tourism for the physically disabled

Tourism for the physically disabled

people

COMPARISON BETWEEN EU, NETHERLANDS AND SPAIN

JOSE JAVIER MONROY VESPERINAS

CAPÍTULO 1

INTRODUCTION

SECCIÓN 1

OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM AND GOALS OF THE PROJECT

In the European Union there are between 13 and 20 million handicapped. That represents between 5% and 9% of the total population of the EU (Eurostat, 1995). One can understand the importance of this group for the whole European society.

Handicapped is a wide concept with two synonyms: Disabled and incapacitated. In fact Disabled is the union of two words Dis- and -able. The meaning is a person who is not able to do things on his/her own. He or she needs some sort of help in normal life. We can apply this first definition to working and leisure time. The handicapped are then a special group with special needs. However, this interpretation can guide us into a misunderstanding. "Special needs" are only special when the environment makes them so (Baker, 1989).

On the other hand, Handicapped people are quite different. Firstly, it is necessary to consider the different kind of disabilities (without taking into account mix-disabilities):

• SENSORY: Deaf or blind.

• PHYSICAL: Wheel-chair.

• MENTAL: Autism, Down syndrome, mental retardation, etc.

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For the purpose of this thesis we will consider only one kind of disability: the Physically handicapped. The reason is that different kind of disabilities build different kinds of social groups. It is very difficult to compare them in a transnational research. Nevertheless we will some times mention the other groups to have a better idea about the real situation of the disabled in Spain and the Netherlands.

The goal of this research is a comparison between the tourism opportunities for physically handicapped in Spain and the Netherlands: understand the relationships between tourism and handicapped. In our post-Fordist society, despite the crisis of the Welfare state, Holidays are still a social right. Holidays for handicapped is a social demand. The UN took this point into consideration (Resolution 48/96 based in the report A/48/627) which affirms that tourist organisations, hotels and travel agencies should offer special services for handicapped (article 11,2). That is our starting point: Tourism as a social right and tourism for handicapped as social demand.

In most of the European countries the state or the government is responsible for the disabled leisure (and tourism) policies. Then we can distinguish two further aspects of intervention from a political and governmental perspective:

• TRANSNATIONAL: In our case the European level (EU)

• NATIONAL: Policies in Spain and the Netherlands.

To get an idea the current expenditure on social protection per inhabitant is 4.348 ECUS per year: 5.387 in The Netherlands and 2.555 in Spain (Eurostat 1992). That marks a big difference in possibilities and programmes.

The tourist industry (& the market) has an important part to play in making holidays and tourism available to all. However we should recognise that the private sector with its commercial basis is not the largest provider of holidays programmes. Traditionally the National State represented by the ministry of Welfare and health, was responsible for policy on care and other facilities for disabled people. Two parties are involved in the realisation of this policy: Government (at central, provincial and municipal level) and community organisations with a volunteer base. The three aspects draw up the framework of our research. Every study about tourism opportunities for the handicapped should take into account three levels of intervention:

• STATE PROVISION

• VOLUNTEER ORGANISATIONS

• THE TOURIST MARKET

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The comparation of holiday's provision for handicapped between The Netherlands and Spain should consider this first statement. How the state arranges holidays programmes with subventions to volunteer organizations. However the comparation is difficult because both countries are quiete different. The expenditure on social protection as percentage of gross domestic products is 27,1 in the EU. in Spain 33,0 and in Nederlands 31,0 (Eurostat, 1992). The Position of the EU give some indications about the subject.. In this United Union how is "armonize" the holidays programmes or packages for the phisically disabled? We will see this detail furthermore. From this perspective we will analyze the situation in both countries and finally the touristic offer and supply. The provision offerted for the voluntary organisation a n d t o u r i s m c o m p a n i e s . T h e c o n c l u s i o n s a n d recommendations will finish this thesis.

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CAPÍTULO 2

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

KEY POINTS

1. Leisure

2. Disabled

SECCIÓN 1

DEFINITION OF THE TERMS

Leisure has a wide field of meanings, related to time off. What is in fact leisure? The answer is a philosophical question: Time and space. Time to take some days off. Place to go away. From this perspective leisure is tourism, following the UN directives (Res. 48/49, 1993). Tourism has too a wide field of meanings: Industries for pleasure travel, everything that arises form travelling away from residence, journeys for temporary stay for leisure and recreations purposes, etc. I would like to reduce this and understand tourism only from a perspective: as travels or excursions out of home or living place. The UN conference (Roma 1963) ”Tourism and international travels” define tourist as the person who go abroad for more as 24 hours for other purposes as work. That is also a wide definition but enough for the purposes of this research. Travel and leisure play an increasingly important part in the life of the late twentieth century. Inability to participate on holidays is an isolating factor and can also undermine heath. As a social right, leisure and tourism are also a social demand. There is an equilibrium between the demand and the offer in the case of the physically disabled?

