ZAGREB, 22 July 2022 - The ADOBE cross-border project on accessible tourism has ensured that persons with disabilities have access to all tourist facilities in Osijek-Baranja County, it was said at a presentation of the results of the projects in Osijek on Friday.

The Hungarian County of Baranya is the project partner, while the Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources and Croatia's Office of the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities are associate partners.

The total value of the project is €195,000, of which €100,000 is intended for Croatia and the rest for the Hungarian partners, said the deputy head of the Osijek-Baranja County Department for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mirela Kalazić, adding that 85 per cent of the money comes from EU funds and 15 per cent is own funds.

The project was launched on 1 May last year and is being brought to a successful completion, despite problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

The accessibility of 100 tourist facilities to disabled persons was examined during the project, and a mobile application was developed showing which facilities are more or less accessible to persons with disabilities and which are not accessible at all. Also, six mobile ramps were built at six tourist facilities, and equipment was purchased which persons with disabilities will be able to rent via the mobile application, Kalazić said.

Mario Burek, adviser to the Ombudsman for Persons with Disabilities, said that this project was an example of good practice.

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Rijeka is about to get its second wheelchair-accessible beach, namely at Ploče beach in Kantrida. An adaptation project of the western plateau of Ploče beach, including the new wheelchair ramp design, is currently in development.

As stated by the City of Rijeka, a working meeting was held by the city officials and representatives of local associations of persons with disabilities.

Rijeka Deputy Mayor Goran Palčevski said the implementation of the project is underway, and that one of its goals is to relieve the pressure on Kostanj beach, the only other beach in Rijeka which was purposely designed to be wheelchair-accessible.

‘We wish for the western plateau of Ploče beach to be ready by this summer, so that we would have two available beaches that are completely suited to the needs of people with disabilities during the upcoming bathing season’, said Palčevski. He added that any input or suggestions from the citizens who will be using the beach are more than welcome.

Representatives of associations of persons with disabilities thanked the City of Rijeka for this initiative and expressed their satisfaction that Rijeka will get another accessible beach. They presented several proposals and outlined ideas that will be taken into account and implemented as much as possible during the final development stage of the project.

The meeting was attended by Palčevski, Head of the Department of Health and Social Welfare Karla Mušković, Head of the Utility Services Department Maja Malnar, and representatives of associations of disabled persons. Namely, the Association of Persons with Cerebral Palsy, the Association of Persons Affected by Muscular Dystrophy of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.

February 8, 2021 – As part of the Tourism4All project funded through the Interreg Italy-Croatia program, a workshop on the accessibility of tourist facilities for people with special needs and the season prolongation will be held in Zadar.

The City of Zadar is a partner in the Tourism4All project funded through the Interreg Italy-Croatia program. The project aims to develop and promote a cross-border network of accessible tourist destinations. Also, it seeks to design a common approach and methodology for the development of new tourism products focused on people with special needs, as well as to extend the tourist season.

The interest of people with disabilities and people older than 65 in traveling is continuously growing, and this segment of the tourist market has vast underutilized potential. One of the activities of the Tourism4all project is the education of employees in the tourism and cultural sector about accessible tourism.

The workshop "Accessible Tourism and Market Potentials" will be held online on Thursday, February 11, 2021, from 11 am to 12 pm. The workshop will be led by Josip Milić, Head of the Department for Preparation and Implementation of EU Projects in the City of Zadar. Ana Perica and Josip Milković from the Association of the Blind of Zadar County will also join.

With the Tourism4All project, by improving the accessibility of natural and cultural sights of selected destinations and promoting new tourist services, the social inclusion of disadvantaged or people with special needs (disabilities, the elderly) will be encouraged. Also, the project intends to reduce tourism seasonality.

The project seeks to increase the availability of tourist products and services in selected destinations with exceptional natural and cultural heritage in Croatia and Italy.

Activities include developing a common methodology, capacity building, growth of competencies in the accessible tourism sector, networking, knowledge transfer, development of new services, preparation and implementation of joint tourism promotion of involved destinations.

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