Inclusive Tourism and Its Place in Sustainable Development Concepts

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this Special Issue is to showcase the progress made in current research and the literature on inclusive tourism, considered in the context of different concepts of sustainable development.

In particular, this Special Issue of the peer reviewed journal Sustainability aims to expand the discussion and scholarly debate on different perspectives, trends, approaches, cases, impacts, challenges, models, and/or frameworks related to inclusive tourism.

Inclusive tourism is broadly understood as ensuring that everybody has access to and enjoys spaces, communities, land, hospitality, services, food, paths, and mobility. In this way, it contributes to social wellbeing, brining happiness to people and ensuring that everybody, with no exceptions, is able to enjoy the beauty of tourist places and participate in various tourist activities.

The development of inclusive tourism aims not only to expand access to consumption, production, and benefit sharing at existing tourist destinations but also to draw a new map of tourist places and experiences and the interactions that accompany them.

Inclusive tourism has many stakeholders in different environments who strive to expand the circle of people involved in tourism creation, tourism consumption, and those benefiting from tourism. Social inclusion is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations, which states: "Many people are excluded from development because of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability or poverty. Development can only be inclusive – and reduce poverty – when all groups of people contribute to creating opportunities, share the benefits of development and participate in decision-making” (UNDP 2016).

This Special Issue aims to further explore sustainable tourism practices. Some examples of topics of interest for this Special Issue are as follows:

1. Links between inclusive tourism and accessible, responsible, and sustainable tourism;
2. Tourism and recreational activities for people with disabilities and with special needs (e.g., seniors, pregnant women, families with small children);
3. Spatial, architectural, and social barriers to the tourist activities of people with disabilities, seniors, pregnant women, and families with small children, as well as examples of the elimination of such barriers;
4. "Design for All" as a planning strategy that aims to achieve sustainable accessibility for all;
5. Accessibility of attractions, accommodation, transport, and public space for people with disabilities and with special needs (e.g., seniors, pregnant women, families with small children);
6. Accessibility of tourist offers for people with disabilities and with special needs;
7. Educating staff for the provision of tourism services to people with disabilities and special needs;
8. The role of local governments and tourism organizations in ensuring the accessibility of destinations;
9. Economic aspects of the development of inclusive tourism;
10. New groups of people with disabilities and with special needs;
11. Challenges and opportunities for the sustainable development of inclusive tourism;
12. Scenarios for the development of inclusive tourism;
13. The use of artificial intelligence and modern technologies in designing accessible tourism.

Prof. Dr. Zygmunt Kruczek
Dr. Katarzyna Gmyrek
Dr. Karolina Korbiel
Guest Editors

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