Accessible Tourism in Protected Natural Areas: An Empirical Study in the Lazio Region

Abstract

The article aims to analyze the state of the art on services provided by protected natural areas in the Lazio region. The paper highlights the strengths and the aspects to improve in these protected natural areas to promote and incentivize accessible and inclusive tourism. An empirical investigation involving the region of Lazio (Italy) was performed, adopting a quantitative research design. First, the authors collected secondary data on the protected natural areas in the region and on the services available. Then, a questionnaire was used to quantitatively investigate the services provided to meet the needs of tourists with disabilities. The findings show that the structures provide essential services, such as marked paths, equipped bathrooms, various aids to overcome obstacles along the visit route and flooring that allows accessible transit. However, there is a need to invest in staff training and continuously update information on the websites. It is important to address the lack of information on the needs and expectations of disabled individuals.

1. Introduction

The presence of disabilities in individuals places them in a condition of continuous challenge that affects the performance of many activities. It follows that people with disabilities also sacrifice tourism, as it requires the association of physical, mental and social abilities that the presence of disabilities compromises [1]. Although regulations have been enacted to meet the specific needs of tourists with disabilities, allowing them greater opportunities to travel, there are still barriers and constraints that hamper the full enjoyment of their rights [2]. In the literature, many studies on accessible tourism highlight the presence of a set of barriers and constraints that hinder people with disabilities [3]. The identified obstacles can be traced back to two macro-categories: physical accessibility and accessibility to information [4]. Restrictions on transport, inaccessibility of accommodation and tourist areas and the absence, inadequacy or incompleteness of information characterize the destination sector. This is mainly the result of lack of awareness or misinformation about the real needs of people with disabilities [4,5,6]. The first World Disability Report [7] estimates that over a billion people, about 15% of the world’s population, live with some form of disability, a trend that is on the rise compared to the past; in the 1970s, in fact, this estimate was around 10%. In addition, about 70% of disabled people are physically and financially fit to travel [8]. Several studies at the international level confirm this economic dimension and at the same time highlight that a good percentage of disabled people forgo travel due to inadequate offers and that travel would be more frequent if they had opportunities that would ensure greater accessibility [9,10,11]. It follows that in order to address accessibility in the tourism industry, tourist destinations should ensure accessibility in their physical environment as well as adequate information [12,13]. Against the context described, the objective of this work is to verify the presence of facilities and equipment, as well as information, that ensure tourism accessibility to individuals with disabilities. Attention has been placed on the accessibility of protected natural areas. Currently, in most of the protected natural areas, there are ecological paths; however, these are often not suitable and practicable for people with a certain degree of disability.

In detail, the analysis was focused on the natural protected areas in the Lazio Region, highlighting three factors: accessibility to information, physical accessibility and the presence of other services that facilitate access.

The research framework comprises the following research questions:

• − What is the state of the art on the services provided by protected natural areas in the Lazio region?
• − What are the strengths and those areas to be improved for protected natural areas in Lazio to promote accessible tourism?

The paper is organized as follows. The next section presents the literature review. Section 3 illustrates the materials and the methods. Results are shown in Section 4. Section 5 provides discussion and findings, and in Section 6, some conclusions are drawn.

2. Accessible Tourism

Existing studies show that people with disabilities face a number of obstacles to participation [14,15,16], which at the same time limit access to many tourism opportunities [1]. In particular, the crucial element on which the tourist experience of people with disabilities is based is having accessible destinations and identifying suitable accommodation during trips [17,18,19]. Therefore, with reference to tourism and disability, access refers to management, that is, to the management of a multiplicity of constraints [20,21]. Part 2 of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism [22] states that tourism activities must be carried out in compliance with equality between men and women and must favor the implementation of human rights, in particular of the most vulnerable (children, the elderly, the disabled, ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples). Accessible tourism was defined ‘as a process of enabling people with disabilities and seniors to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universal tourism products, services and environments’ [23]. The United Nations World Tourism Organization [24] recognizes accessible tourism as a central and integrated part of responsible and sustainable tourism. For the purposes of this paper, we adopt the definition of sustainable tourism as ‘Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities’ [25]. It follows that from a responsible and ethical point of view, the fundamental element of accessible tourism, also known as ‘tourism without barriers’, consists of guaranteeing safe, autonomous and comfortable travel for people with different degrees of disability [23,26,27,28,29].