Disabled is synonym of incapacitate. He or she need some sort of help in the Normal life, that mean dependency. Quite a big number of social workers do not like the Word of disable and prefer to call them handicapped. because what they have is really a disability. "Handicap" is used in the context of this thesis to assist in describing a basic congenital or acquired mental or physical defect. Handicapped are then persons with

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a disability (physical, sensory or mental) in his/her life. That is in fact the same definition as this one of the Declaration of the right of handicapped (Resolution 3447 (XXX) 9-12-1975). However we can also accept the definition of the European Commission in the foreword of the HELIOS programme. The term "disabled people" means: "People with serious impairments, disabilities or handicaps resulting from physical, including sensory, or mental or psychological impairments which restrict or make impossible the performance of an activity or function consider normal for a human being".

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KEY POINTS

1. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

2. INTEGRATION

3. INDEPENDENT LIVING

4. MARKETING AND INFORMATION

5. ATTITUDES AND STAFF TRAINING

6. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF TOURIST INSTALLATIONS AND SIGHTS; BUILDING REGULATIONS AND DESIGN

7. TRANSPORT

SECCIÓN 2

STATEMENT How has the issue been addressed in the past? We can begin the research in the last century. The Beginning of the XX century the social policy and provision for the handicapped was largely paternalistic. The voluntary and religious sector was the only one involved. Religious groups (Catholic and Protestant in the Netherlands and only catholic in Spain) We will not consider the fact of the religion wars between Spain and Flanders. as a "previous tourism flows" that generate mutilate. This effect is clear in the two Word Wars. Middle class organisations with religious connotations or origins were in charge of all kinds of provisions for handicapped (Hugo van der Poel, 1991). After World War I a new kind of physically handicapped people appear: veterans wounded and permanently disabled by war. Most of the provisions between the wars was oriented towards the re-insertion of this group. In England and Holland this case is very clear after World War II and, with special connotations, in Spain after the civil war.

The voluntary sector acquired a national dimension during the growth and maturing of the Welfare State (1944-1976)with the help of the national State The Welfare State offer a paternalistic provision of services relating to holidays for handicapped. Here the development of The Netherlands and Spain are different because of their different political histories. The voluntary sector is independent when providing holidays for disabled people, but it needs of the State assistance to survive.

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The Netherlands current policies are affected by the two World Wars and the post war period of reconstruction. Consumption growth, with subsidy by social security was not known in the long Spanish post war period. The provision of social services was channelled thorough the “pillars” of the Dutch society: Catholic, Protestant and non confessional (lay) volunteer associations. In Spain the pillar was the Church and the National Movement of Franco. The role of the Church in the provision of Welfare for handicapped is one of the most important but this is not widely recognised. In the Netherlands in the mid 1960's the emblematic Ministry of culture, recreation and Social Work was established. Other North European countries also created similar ministries. The impact of the economic crisis of the 1970's and 1980's on the Dutch society was considerable, provoking an unemployment rate which peaked at approximately 20%. The same rate as currently in Spain. The effect of the crisis also spread to the provision of “leisure” and tourism for disabled people.

The political transition occurred at he same time in Spain. The JOC (Juventudes obreras cristianas - Christian youth workers) was like a new vision inside the Church, which was traditionally related to the Regime. The transition was followed by the increasing intervention of the private market in the provision of leisure and tourism for handicapped people. There are important similarities in the direction of

policy changes in other European Union countries as we observe in the British and Dutch cases (Van der Poel, 1995). Mild tatcher policies. There was a general turn to the right and the Neo-liberal system. The social services are affected by cost cuttings. It is very interesting to compare this point with the actual political situation in Spain. Change of government to the (probable) the right (PP). It is possible that Spain follows this trend after a change of government. However the state still as a source of financing for “leisure” and “recreation” for disabled. Politic, more as sociology, is the main trend.

To compare both previous statements in The Netherlands and Spain one should find the criteria of the actual situation. The first factor is the political one in a transnational level. Tourism opportunities for the handicapped people is not actually a clear issue in the policies of the European countries. Other countries in the EU England in the person of the Mary Baker for the Working Party has a clear programme about tourism for all. Most of the efforts of the European countries are oriented to accessibility. This point is very important. Our post modernist society has changed values. Values are the meanings of the society. The new emergent values of our time demand new opportunities, and handicapped people need integration into these opportunities to achieve an independent living. We can summarise these values in the HELIOS programme of the Commission of the European Communities (Directorate

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General "Employment, Industrial Relations, Social Affairs". Division "Integration of disabled people, 1994):

* EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES: whatever their disability, all disabled people should have the same opportunities in life as other citizens. Opportunities also in the tourism field. Tourism is a social right since 1936 (The Front populaire in France). Most Europeans today think the same. The right to a month's holidays is one of the most important issues of the Welfare state. Disabled people should have the same opportunities to take holidays at least once per year. The Human rights declaration (1948) affirm the same right. and also the United Nations (Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Person with Disabilities, 1992): In all societies of the world there are still obstacles preventing person with disabilities from exercising their rights (...). It is responsibility of states to take appropriate action to remove such obstacles.

