Draft Programme
DAY 1: 16 November 2023
08:30-09:30 Registration
09:30-10:00 Opening ceremony
H.E. Mr. Federico Pedini Amati, Minister of Tourism, San Marino
H.E. Mrs. Daniela Santanchè, Minister of Tourism, Italy
Ms. Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
10:00-10:30 Fireside chat with Martyn Sibley, Co-Founder/CEO, Purple Goat Agency & Disability Horizons
10:30-10:45 Coffee break
10:45-12:30 POLICY SEGMENT – Ministerial Round Table: How can strategic leadership advance concrete accessibility achievements?
Panel on the role of public administrations in driving inclusive policies and strategies, and, applying standards which cater to host communities and visitors alike. The debate will revolve around a Ministerial Position Paper and will put in the spotlight specific achievements and projects of policymakers that inspire further peer-to-peer dialogue.
Moderator: Alessandra Priante, Director, Regional Department for Europe, UNWTO
Video messages by: H.E. Mr. Celso Sabino de Oliveira, Minister of Tourism of Brazil and Ms. Valentina Superti, Director for Tourism and Proximity, European Commission
Panelists:
- H.E. Mr. Federico Pedini Amati, Minister for Tourism, San Marino
- H.E. Ms. Mi-ran Jang, Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Republic of Korea
- H.E. Mr. Jan Fluxa, Deputy Minister for Regional Development, Czechia
- Mr. Umid Shadiev, Chairperson, Tourism Committee, Uzbekistan
- Ambassador Peleg Lewi, Foreign Affairs Senior Advisor to the Minister for Tourism of Israel
12:30-13:00 POLICY SEGMENT: SPECIAL FEATURE – International Accessibility Standards and Information Hubs as Guidance Tools
Presentation of the landmark ISO 21902:2021 Standard on Accessible Tourism for All, the first international comprehensive tool for making tourism infrastructure, products and services more accessible. Introduction to a series of UNWTO implementation user-guides launched in 2023, targeting administrations, destinations, the private sector and managers of tourism resources. Insights into the new European Accessibility Resource Centre – AccessibleEU, aimed at driving forward the implementation of EU accessibility policies and legislation in all EU-27 Member States, engaging public authorities, accessibility professionals, private businesses, educators and NGOs.
Jesús Hernandez Galán, Director, Accessibility EU Resource Centre-AccessibleEU (video message)
Igor Stefanovic, Technical Coordinator of the UNWTO Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department / UNWTO Specialist in Accessible Tourism
Wrap up of the policy segment: Andrea Zavoli, Professor and Founder of Onlus Vento in faccia
13:00-14.00 Lunch
14.00-15:30 Technical Panel I: Accessible transportation and mobility: How can the basic pillar of tourism experience become more accessible?
A group of experts will debate on solutions to ensure the accessibility within the transportation and mobility industry, infrastructure, services and devices, catering to visitors with specific access requirements and seniors, in different stages of their journey. The panelists will shed light on the common concerns in delivering a seamless experience, as well as key information on accessibility which often fails to reach the customers.
Moderator: Linda Ristagno, Assistant Director, External Affairs/ Global Accessibility & Tourism, International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Panelists:
- Hilal Kahraman, Experience Design and Segment Management Chief, İGA Istanbul Airport, Turkey: iGA Cares: An Accessible Journey is Possible at Istanbul Airport
- Svend Wandaas, Senior Legal Adviser/Privacy Officer, Ruter As-Public Administrator of Municipal Transport in Oslo, Norway: Accessibility services in the public transportation system
- Luca Briziarelli, Journalist and Italian Senator, Senato della Repubblica, XVIII Legislature: Making car rental fleet and services accessible for all
15:30-15:45: Coffee Break
15:45-16:00 SPECIAL FEATURE: Applying principles of Universal Design to enhance Accessibility for All to Cultural and Natural Resources, by Katerina Papamichail, Architect, Accessibility Expert, Board of Directors, European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), Greece
16:00-17:30 Technical Panel II: Universal Access to Cultural Heritage and Protected Nature Areas: How does innovation drive accessibility advancements?
Experts will underline how the sector’s key stakeholders can improve people’s comfort, safety and life quality, by improving accessibility to both cultural and natural environments. Managers of cultural and natural resources and institutions will discuss methods for assessing and enhancing accessibility of cultural sites’ levels. The panelists will showcase good practices in enabling universal access to cultural expressions and the natural environment through investments, innovation and collaboration with destinations, the private sector and organizations of persons with disabilities. Lastly, the session will address how to balance heritage or nature conservation values with requirements to make tourism experiences accessible for all.
Moderator: Stefano Dominioni, Director, European Institute of Cultural Routes, Council of Europe
Panelists:
- Antonio Caponetto, Head of Department for Policies in favor of Persons with Disabilities, Advisor to the Minister for Disabilities, Italy
- Dino Angelaccio, President of ITRIA – Intercultural and Accessible Religious Tourist Itineraries: From the right to beauty to social reintegration: Accessibility Improvements in Procida, Ravenna and Pompei
- Sonia García Fraile, Technician of Accessibility and Innovation Directorate, ONCE Foundation, Spain: Making the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago) accessible
- Baptiste Hottekiet, Director of Parc naturel du Pays des Collines, Wallonia’s Nature Parks Federation, Belgium: Project Natur’Accessible: Extraordinary nature accessible to all, myth or reality?