Puhretmair and Buhalis [11] identify three accessibility needs that the tourism sector must satisfy: physical accessibility, information on accessibility, and an information package that is accessible online. Physical accessibility is linked to the physical environment of tourist destinations and represents the main aspect to guarantee the accessibility of goods and services to tourists. In addition, tourism establishments should ensure that they have the reliable information needed to plan and make travel decisions. The lack of reliable information therefore constitutes a major obstacle for people with disabilities, who have unique needs [8]. For individuals, information affects their ‘psychological state such as personality, interests and attitude towards leisure’ [2,30]; therefore, if they do not receive adequate information, people with disabilities feel at risk when they are outdoors [31,32]. Finally, taking into account the different types of disabilities, the availability of information online is required. The use of technologies would serve as a support to facilitate efficient access to information online for people with disabilities [8,33,34].

In this direction, there are several contributions in the literature, focusing on the analysis of the accessibility of websites of tourism organizations and their compliance with the guidelines for accessibility of web content [35] as well as the evaluation of the correctness of their design and coding in relation to the use of websites by disabled people [36].

From these scientific contributions, it emerges that information tools not only represent only a marketing or communication channel, but rather are ‘transmitter of experiences’ that participate in the entire tourism process [35].

3. Materials and Methods

The present research is grounded in an empirical study developed in Italy, in particular in the Lazio region. The authors adopted a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches through a secondary data collection and web survey, to learn about the state of the art of how the natural protected areas in the Lazio Region manage access to their services, focusing on the services and information made available for tourists with disabilities.

The mixed-methods approach combines qualitative and quantitative techniques to provide a more extensive analysis of a phenomenon. In particular, the qualitative phase guides the data collection in the quantitative analysis [37].

First, the authors collected secondary data to analyze the state of the art on the protected natural areas of the Lazio region and what services the region offers. Secondary data was collected in September 2021. Information on accessible tourism in the Lazio region was investigated through published information on the official website of the region.

Then, in order to highlight the strengths and areas to be improved for protected natural areas in Lazio, a quantitative survey with a structured questionnaire was created, considering the following aspects:

(1)

Accessible information presentation: investigate if the routes are signposted, if there is information on the services available (parking lots, toilets, refreshment points), and if these are easily accessible, even for the disabled. In addition, consider whether the staff is trained in welcoming tourists, managing disabled persons and providing information.

(2)

Physical accessibility of the environment and accessibility of tourism services: evaluate physical accessibility in natural protected areas, considering the presence of benches, refreshment points, playgrounds, shuttle services or other services available.

(3)

Accessibility factors for disabled tourists: focus on how the natural reserve areas are equipped for disabled tourists. Evaluate whether the bathrooms are equipped and adequate to allow movement with the wheelchair; if the paths are free of obstacles or if there are aids to overcome any slopes or obstacles; if there are gates or doors that can be easily opened or accessed; if the flooring allows easy passage of wheelchairs; if the structures offer courses dedicated to the blind.

More specifically, the survey was aimed to investigate how these areas guarantee accessibility to services for disabled people.

The questionnaire was composed of three sections, with 18 questions (

Table 1. Questionnaire structure.

Dimension	Code	Item	References
Accessible information presentation	A1	Are the routes adequately marked?	[8,11]
	A2	Is the information available on the website in easy-to-read mode for the disabled?
	A3	Is there information on the technical aspects of the route, such as services for the disabled (nearby parking lots, toilets, refreshment points, etc.), walking difficulties (slopes, type of flooring, etc.), and the presence of allergenic plants?
	A4	Is the presence of disabled toilets adequately marked?
	A5	Is there a satisfaction questionnaire on the structure, dedicated to the disabled?
	A6	Are there personnel adequately trained in the reception and management of the disabled?
Physical accessibility of the environment and accessibility of tourism services	A7	Are there suitable benches?
	A8	Are there any refreshment points?
	A9	Are there dedicated playgrounds?
	A10	Are there shuttle services?
	A11	Specify if there are other services available.
Accessibility factors for disabled tourists	A12	Are the bathrooms adequately equipped with a sink, cabinet, toilet, and shower to allow easy use?
	A13	Are the spaces inside the bathroom adequate to allow movement with a wheelchair?
	A14	Are the paths free of stairs or obstacles?
	A15	Are there any aids to overcome any slopes or obstacles (ramps, stair lifts, lifts, etc.)?
	A16	Are there gates or doors that can be easily opened or are accessible for the disabled?
	A17	Does the flooring allow for easy transit of wheelchairs?
	A18	Are there courses dedicated to the blind?

). For the questionnaire construction, validated scales in the existing literature were used [8,11]. In addition, the results of the secondary data collection (qualitative phase) were considered in the design of the questionnaire. The survey was developed using a dichotomous scale (no/yes).

A pilot test of the questionnaire was developed, involving 25 individuals, after which the formulations of some questions were modified to guarantee the clarity and consistency of items and dimensions.