* INTEGRATION: A disability in itself should not be an obstacle to participating in social and cultural life and to access to transport and public services. The European Union recognise this but only from an accessibility perspective. Tourism include the increasing role of the transport and public services.

* INDEPENDENT LIVING: Whatever their disability, all disabled people must be able to lead their lives, as far as possible, independently. How does this affect tourism? Travel can be a physical and also a psychological barrier. A handicapped tourist normally needs one or two assistants. However, the ideal is to overcome architectural barriers without help. And psychologically, not all handicapped have the confidence to travel abroad. The case of the physically disabled is special. Some of them acquire the disability after an accident and they remember their former independent living. That is another category of physically disabled to consider.

The common state regulation include the values or orientations of the EU. But this directives are set up in different ways in Spain and Nederlands (Dutch name for Holland). We should then analyse this policies in the aspect related to tourism for disable. There is a special department for this services in both Welfare Ministries?

Organising a tourist programme for handicapped people is a hard business. On one hand the political level and on the other the basis work. If we want to compare this kind of provision in two countries we need some more according criteria. We can accept the document "Accessible tourism for handicapped people in the 90's" of the WTO (Buenos Aires, 1991). The definition of handicapped is quite interesting,

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because it includes "elderly" and "other people who need special care" .Some countries accept the inclusion of elderly and disabled in the provision of “social tourism” despite both groups being different. This perspective is more oriented to the private market and is related to the sustainability of holidays for disabled without State intervention. The WTO considers the right to holidays for all in society. Handicapped people form a social group with growing importance. The most important guide lines and recommendations to assure the success of this special kind of provision are:

A: MARKETING AND INFORMATION: A frequent complaint from customers was that accommodation purporting was not suitable for their particular needs. Social tourism (tourism for special groups) should always begin with publicity. Accommodation guides are especially important. The second point is oriented to the information in the holiday place. A not uncommon remark from accommodation providers was that they had converted rooms suitable for use by disabled people “ but no-one has come to use them”. This was often because they had not been marked in any way. In both countries one can detect a lack in this problem.

B: ATTITUDES AND STAFF TRAINING: The recommendations of the WTO are that the staff in the travel agencies, hotels, etc. can deal with and provide a good service for the disabled . Information is the main point in this case,

followed closely by kindness and friendliness. All tourist businesses should develop customer care programmes as part of their in-service training and these should automatically cover the full range of potential customers. The WTO doesn't consider special kind of travel agencies run out only by handicapped such “Accessible travel S.A.” in Madrid.

C: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF TOURIST INSTALLATIONS AND SIGHTS; BUILDING REGULATIONS AND DESIGN: Most of the European countries have an Approved Document (AD) giving design guidance. Those guide lines stipulate that the entrance door to each bedroom should be accessible for wheelchairs (which generally require a clear minimum opening width of 75 cm) and that a minimum of one bedroom in each hotel, etc. should be suitable, in terms of dimension and layout, for people who use wheelchairs. Newly-built accommodation is required to be accessible to people in wheelchairs. The WTO recognises the importance of including the needs of all in the building regulations and offers in the document the following indications:

Adequate parking with a disabled symbol.

Basic accessibility (Ramps, etc.)

Each hotel should have one or more rooms adapted to disabled (toilet, wide corridors, etc.).

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Displaying information of public notices in hotels, travel agencies and transport enterprises.

Elevators adapted for disabled and special toilets.

An adequate number of restaurants should be adapted to the use of handicapped.

D: TRANSPORT: The WTO take into consideration only buses. Some buses should be adapted to wheel-chair users. In other countries as the United States the main question in the actual debate is aerial accessibility. One should understand the different role played for the aerial transport in this huge country. The market is big enough and the competence arise. In the State, groups of pressure change the legislation and accessibility is low right.

