Services in Palermo. «SicilyforAll» provides valuable information on the facilities and accessibility of tourist services, museums, churches, historic buildings, as well as, in hotels, B&Bs, on farmhouse holidays, and in holiday homes etc. All of this enables the individual to plan ahead and know whether or not a place is up to their needs. Needs that can be said to be «special» because they go beyond what might be considered by some as «normal», yet involve a growing number of tourists or aspiring travellers of all ages. The portal does not limit itself to the disabled but takes into consideration the needs of the elderly, large families, pregnant women, and people with particular pathologies, allergies or food intolerances. Tapping a market that in Europe alone has a potential 260 million consumers.
Soon «Bookingbility» will be made available for consultation too, to those of you with mobility difficulties and «special» needs making your choice of holiday accommodation reliable. At the moment the site is open to subscription for those in the tourist accommodation sector. All the B&Bs, hotels and holiday villages that have suitable facilities can add their data and photographs by simply clicking on the link https://welcome.bookingbility.com . Annalisa Riggio, is the founder of the portal, together with Aurelio Biglino and Giuseppe Sciascia. At present around 100 hotels have joined the initiative. The project is supported by Confindustria and Confcommercio and in September will be awarded the national prize for Innovative Services.