The final version of the questionnaire was administered online to a sample (90) of people associated with the protected natural areas of Lazio, identified through analysis of secondary data (qualitative phase).

Data collection began in June 2021 and ended in September 2021, with 40 questionnaires completed. The convenience sample used in this study was considered appropriate for addressing the exploratory nature of the research [38,39], and the sample size seemed to be sufficient for the analysis. The descriptive analysis was carried out by SPSS software.

4. Results and Discussion

4.1. State of the Art on Accessible Tourism in the Lazio Region

Secondary data analysis was mainly developed on the Internet. The table in Appendix A and Figure 1 shows the 90 protected natural areas present in the Lazio region. The Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of the Territory and the Sea—Directorate for the Protection of Nature update the list, which gathers all the protected natural areas, marine and terrestrial, that are officially recognized [40]. In the Lazio region, the surface of the protected natural areas (including national parks, marine protected natural areas, natural reserves, natural reserves of animal populations, integral nature reserves, archaeological parks, natural and suburban parks, provincial nature reserves, marine oases, oases, natural monuments, partial nature reserves, urban parks) extends to 200,656 ha.

In order to develop inclusive, accessible and sustainable tourism, the Lazio region offers various services. For instance, Superabile INAIL [41] has activated a call center to provide information on the main issues related to disability (aids, job placement, architectural barriers, legislation, etc.) and therefore also on the possibilities of accessible travel and accessibility guides. The service provides reports of sites and guidance on the accessibility, visitability and usability of tourist sites.

Another service is ‘Lazio una guida per tutti’, a printed or online guide that presents three different itineraries (seas and mountains, art and history, nature and culture) and a section dedicated to services and accommodation facilities that can be used by people with disabilities in the regional territory. The ‘Italia Accessibile’ website [42], a blog on accessible tourism and accessibility, also organizes various guided tours for people with disabilities, providing information on the itinerary, the duration of the visit and the possibility to rent a car for the disabled.

In addition, the region, in order to promote full social inclusion and equal opportunity, has made efforts to facilitate access and use of the beaches by people with disabilities. The intervention consists of the acquisition of special aids (such as work chairs) to facilitate the movement of disabled people on the beach and in the water.

4.2. Quantitative Results

The sample is composed of 40 respondents who manage the natural protected areas located in the Lazio region. From the analysis of the results (see

Table 2. Descriptive results of the questionnaire.

Code	Frequency/Percentage
	No		Yes
A1	10	25%	30	75%
A2	21	52%	19	48%
A3	28	70%	12	30%
A4	9	22%	31	78%
A5	35	87%	5	13%
A6	18	45%	22	55%
A7	23	57%	17	43%
A8	21	52%	19	48%
A9	36	90%	4	10%
A10	30	75%	10	25%
A12	14	35%	26	65%
A13	10	25%	30	75%
A14	15	37%	25	63%
A15	17	42%	23	58%
A16	17	42%	23	58%
A17	14	35%	26	65%
A18	27	67%	13	33%

), most (75%) of natural areas have their trails marked. However, not all parks provide information on their websites that is easy to find and read for people with disabilities. As emerges from the descriptive analysis, 70% of respondents have no information on the technical aspects of the route, such as services for the disabled (nearby parking lots, toilets, refreshment points, etc.), walking difficulties (slopes, type of flooring, etc.), and presence of allergenic plants. This information would make visits easier and more comfortable for disabled people. Only nine (22%) facilities do not have signs for disabled bathrooms. The study showed that the satisfaction of disabled tourists is not analyzed. It emerges that only 13% of natural areas in the Lazio region have a satisfaction questionnaire on the structures dedicated to the disabled. Furthermore, 55% of respondents have personnel adequately trained in the reception and management of disabled individuals and can provide them with necessary assistance and information on the services available in the park.

Regarding the physical accessibility of the environment and accessibility of tourism services, the results evidenced that only 17 natural protected areas have benches for disabled people. On the survey, 48% of the respondents stated that they have a refreshment point in their area but not a playground to entertain the children (90%). Ten respondents said they provide a shuttle service to facilitate access to their natural protected areas.

Other services available in the parks include information panels in Braille (two natural protected areas) and Joelette services and accompaniments carried out by a guide (four respondents). Five respondents had installed barriers for the blind and information signs in the Braille language in their parks. One protected area has a pitch for sport fishing for people with disabilities. Other services available include observation areas with unique positions for wheelchairs or benches with backs (two respondents).

The survey indicated that 65% of structures have equipped bathrooms (sink, cabinet, toilet and shower) to allow easy use for people with disabilities. Most of the respondents (75%) stated that their areas had bathrooms with adequate dimensions to allow movement with a wheelchair.