We can find a syntheses with other political directives oriented to the private market. It is important to contrast the former guide lines (WTO) with other recommendations. One of the questions of this research is to weigh the importance of the new right theories and the Neo liberalism in the provision of holidays for disabled? We can look first at the English regulation to understand the common points. The English tourist board published in 1989 the book "Tourism for All". The English Tourist Board is a statutory body created by the Development of Tourism Act 1969, to develop the market

England's tourism. The partner in the voluntary sector (the same model as in The Netherlands) is the Holiday care Service. This entity is the UK's central source of holiday information for people. The report was written by Mary Becker as represent of the Working Party. That show us the importance of the political side of the phenomena. The first recommendation is that the tourist industry should realise that the "special needs" of the "social tourism" are only "special" if the environment makes them so. The factors, which taken in isolation or together, make holidays-taking difficult or impossible for the physically handicapped are the follow:

Problems of mobility experience: (wheel-chair)

Caring for a dependent relation (between the handicapped and the volunteer or member of the family. And the need of volunteers in all kind of excursion and tourist opportunities, exchanges, etc.).

Low income (The first problem facing the private market. The state is the only one able to fund tourist programmes)

The private market is a new sector for this provision. The old dream of the New Right: Give responsibilities to private organisations. The case of disabled organisations is special because they are “dependant" on the state despite the idea of

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an "independent" existence. That is the problem. Is it possible for private organisations (e.g. a travel agency) to provide these kinds of services? The sector or market is not very commercial and profitable. Most of the handicapped population in Spain and the Netherlands depend of the family or State care. This role of the “nanny state” (in Thatcher's words) would be achieved through subsidies. A small part of the budget for “social services” is oriented to holidays programmes. One should also consider the personal role of holidays. The provision in Spain (INSERSO) and in the Netherlands (Ministry of Welfare) is basis of this thesis and the way to fulfils this need at a reasonable price. The basic elements to create a Market are set up and the next question is if the private market could be interested in this business.

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CAPÍTULO 3

METHODOLOGY

KEY POINTS

1. The European Union

2. The Netherlands

3. Spain

SECCIÓN 1

METHODOLOGY The objective of this research is the comparison of the holidays provision for the physically disable people in The Netherlands and Spain. A quantitative research is difficult to carry out. For this thesis I prefer to choose a qualitative research. That means, to select different case studies of holiday programmes for disabled people at both countries and at European Union level. This selection should be according to specific criteria. The general schema was mention in the first part of this thesis. Every study about tourism opportunities for handicapped people should take into account three levels of intervention:

• State provision.

• Volunteer organisations.

• The tourist market.

The case studies used was were restricted to Brussels (Mobility International), Utrecht (SRG), Tilburg (Red Cross), Bilbao (Coordinadora de Disminuidos Físicos de Bizkaia) and Madrid (Accessible travel), cities visited during the PELS programme. However one can get a good idea about the holidays possibilities with these examples.

The cases studies presented in this thesis will follow this scheme:

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THE EUROPEAN UNION POLICY

HELIOS I & II PROGRAMMS

Case Study: Mobility International

THE NETHERLANDSState: The Ministry of Welfare

(case study: THE RED CROSS)

(case study: SRG Stichting Recreatie Gehandicapten, Haarlem)

SPAIN STATE: MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS SOCIALES

(INSERSO as state provision)

(case study: COCEMFE)

(case study: FEDERACION COORDINADORA DE

DISMINUIDOS FISICOS DE VIZCAYA)

(Case study: Accessible Travel SA., Madrid)

The basic information to describe the holidays programmes was provided by the organisations. themselves. The direct source was written information and personal interviews. To compare the provision of holidays and the different programmes we need a model. The success of a holiday programme depend of all the recommendation that I mentioned before in the chapter "statement". In Nederlands and Spain there are several tourist programmes for the physically disabled. arranged traditionally for Voluntary or, in some cases, by private organisation or travel agencies. These organisations offer a product: A Voyage. That is what we will compare: a holiday package specially arranged for the physically disabled. The success depend of the following aspects:

1.- Type of product:

1.a.- Domestic or foreign holidays.

1.b.- Duration of the holidays: 1 or 2 weeks normally with some exceptions in case of special packages.

1.c.- Funding: State or private funding. This aspect has an important impact on the ability for physically disabled people to take holidays. Traditionally the founding was mainly from the State. However, with the new political tendencies, funding is becoming more privatised.

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2.- Organisation:

2.a.- Real cost: Very important data, not always available for this study because some organisations consider this information as secret.

2.b.- Cost to users: Aspect related logically to the funding (state or private)

2.c.- Staff: Full-time and/or seasonal workers, voluntary worker, etc.

2.d.- Activities: Excursion, parties and other social events. That is a key point for the success of the holidays from a psychological point of view.

2.e.- Facilities: transport, hotel, etc. Accessibility is the key word of this point. The infrastructure for "normal" holidays should be adapted to "special" holidays. That is what we call accessibility. In fact the new regulations for hotel building consider the accessibility for the physically disabled people. Old hotels are normally not accessible at all and conversion is very expensive and not affordable. Considering the transport, most of the organisations recognise the problem to find accessible buses to transport the group to hotels or on excursions.