20:00-21:30 Gala dinner
DAY 2: 17 November 2023
09:15-09:30 SPECIAL FEATURE: Policymaking against new legislative frameworks: Gianluca Caramanna, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Head of the Parliamentary Group on Productive Activities, Italy, Introduction by: Federico Pedini Amati, Minister of Tourism, Posts, Cooperation and Expo, San Marino
09:30-11:00 Technical Panel III: Disability inclusion in sports, leisure and events: How does inclusion contribute to personal fulfillment and new opportunities within the tourism value chain?
The panelists will showcase a wide array of approaches in addressing the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities in sports, recreation and leisure activities, in the context of tourism. All these activities are of key importance to the tourism sector value chain as they take place within a great variety of destinations which feature different accessibility challenges that need to be successfully bridged through social inclusion and entrepreneurship. The session will also discuss the accessibility of events, the essence of the MICE industry.
Moderator: Briony Brookes, Head of PR & Communications for Cape Town Tourism, South Africa
Panelists:
- Thomas Deschamps, Director, Observatory on Sustainable and Accessible Tourism, Paris Je t’iame-Paris Tourism Office, France: Making the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics more accessible for all
- Helena Ribeiro, Project Manager for Accessible Tourism, Turismo de Portugal: Tools for businesses in the spheres of MICE, leisure, festivals and events
- Ignatios Fotiou, President, TOBEA, Greece: SEATRAC, making seaside destinations accessible to ALL
- Riccardo Giuseppe Capo, Managing Director, MIRABILANDIA, Italy: No fun without inclusivity – Mirabilandia Experience
- Alberto Dellavalle, Director, Infrastructure and Environmental Quality, Municipality of Rimini, Italy: The new waterfront of Rimini: an experience for all.
11:00-11:15 SPECIAL FEATURE: ‘The Lovely Places’: Building bridges between San Marino, Emilia Romagna and Marche, for more accessible tourism experiences: by Federico Pedini Amati, Massimo Feruzzi and Stefano Moroncelli
11:15-12:45 Technical Panel IV: Accessibility as a business opportunity: How does it bring benefits to the tourism industry?
Panelists representing the private sector and destinations will highlight through their success stories, why accessibility is about quality, opening up to new audiences, generating business opportunities and greater product differentiation driven by changes in design and marketing. They will also discuss approaches to strengthen innovation, the application of technologies, as well as the best ways for the industry to shift its mindset and stand up for the accessibility cause, once and for all.
Moderator: Ross Calladine, Head of Business Support at Visit England / Disability and Access Ambassador for Tourism to the Government of the United Kingdom
Panelists:
- Thodoris Tzoumas, Mayor of Skiathos, Greece: Accessibility in island destinations
- Tommaso Bertini, Chief Corporate & Tour Operating Marketing Officer, Alpitour World, Italy: Alpitour’s ‘barrier-free’ project: how can holidays be more accessible?
- Javier Sancho, Director Sales Europe (Spain, Italy and Portugal) Hilton Hotels: Embracing the universal access cause by hotel chains
- Beatriz Miguel Díez, Director of Operations and Customer Experience, ILUNION Hotels, Spain: Labour inclusion and Universal Design as a win-win for people and customers
- Maurizio Borletti, CEO, San Marino Outlet Experience: Accessibility as fundamental base in shopping tourism: the example of San Marino Outlet Experience
- Aleksandar Bajic, CEO and Founder, Curae.me, Germany: Care solutions for travellers disabilities and seniors
Coffee available and served in the lobby throughout the morning
12:45-13:00 Presentation of the San Marino Action Agenda to advance Accessible Tourism, by Igor Stefanovic from the World Tourism Organization. The call to action will be resulting from the Ministerial Round Table and the Technical Panels, making the San Marino Agenda a catalyst of change in enhancing accessibility for all people. Upon its presentation, it will be announced that a compendium of good practices and success stories in accessible tourism, showcased in San Marino, would be published by UNWTO and partners, as the final outcome.
13:00-13:15 Wrap-up of the Conference and Closing ceremony
H.E. Mr. Federico Pedini Amati, Minister of Tourism, Republic of San Marino
Ms. Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
13:15-16:00 Technical tour with lunch
Post congress Tour
Three guided tours to discover the historic center of San Marino are planned for the afternoon of November 17.
Itinerary 1
With accessibility also to visually impaired. The route will be modeled on the itinerary approved by the State Museums and State Directorate in that it will include the possibility for visitors to touch some of the monuments/works in the State Museum, the Public Palace, the Basilica and other locations in the historic center. The tour will include a stop at the TACTILIA Tactile Space.
Maximum number of participants: 5 per group and language (excluding accompanists).
Duration: 2 hours 30 approx.
Particularly suitable for tactile disabilities.
Itinerary 2
With accessibility also for motor disabilities and/or deaf people. The route includes a tour of the historic center including the most iconic monuments and places. Departing from Porta della Murata Nuova (Parking n.5), we will walk along Donna Felicissima Street, Piazzetta Garibaldi, Piazzetta del Titano, Cava dei Balestrieri, Cantone della funivia, Piazza della Libertà and Basilica.
Maximum number of participants: 15/20 per group.
Duration: 2 hours approx.
Suitable for all
Itinerary 3
San Marino Outlet Experience Accessible for All.
A visit to a modern architectural outlet designed to welcome customers with all kinds of disabilities: mobility is insured in all areas including wheelchair accessibility to all shops, toilets, restaurants, and the playground area. The staff is trained to meet the needs of visitors with different access requirements.
Suitable for all.
