La Romana, DR.- The La Romana Bayahibe Hotel Association (AHRB) has unveiled the action plan for its “Accessible La Romana Destination” project, aiming to showcase the project’s progress to date and outline future steps for expanding its accessible offerings.
According to UN Tourism, approximately a thousand million people worldwide live with some form of disability, constituting roughly 15% of the global population. With this figure steadily rising, the project prioritizes broadening the accessible offerings to ensure that all visitors, regardless of their abilities, can fully enjoy everything La Romana has to offer. This involves implementing effective training programs for the local community and devising a comprehensive strategy.
Recognizing accessibility as the key to ensuring that spaces, objects, and systems are usable by all individuals in a safe, equitable, and autonomous manner, the AHRB, in collaboration with the Open Doors Organization (ODO), has conducted comprehensive assessments of affiliated hotel facilities. These assessments cover various areas such as rooms, restaurants, shops, pools, and beach access.
The evaluations have enabled the identification of accessibility features and facilities in the assessed establishments. This information is being used to develop tailored short and long-term plans for each property, incorporating inclusive design principles to enhance accessibility.
Ana García-Sotoca, the executive director of the AHRB, emphasized the association’s commitment to meeting international accessibility standards, including the provision of accessible rooms and comprehensive staff training on disability etiquette and sign language since 2014.
Furthermore, the AHRB is collaborating with local tour providers to analyze tourism activities for potential adaptations, ensuring a fully inclusive experience for people with disabilities. Additionally, through a partnership with the National Council for the Development and Inclusion of People with Disabilities (CONADIS), accessibility has become an integral part of the destination’s sustainable development policy.
García-Sotoca highlighted that Blue Flag certified hotels have undergone audits by CONADIS to ensure full accessibility compliance, meeting standards set in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Moreover, the AHRB, alongside CONADIS, supports hotels in hiring people with disabilities through training and guidance. Currently, around 22 employees with disabilities are employed in destination hotels, with over 300 individuals having undergone awareness and training workshops.
In conclusion, García-Sotoca reiterated the association’s commitment to overcoming challenges and creating an inclusive destination that reflects the values of the community.