3.- Customers:

For this study just the physically disabled. However some organisations do not offer package just for the physically disabled and have programmes for disabled people in general (SRG, Utrecht or Mobility International, Brussels)

That is the model to follow in all the case studies. But still another factor to consider: the psychological satisfaction of the customers. Aspect quite difficult to measure in a qualitative research. Our target group of tourist is the physically disabled people. Some of whom have previous experiences of "normal holidays" (I refer to people who became disabled after an accident) and other not. How valuable are holidays from a social and personal perspective for the European physically disabled? That is maybe the real importance of this paper from a political point of view within the Social Europe.

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CAPÍTULO 4

RESEARCH'S RESULTS

TOURISM PROVISION FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED IN THE EUROPEAN UNION, SPAIN AND THE NETHERLANDS.

KEY POINTS

1. Case study: Mobility International

SECCIÓN 1

THE EUROPEAN UNION POLICY ON DISABLED AND TOURISM FOR HANDICAPPED PEOPLE:

POLICY ON DISABLED PEOPLE IN THE EU

The European Union understands the importance of tourism for the European economy. Tourism industry is a big market but approximately 40% of the Europeans do not take holidays. The reasons for this fact are economical problems but also disabilities or health problems. Handicapped, elderly, unemployed, etc. build a special group called social tourism. In building a united Europe, social cohesion must be encouraged. The Community is trying to ensure-harmonious development to avoid unfair gaps between regions or social groups. The treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty) includes this objective of social cohesion in the official text, whilst fully respecting the autonomy of the national authorities (the principle of subsidarity). That is the general political framework.

In the decision of the council (92/421/CEE) the European Union offer a community action programme to assist disabled people. Some of this actions are directly related to tourism opportunities. The HELIOS programme in favour of integration and independent living of disabled people fall within the context of the construction of a Social Europe. Helios mean "Handicapped people in the European Community living independently in an open society." The

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HELIOS II programme covers the period from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1996. The budget is 37 millions of ecus. One objective of the HELIOS programme is to encourage the participation of disabled people in Community programmes in areas such as vocational training, studying abroad, language studies, etc. Some of this areas could be consider as tourism. HELIOS II works around annual priority themes, so all projects, seminars, meetings, training courses, exchanges of experiences must be short term events involving at least 3 European Member States and be around the theme of: Accessibility, Transport, Sport, Leisure & Culture, Associations & Integration, Removal of Social & Psychological Barriers to Independence. HELIOS is the only community programme exclusively dedicated to disabled people, but it operates in synergy with other Community initiatives, e.g.:

• HORIZON: an initiative which aims at improving access to employment for disabled people and for other disadvantage social groups such as the long-term unemployed.

• TIDE: A Research and Development initiative concerned with the use of technology in the rehabilitation of disabled and elderly people.

• HANDYNET: A specialised, computerised information system which makes available tens of thousands of items of information to disabled people and rehabilitation professionals. This information relates to: A) Technical aids, B) The manufacturers and distributors of theses products in

Europe, A) The national procedures and regulations which disabled people should follow to obtain theses technical aids. This information is compiled in a data bank in nine languages and supplied on CD-ROM, which is accessible in the centres designated by the 12 Member States. HANDYNET also includes a multilingual electronic journal and a electronic mail system.

Three are the main ideas or values of the HELIOS programme: Equal opportunities, integration and independent living. On the basis of these principles, the HELIOS programme covers five top-priority areas:

• Functional rehabilitation.

• Educational integration.

• Vocational training and rehabilitation.

• Economic integration

• Social integration.

Tourism opportunities for handicapped is not actually a clear issue in the policies of the EU. Most of the efforts are oriented to accessibility in our information society. This point is very important. handicapped people need integration into

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these opportunities to achieve an independent living. We can summarise these values in the HELIOS programme of the Commission of the European Communities (Directorate General "Employment, Industrial Relations, Social Affairs". Division "Integration of disabled people, 1994):

• EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES: whatever their disability, all disabled people should have the same opportunities in life as other citizens. Opportunities also in the tourism field. Disabled people should have the same opportunities to take holidays at least once per year. The Human rights declaration (1948) affirm the same right.

• INTEGRATION: A disability in itself should not be an obstacle to participating in social and cultural life and to access to transport and public services. The European Union recognise this but only from an accessibility perspective. Tourism involve different services: transport, accommodation, activities and excursions, etc.

• INDEPENDENT LIVING: Whatever their disability, all disabled people must be able to lead their lives, as far as possible, independently. How does this affect tourism? A handicapped tourist normally needs one or two assistants. The ideal is to overcome architectural barriers without help. That is far away of the reality.