In recent years, natural protected areas have made efforts to remove obstacles along routes (25 respondents). In addition, 58% of natural areas have various aids (such as ramps, stairways and lifts) to overcome any slopes or obstacles. Indeed, most respondents (26) indicated their areas had flooring that allows for easy transit for wheelchair users and easily opening or accessible gates or doors (58% of respondents). However, only a few natural protected areas (13) have dedicated paths for the blind.

5. Discussion

Greater attention to the complex problem of disability is reflected in Agenda 2030, in particular in sustainable development goals (SDGs) 9 and 10. In general, these goals concern, respectively, the development of quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure in support of economic development and for the well-being of people, with particular attention to equitable and affordable access for all; and the strengthening and promotion of the social, economic and political inclusion of all, regardless of age, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, economic status or otherwise.

The results of our study showed that although the paths and bathrooms are signposted, the websites of the parks in Lazio do not provide sufficient and easy-to-find information for people with disabilities. Furthermore, the owners of the protected natural areas have highlighted that in their structures there is no information on the technical aspects of the route, such as services for the disabled (nearby parking lots, toilets, refreshment points, etc.), information on walking difficulties (slopes, type of flooring, etc.), and presence of allergenic plants. This highlights how the issue of accessible tourism is not yet addressed in many situations. This emerges, for example, as the structures do not provide a questionnaire to disabled tourists for assessing the visit, thus not identifying their needs and expectations.

However, as emerges in several studies, it is crucial to involve the categories of disabled people in the definition of policies, giving the opportunity to communicate needs and expectations to optimize the tourist experience [2,17]. It is essential to give tourists a voice in order to understand and satisfy their needs and to improve their service by constantly investing in training staff [23]. In light of this, many structures in the Lazio region are investing in training their staff to manage tourists with disabilities.

Websites of protected natural areas must provide information that is easy to find and read, even for people with disabilities [35]. Furthermore, it is necessary to improve the websites of the structures according to the clients’ needs and to create a direct dialogue with disabled tourists to be able to provide information promptly [19,34].

Findings showed that essential services are available, such as bathrooms equipped with adequate dimensions to allow movement with a wheelchair. The structures have provided their areas with various aids to overcome obstacles along routes or with flooring that allows accessible transit. However, regarding the physical accessibility of the environment and accessibility of tourism services, the results evidenced that the structures in the Lazio region still need to equip themselves with benches for disabled people and provide refreshment points and shuttle services. These services make the experience more accessible. Furthermore, few protected natural areas in Lazio have a route for the blind.

The results of our analysis show a provision of basic services, such as bathrooms equipped with adequate dimensions to allow movement with a wheelchair, various aids to overcome obstacles along the route of the visit or flooring that allows accessible transit.

The research enriches the empirical literature on inclusive and responsible tourism by analyzing the state of the art on the services provided by protected natural areas in the Lazio region, highlighting the strengths and the aspects to be improved in protected natural areas in Lazio to promote and incentivize accessible tourism.

The study confirms the existing literature on the need to generate more awareness on the issue of sustainable tourism management by all stakeholders involved in order to identify and overcome the barriers that can hinder access for people with disabilities [29,43].

6. Conclusions

The research highlighted the importance of improving and investing in accessible and inclusive tourism. In recent years, areas have shown a commitment to improving their services and making them more accessible to all.

Despite the fact that in recent years facilities have tried to improve their services, our results show the various obstacles still to be overcome in terms of accessible tourism.

In addition, our study shows the necessity of training staff and the provision and continuous updating of information on websites by the different structures in support of disabled people. Indeed, the study shows the lack of information and communication about needs and expectations of disabled persons.

Our study highlights how it is crucial to build a solid network between local administrations, third sector bodies, cultural organizations and companies in the tourism sector to develop inclusive, accessible and sustainable tourism [42].

To pursue this goal, the Italian Voluntary Associations Movement and Laziocrea SpA of the Lazio region have organized a series of seminars to explore the accessibility of the artistic, cultural and tourist heritage of the area to people with different abilities and particular needs. These seminars culminate with a certification issued to organizations that make the tourist/cultural experience entirely usable and accessible, without any barriers to complete autonomy.

The main limitation of the study was that only one region was examined. In addition, the sample size is consistent with the proposed study’s explorative nature, even if in future research, the sample will have to be enlarged to enrich the proposed findings. Future research should investigate the phenomenon of accessible tourism in other Italian regions and in different cultural contexts. Hence, future research may propose a theoretical model to investigate and compare the factors that promote the phenomenon of accessible tourism through structural equational modelling.