FiturNext Observatory announces the winning initiatives of the 2022 Challenge

FiturNext, the FITUR Observatory dedicated to promoting good tourism practices in terms of sustainability, sponsored by Mastercard, has unveiled today the three winning initiatives of the Challenge 2022. In this edition on how tourism can contribute to an accessible society, TUR4all, Albastar and COCEMFE are the winners in the three categories promoted by the Observatory in this edition: new technologies in pursuit of accessible tourism, tourist services and an inclusive complementary offer, and management and promotion of accessibility in the sector, respectively. The awards ceremony will take place on January 19 within the framework of FITUR 2022.

Analysis of initiatives according to their replicability and impact on accessibility

As every year, the selection process for the winning projects has been determined by the Replicability Barometer and the Impact Barometer, two evaluation models created by the FiturNext Observatory. The first assesses the possibilities that the practices developed by the initiatives can be adapted by other actors, with different resources and contexts, and the second combines different indicators to measure their degree of impact. Finally, for the final verdict, the conclusions of the FiturNext Advisory Board have been considered, which has provided an international external assessment and which has had four new hires in this edition.

In a transversal way, the Observatory analyzes the creation of a community among the people benefiting from the project, their participation in the accessibility value chain, the focus on groups in situations of special vulnerability and the generation of employment among people with some type of disability .

A tourist offer within everyone’s reach: the pillar of the winning initiatives

The three winning initiatives share their contribution to accessibility both in the tourism industry and in other sectors to promote a more inclusive and egalitarian society.

Specifically, TUR4all has been awarded for its contribution to putting new technologies at the service of accessible tourism. It is a collaborative digital platform, launched by PREDIF (State Representative Platform of People with Physical Disabilities), which promotes accessible resources to publicize offers and destinations within the reach of all people. The content is valued by the users themselves and the application has more than 4,600 inclusive tourist resources.

On the other hand, the winning initiative in the category of tourist services and accessible complementary offer, the Albastar airline, with one of its focuses on pilgrimage routes, allows people with any type of disability to travel comfortably in this means of transport . The project generates a positive impact by expanding the opportunities to fly without barriers with all the resources and comforts assured by various destinations. In addition, 90% of the crew on board are trained in accessibility.

Finally, COCEMFE, winning project in the category of management and promotion of accessibility in tourism, is a non-profit organization that, among other actions, organizes accessible trips for people with disabilities. His proposal is beneficial both for users, since it covers the planning of activities, transport and accommodation in the destination, as well as for organizations and public administrations by helping them with training and with their accessibility plans.