Transfer is a valuable and effective means to achieve the HELIOS programme's aims of promoting integration and

equal opportunities. The theory of transfer was also a concern in the previous Community programmes for the integration of disabled people (HELIOS I, 1988-1991). The transfer to colleagues in other European countries, normally in the typical form of a tourist international seminar, is a form of tourism in another level. In some cases, HELIOS give participants their first taste of travelling abroad. Practically everyone expressed enthusiasm for inter cultural exchange and their experience of other countries and customs. It is undoubtedly true that the Helios programme has contributed to improving communication and co-ordination between disability organisations and institutions in Europe. Disabled workers of workers with disabilities represented for a national or international organisation can share the benefits of this exchanges. The organisation of this seminars is arranged for Mobility International, taking the form of exchange tourist programmes: 1996 is the last year of the HELIOS II. The criteria of selection remain the same as last year: you need to involve at least three European Union Member States, the maximum amount which can be applied for 25.000 ecus per activity (funding at 50% of cost of the whole project). There are certain priority themes which have to be respected in 1996, and these are: Sport, leisure and cultural Activities, Elimination of Socio-Psychological barriers to independence, etc. The Commission is particularly looking for proposals which show how to each activity relates to the United Nations Standard Rules, and would like to encourage applications relating to the needs of disabled women.

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Since 1995 there has been a lot of Commission activity in the way of new programmes, proposals and papers which are of interest to individuals and organisations in the disability field. The Commission launched its Medium Term Action Programme 1995-1997 following consultations after the Green and White Paper on the future of the European Social Policy. Although not all social networks are happy with the possibilities for action and travel (relating this point to our research) offered in the Medium Term Social Action Programme. The disability NGO's were actually very encouraged by the intentions expressed in the programme concerning future actions in the disability field.. However the new recommendation are related to the travel conditions of workers with motor difficulties. Employment and not holidays still the main trend.

Other programme: Youth for Europe III was adopted early this year and offers plenty of scope for exchanges between young people, particularly those with a "Disadvantage" as well as Youth workers actions, exchanges between European and non-European countries. One objective encourage tourism indirectly: "enabling young people to view the European Community as an integral part of t h e i r h i s t o r i c a l , p o l i t i c a l , c u l t u r a l a n d s o c i a l environment."(DG XXII, 1995). Tourism as exchange of

physically disabled, is specially consider as a way of cultural exchange.

Leonardo is the new European Union programme for "vocational training" and runs from January 1995 to December 1999, with a budget of 620 million ECU for five years. Leonardo now incorporates elements of the old PETRA, FORCE, COMETT & EUROTECNET, as well as certain aspects of LINGUA. So this, in a way, makes the programme quite complex but also quite broad-ranging in its possibilities and the so-called "strands" of the programme, such as measures to support the training policies of the Member States; support for the improvement of vocational training measures and support for the development of language skills. Educational tourism is a possibility of this Leonardo grants.

Case study: Mobility International

It is interesting for our research the role played for The EU in an international level. Most of the big European voluntary organisation in a national level apply for subsidies of the EU funds in form of European federation of local organisation. The European Disabled Forum and Mobility International are designed as responsible of the actions related to tourism. (Dec. 92/421 CEE) The Funding is related to another European programme: Horizon. Mobility International were designated the co-ordinating European

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NGO for the Independent Living sector of HELIOS II, which has as its remit the areas: independent living, transport, tourism, creativity, accessibility and sport. Mobility International were also chosen as the researchers for the two DGXXIII European guides: Making Europe Accessible to Disabled Travellers and Accessible Europe: A Guide for Disabled Travellers, and participate in the DGXXIII - DGV meetings on independent living and tourism.

Mobility International is one of the biggest organisations in Europe for the physically disabled with branches in 15 different countries. Officially established as an international non-governmental organisation in 1982, since then they organised over 260 different international projects, seminars, exchanges, conferences and languages courses. The aim of this organisation is to promote the integration and independence of people with all kind of disabilities through the medium of international exchange. They provide people with disabilities the opportunity to meet, understand and makes friends with others from different countries. Mobility International has representation all the European Union countries except Spain and Portugal. This organisation is specially interesting for our research because it take full advantage of all the operational programmes of the European Union for disabled: Horizon, Helios, etc. Mobility International organise different seminars around the year about topics related to Disabled integration and leisure for all. That could be considered a special kind of “cultural tourism”

because the participants travel to another country; meet new people and enjoy the stay. One example could be the seminar of Intercultura Siciliana (27th May - 4th June 1994): Young people from France, England, Northern Ireland, Finland and Italy came together to sample the delights of Sicily in a project hosted by Mobility International’s member AIAS Caltagirone and subsidised by the European Youth Foundation (Council of Europe). In only one week the group had a crash course in basic Italian, discussed different approaches to independent living in their country and learnt to cook typical Sicilian dishes. This stay is not really Tourism because the aim was to participate in the seminar, but all the other activities are typical of a tourist stay.

