In order to be able to provide a quality service, it is necessary to have a basic knowledge of the different types of disabilities.
Travel Agency Counter officers
- Contact specialised travel agencies, transport offices (airlines, trains), hotels, tourist offices;
- Evaluate the reliability and the quality of information in cooperation with disability organisations;
- Refer to the suggested information centres, check how the date was collected and if the structure has been verified by trained checkers;
- When arranging air travel for a person with reduced mobility, do not feel afraid to ask intimate questions about his/her weight, the use of the toilets, etc.
Transport company staff
- Knowledge of their own company, national railways (base stations), airlines and the services they offer;
- Knowledge of the rules regulating transport of disabled persons in their own company.
Hotel Staff
- Know the level of accessibility of their own hotel;
- Maintain good contact wiht the tourist offices to get information on accessible sights, museums, etc.
Tourist Office and Tourist Guides
- Know the own city and tourist attractions and know how they cater for people with special needs;
- Adapt special guided tours to the customer's needs and know about possible alternatives (e.g. bike paths);
- Know about the places of interest (accessible museums, sights suitable for the blind ones, scented gardens etc.)
- Know about the places of interest and the possibilities they offer (accessible museums, sites suitable for visually impaired people, scented gardens, etc.);
- Know about the leisure offer: sports (water sports, skiing, hiking, etc.), restaurants, beaches, technical aids and possibilities to rent e.g. a hand-bike or a tandem;
- Know about special city or area-guides;
- Know if the structures have been checked locally;
- Co-operate with the disability organisations and exchange information with them.
Where to get the information?
- From disability organisations in your country;
- From national information offices such as ALPE in Spain, CNAD in Portugal, CNRH in France, Co.In. in Italy, Info-Handicap in Luxembourg, MIS Switzerland, etc.;
- From Mobility International;
- From the MI Switzerland Infothek database which comprises a lot of city, region and country guides worldwide;
- Search the Internet and relevant printed media;
- Look for the different guides published in the various countries.
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