A New Approach to Accessibility, Disability and Sustainability in Tourism – Multidisciplinary and Philosophical Dimensions

Abstract

Introduction and aim of the paper: The principles of sustainability are becoming increasingly important in the philosophy and practice of tourism. One dimension of this is the provision of accessibility. Making facilities accessible is interpreted by most as the elimination of physical barriers to movement and dislocation in the “community living space”. In our opinion, however, in accessibility physical realisation is not the only interpretation: in the interpretation of existential philosophy, one basic human characteristic is man’s barrier-dismantling and existentially handicapped character – so accessibility and our definition of disability are two of those basis characteristics that make us humans. Using the methodology of literature review, hermeneutical research and the findings of an extended online and face-to-face survey, the authors come to the conclusion that accessibility is more than making physical living space accessible, and they reconsider the frameworks of sustainability.