Mobility International has produced a guide entitled : We're not ready yet! for voluntary organisations and disabled people. Mobility International publish also a magazine (News) twice a year marketing those holidays opportunities and offering enough information about other tourism provision in different countries. We refer to News Autumn 94 & Summer 95. Mobility International is the ideal vehicle to inform handicapped people about different possibilities for travel abroad safe and find a accessible hotel.

We can take an example of a tourism programme of Mobility International to apply the model mentioned before. Most of the projects are aimed at young people (16-30 yr.)

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with any kind of disabilities. Other projects are more open to people over 30 years as well. Mobility International assist in the setting up of networks based on common interest. They offer the rare opportunity to meet other people with and without special needs (Integration objective of Helios). New networks have started this way. Mobility International has status with United Nations, Council of Europe and the Commission of European Union. The activities are funded mainly by the EU's Measures for Disabled Persons Social Action Programme: Helios. This organisation has a excellent contacts to arrange tourism programmes. We can take one example to use as case study to analyse: That could be the Alton Linguability Language Course.

HOLIDAYS PROVISION PROGRAMME

ALTON LINGUABILITY COURSE

1.- Type of product: Cultural tourism. The formula is holidays + language course. That is the new trend of tourism as cultural tourism for the physically disabled.

1.a.- Foreign holidays. Linda Gartshore and her team organise a English course (Holiday's course) in Lord Mayor Treolar College in Alton, south of England.

1.b.- Duration of the holidays: 17 - 31 July 1995, 11 days.

1.c.- Funding: Private funding. The students pay the total cours fees.Of course it is open the possibility to get a grant from the state or other private institution.

2.- Organisation:

2.a.- Real cost: Very important data but not available for this study.

2.b.- Cost to users: 500 £

2.c.- Staff: Full-time seasonal workers fully trained.

2.d.- Activities:The English classes are the main activity. There will also be a programme of visits to London and and Strandford upon Avon, and this is included in the cost of the holiday course.Parties and social events are also arranged by the school.

2.e.- Facilities: Lord Mayor is a residential college for students with disabilities, designed for wheelchair users and people with mobility problems. Accommodation is in single or double

24

rooms, and all personal assistants are fully trained. The accessibility is total in all classrooms and swimming pool.

Flights are met at London's Heathrow airport, and adapted coaches complete de Journey to Alton.

3.- Customers: In this case just physically disabled people with mobility problems.

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KEY POINTS

1. POLICY ON DISABLED PEOPLE IN THE NETHERLANDS

2. THE ROLE OF THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN THE PROVISION OF HOLIDAYS FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED.

3. Case Study:. THE RED CROSS IN TILBURG

4. THE HOLIDAY'S MARKET FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN THE NETHERLANDS.

5. Case Study: stichting recreatie gehandicapten

SECCIÓN 2

TOURISM PROVISION FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN THE NETHERLANDS

POLICY ON DISABLED PEOPLE IN THE NETHERLANDS

It is difficult to five a clear indication of how many disabled people are in Holland. 1.5 million of the 15 millions inhabitants of the Netherlands are generally regarded as suffering from a physical disability (1 in 10 people), while some 100,000 to 120,000 (1 in 150 to 125 people) are mentally handicapped (Study conducted in 1986 by the Social Science Research Institute of the University of Brabant in Tilburg, Fact sheet W-2-E 1992). To give an impression of the number of services available in 1990, approximately NLG (Nederlands Gulden ) 4 billion were spent on these services. Estimates for 1991 budget to approximately NLG 4.2 billions.

The Ministry of Welfare, Health and Cultural Affairs is responsible of the disabled's policy in the Netherlands. In fact in 1982 culture and recreation were separated out of the ministry responsible for social Welfare considering disable. Outdoor recreation was placed under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishery, while culture and groups with "special needs" was divided off into a new Ministry of Health, Well Being and Culture. The Ministry is responsible for policy on care and other facilities for disabled people (including indirectly tourism). Although two parties are involved in this

26

policy: The Government and the private, community based, organisations. To simplify:

The government provides the regulations, FUNDS (most important aspect for tourism opportunities), plans, monitors, advises and "co-ordination".

The private organisations provide the services, the infrastructure and the basis work; ensuring that the quality is maintained. They have a non-profit making basis. The private organisations are divided into:

• Religious (Protestant and Catholic)

• Non-confessional (The Red Cross for example).

