11th Accessible Tourism Day, 17 March 2023
On Friday, 17 March 2023, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) will hold its eleventh "Accessible Tourism Day" (10:30 am - 03:00 pm).
The GNTB will focus on the question of how the various needs of holidaymakers with disabilities can be addressed in tourism offers, what attractive options already exist for the various target groups of barrier-free offers, and what the associated opportunities and challenges are for tourism providers and DMOs.
The online event will be opened by the Federal Government Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Tourism, Dieter Janecek, Member of the German Bundestag, and the Federal Government Commissioner for the interests of persons with disabilities, Jürgen Dusel.
National and international experts will discuss the topics "More accessibility - but how?" in keynote speeches, presentations and discussion rounds at the 11th Accessible Tourism Day. The responsibility of builders, architects and operators", "People with care needs and their relatives - an underestimated target group", "People with disabilities as employees in tourism - also a key to more accessibility?" and "Mobility on Demand - a building block of the transport revolution - advantages and pitfalls for people with disabilities".
The event is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
It is being implemented with the support of the state working group "Tourism for All", the working group "Leichter Reisen - Barrierefreie Urlaubsziele in Deutschland" and the AG Tourismus of the German Council for People with Disabilities (DBR).
Sign language, simultaneous and written interpreters will be used for the online event. Event languages are German and English (with simultaneous translation).
You can register here. https://registration.germany.travel/atd2023
Programme for download
#TDBT23 Live Tweets
Schedule “Accessible Tourism Day”
Moderation
Daniela Wiesler-Schnalke
10:30–10:40 am
Opening
Olaf Schlieper, Innovation Manager, German National Tourist Board
10:40–10:50 am
Welcome
Dieter Janecek, Federal Government Coordinator for the Maritime Industry and for Tourism
10:50–11:00 am
Welcome
Jürgen Dusel, Federal Government Commissioner for the Interests of Persons with Disabilities
11:00–11:10 am
Welcome
André Nowak, Spokesman of the Tourism Working Group at the German Council for People with Disabilities and Deputy Chairman of the ABiD Institute for Disability & Participation e. V. (IB&P)
11:10–11:20 am
Short BREAK
11:20–11:30 pm
Keynote
Rhiannon Parker (USA), Chief Innovation Officer, The Valuable 500
11:30–12:20 pm
Discussion
Discussion More accessibility – but how? The responsibility of builders, architects and operators
Stefan von Schlotheim, Managing Director, Seehotel Rheinsberg and Heidehotel Bad Bevensen of FDS Hotel gGmbH
Gesine Häfner, Head of Marketing and Press, National Park Center KÖNIGSSTUHL
Sebastian Neuhaus, Managing Director, KRIEGER Architekten | Ingenieure GmbH
Tino Stockmar, Business manager and consultant, BARRIEREFREIHEIT GmbH
Ben Kirby (UK), General Manager, Enable Holidays
Annalea Schröder, Policy Officer, German Cochlear Implant Society e. V.
12:20–12:50 pm
BREAK
12:50-1:20 pm
Discussion
People with disabilities as employees – also a key to more accessibility?
Christian Urschel, Managing Director, CFK – Centrum für Freizeit und Kommunikation der Lebenshilfe gGmbH
Christian Etl, etl-pichler hotelmentors consulting, Consultant of Inclusion Hotels, supporting member of the Association of Embrace Hotels e. V.
Rhiannon Parker (USA), Chief Innovation Officer, The Valuable 500
Thomas Corinth, Head of the Hotel Management program at IST University of Management
1:20 –1:50 pm
Discussion
People with care needs and their relatives – an underestimated target group
André Scholz, Founder and Board of Directors, Reisemaulwurf e. V.
Daniel Ruprecht, German Alzheimer Association
Susanne Gäumann (CH), Founder and Executive Director, Claire & George Foundation
Tino Richter, Managing Director Tourismusverband Sächsische Schweiz e. V., Spokesman of the working group“Leichter Reisen – BarrierefreieUrlaubsziele in Deutschland”(Easier Travel – Accessible HolidayDestinations in Germany)
1:50 –2:00 pm
Short BREAK
2:00–2:30 pm
Discussion
Mobility on Demand – a building block of the traffic turnaround Advantages and pitfalls for people with disabilities
Sabine Humpert-Kalb, Chairwoman, Behindertenrat Düsseldorf
Markus Pellmann-Janssen, Head of Sales D-A-CH, ioki GmbH
Anthony Armiger II, Project Manager On-Demand Mobility at NAH.SH GmbH (Local Transport Association Schleswig-Holstein)
Jochen Benz, Head of Key Account Management & Business Development at ZF Mobility Solutions GmbH
2:30 –2:40 pm
Presentation
Special Olympics World Games – a booster for the destination development of Berlin
Bettina Quäschning, Head of Destination Development at Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH
2:40-2:50 pm
Farewell
Olaf Schlieper, Innovation Manager, German National Tourist Board