Benidorm presents a pioneering plan at Fitur to improve the accessibility of tourist transport

Within the framework of the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) being held these days in Madrid, Benidorm City Council has presented a pioneering plan developed jointly with the main organizations in terms of accessibility to continue improving the conditions of tourist transport in the city. This document, called 'Development plan for accessible tourist transport in Benidorm', carries out a detailed study of all the transport services offered in the city, as well as its urban conditions, to evaluate its degree of accessibility. and then provide different proposals to continue improving in this area.

The document has been prepared by Impulsa Igualdad – the new name for Predif, the State Representative Platform for People with Physical Disabilities – and TUR4all, the collaborative accessible tourism area of this platform, which collects and provides information on tourist establishments, resources and services with accessibility features for all. Throughout the process, both entities have had the collaboration of the Benidorm City Council.

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, has participated in the presentation of this innovative project together with the president of Impulsa Igualdad, Fran Sardón; the director of the Tourism area of this platform, Miguel Carrasco; and its Tourism expert, Marina Gil, in a meeting in which the first deputy mayor, Ana Pellicer, also accompanied them.

Toni Pérez highlighted that the study was born “within our commitment to continuous improvement to make Benidorm a 100% accessible, inclusive destination that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their abilities, as stated in the Goals of Sustainable Development, in which accessibility is a fundamental pillar.” Likewise, the first mayor recalled that the preparation of this document "was already contemplated in the Benidorm Tourist Accessibility Plan", and that it will "allow us to have an updated diagnosis that can be used for decision-making" in matters that are of municipal jurisdiction.”

For his part, Fran Sardón has highlighted that the study "demonstrates that Benidorm has been working continuously and very well, applying accessibility criteria throughout the tourism chain", while recalling that "transport is an “a fundamental part so that all travellers and tourists can reach Benidorm.”

The authors of the study recognize that “Benidorm has been, for several years now, a benchmark in terms of tourist accessibility”, a fact that “is accredited by the production of different planning documents in this area, which makes the will of the destination tangible in the configuration of it as a municipality accessible to all people.” Among these documents, they highlight the projects developed within the framework of the EDUSI and others such as the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PMUS), the Universal Accessibility Plan, the Strategic Tourism Plan 2018-2021 or the Accessible Tourism Plan of Benidorm, within which this latest report relating to transport and mobility in the territory is framed.

To obtain the diagnosis and conclusions, the complete chain of accessibility has been studied; that is, the relationship between the different stages that make up the trip from its beginning, with the search for truthful information about the destination and its tourist characteristics, until arrival, roaming within the destination, enjoyment and, finally, return to the habitual residence. And, in addition, other factors have been taken into account, such as the fact that the public bus transport service is a concession that is not the direct responsibility of the City Council, but of the Generalitat Valenciana; or that the extension and the urban fabric itself allow more than 70% of movements to be pedestrian.

Among the spaces that have been analyzed to verify whether they meet accessibility criteria and whether there is room for improvement are the TRAM intermodal station and the bus station, to which are also added occasional transportation services, the taxi service, the urban bus service and the tourist bus service, as well as the existing parking spaces throughout the city for people with reduced mobility.

In addition to the study of these spaces and services, interviews have also been carried out with the actors responsible for the organizations and companies offering the various types of transport, as well as different participatory work tables or 'focus groups', with transport providers. urban residents, members of the city council and residents of the municipality, as well as representatives of associations of people with disabilities, so that they could offer a reflection regarding the degree of transportation accessibility.

Among the recommendations raised by this 'Development plan for accessible tourist transport in Benidorm' is to expand the number of places reserved for people with reduced mobility on intercity and/or discretionary buses that stop at the bus station; improve the design of some urban bus stops; use new signage in some spots; as well as carry out training, communication, public-private collaboration and public awareness campaigns on certain aspects.