The UNWTO International Conference “Tourism for All” opened today

The UNWTO International Conference “Tourism for All” opened today in the presence of the Italian Minister Daniela Santanchè and the Deputy Ministers of Tourism of Korea, Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic

The International Conference of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): “TOURISM FOR ALL - Advancing accessibility for destinations , companies and people” began with a very high turnout and a series of prestigious panels at the Kursaal Congress Center of the Republic of San Marino. Political and technical authorities attend the conference to promote "tourism for all" and discuss what the world of tourism must do to guarantee people with disabilities the right to travel without problems.

The day of work opened with greetings from the Minister of State for Tourism Federico Pedini Amati and the Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè, co-organizers of the event together with the World Tourism Organization which will be represented by Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director. The testimonies of Martyn Sibley, co-founder and CEO of Purple Goat Agency and Disability Horizons and Andrea Zavoli, San Marino professor and founder of the non-profit organization Vento in Faccia were particularly appreciated and heartfelt.

During the morning, it took place the ministerial round table on the topic "how can strategic leadership promote tangibl results in terms of accessibility?" with the Minister of Tourism Federico Pedini Amati, Celso Sabino de Oliveira, Minister of Tourism of Brazil, Mi-ran Jang, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, Jan Fluxa, Deputy Minister of Development of the Czech Republic, Umid Shadiev Director of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan, Peleg Lewi, Ambassador and Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Israel and Valentina Superti, Director of Tourism at the European Commission.

Among the guests also Princess Haifa bint Muhammad Al Saud, Saudi Deputy Minister of Tourism, who in the afternoon met the Minister Pedini Amati and his staff in a "bilateral meeting".

Jesús Hernández Galán, Director, EU Resource Center on Accessibility-Accessible EU and Igor Stefanovic, Technical Coordinator, Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department of the UNWTO spoke about international accessibility standards as guidance tools.

In the afternoon two technical panels: the first one on transport, mobility and infrastructure, design, removal of architectural barriers, the second one on guaranteeing universal access to cultural heritage and protected natural areas.

In the evening, political and institutional guests and speakers were received in the Audience by the Captains Regent HE Filippo Tamagnini and HE Gaetano Troina who had also attended the Opening Ceremony in the morning.

Tomorrow there will be the second day of work at the end of which the "San Marino Action Plan" will be presented, a document that dictates the guidelines for the development of accessible and sustainable tourism in line with the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and respectful of people with disabilities.