Accessibility of Tourist Attractions for People with Disabilities as a Factor in the Development of Inclusive Tourism. Example of Swietokrzyskie Region – Poland

The number of people with disabilities in the world and in Poland is constantly increasing. Social inclusion, anti-discrimination and social integration is one of the Sustainable Development Goals, which includes inclusive tourism. Fostering inclusion in the tourism industry contributes to improving the quality of life among marginalised communities, community involvement in tourism development planning and ethical activities related to the production and consumption of tourism services. Making attractions accessible to the people with disabilities also contributes to enriching the region's tourist offer. The aim of this study is to assess the accessibility of tourist attractions in the Świętokrzyskie region, located in central Poland. The natural, cultural and historical attractions here create potential for the development of various forms of tourism. The accessibility of 20 major tourist attractions for people with mobility, sight and hearing impairments was examined. The results indicate a varying level of adaptation of facilities to the needs of the surveyed groups of people. Recreation and entertainment facilities are the best adapted, while sacred and historical facilities are the least adapted. Most adaptations were directed towards people with mobility impairments, with blind and partially sighted people and deaf and partially hearing people often overlooked. Barriers to adaptation identified included the excessive cost of adaptation and the limitations of the historic nature of the building. The inadequate preparation of attraction staff to deal with people with disabilities was also highlighted, as well as the importance of modern technology in creating accessibility and the need to promote inclusion among attraction managers and in regional policy. The article also includes an analysis of the local government's measures for social inclusion.