The ministry has a separate department (The Inter-ministerial Steering Committee on the Disabled) but aspects such sport are responsibility of others departments. We can observe a dualism between State and Private Organisations. The relations between The Ministry and the different organisations are regulated and conducted by a consultative committee (GOC - WVC) represented for different organizations: Like in Spain exists two principal Organisations of and for persons with a physical handicap:

The Dutch Council for the Disabled, embracing national organisations of disabled people, patients and parents.

The Netherlands Federation of Centres for the Physically Disabled, the umbrella organisation of activity centres and housing schemes (aspect very related to the housing needs of all tourist programmes).

In fact is the same schema in Spain with COCEMFE & COAMIFICOA. The Services for the Disabled Association, the national network of care workers and social service organisations need of the State to exist. The objectives of the disabled's policy in Netherlands are: integration, participation and equal opportunities. The same as the HELIOS programme of the European Union. Coming to the praxis, the state policy encouraged that people in need of assistance can play the fullest possible part in society. In the Last few decades existing facilities have changed radically and new types of services have emerged. One new trend is the Domiciliary care. It is very important this point because the State pay the "Care" to the private organisations and the organisations them self determine which services they will offer. Anyway the cost of the services for the handicapped are high but covered largely from social insurance funds. This social Welfare state (not in a big crisis at the moment) provide the support for innovatory projects for work and leisure. The innovatory services are introduce in the form of pilot projects (the same way as in Spain as we will observe afterwards),

27

which provide the opportunity to examine how an idea works in practice. Later on a consultative "body" analyses the projects. Targeting the social sector of this research, the ministry is involved in providing the following facilities for person with a physical and/or sensory handicap: Long-term accommodation and guidance are provided in large housing units. small housing units and housing units for young people. Other option in the normal life are the Activity centres that offer activities for people with disabilities. Many of the participants suffer from a motor disorder. The most important facilities for our research are the Holiday homes, which provide the opportunity for disabled persons and their family to take a holiday. The Blauwe Guids is a good example of the market generated. I speak about market because all product has a target. Holidays for disabled his a product with oriented to a specific social sector. The physically disabled are our target here.

In 1990 the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) and the Netherlands Institute for Social Work Research published data from the 1986-1988 period. These data confirmed that even more as 10% of the Dutch population suffer from a serious or very serious disability. The number of disabled people grow as the population age. The state finance programmes for disabled spending in 1990 NLG. 4 billion. Estimating for 1991 amount to approximately NLG 4.2 billion.

FACILITIES FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE

FACILITIES NUMBER PLACES

Activity centres 33 1.130

Hostels 4 800

Source: Netherlands Federation of Centres for the Physically Disabled (1990); Financial Overview of the Care Sector 1991.

THE ROLE OF THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN THE PROVISION OF HOLIDAYS FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED.

Voluntary organisations or NGO's (Non governmental Organisations) are the basis of the Social work with the handicapped. It is not possible to sustain the provision of services for handicapped without this kind of benevolent organisations. This also affects the provision of holidays for disabled. A lot of disabled people could not go on holiday without the participation and contribution of volunteers.

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The role of the volunteer who offers his/her time and work without a salary is the key to maintain the organisations and the services. The voluntary organisations use people who may or may not have medical training.

Logically when the volunteers have a medical training they are asked to use it. The volunteers accompany the handicapped people during excursions and shopping, trips, etc. They give some help during different recreational activities and assist people when there is a demand, by washing, dressing and undressing, at meal times, going to the toilet, etc. To get an idea, the Red Cross provides services in The Netherlands for 5500 disabled per year, and for that need the help of 3700 volunteers (Vakanties 1994, Vrijwilligers. Het Nederlandse Rode Kruis). The motivations of the volunteers are different but generally they are young people who want to spend their free time doing something for others. Some volunteer organisations are religious but that is not the main trend.

Case Study:. THE RED CROSS IN TILBURG

The Red Cross was founded in Holland in 1863. By definition it is a non-profit organisation. The Red Cross is one of the largest voluntary organisations in The Netherlands. We analyse first the work of the Red Cross in general. Holland is a small country and the Red Cross is organise the same way in every region. The Red cross has different programmes with the aim to aid people who are in difficulties. It organises a variety of activities for people who are likely to become socially isolated for any reason, etc. Concerning to our topic the Red Cross organised holidays, both in the Netherlands and abroad, for people who can not go on holiday on their own because of a chronic disease or handicap.

The Red Cross in Tilburg was founded in 1910. The work is carried out by between 300 and 350 volunteers and only one paid worker who is retired. All the members pay a annual fee of 25 NLG. The department of Mrs Kleyn in Tilburg is in charge to select the disabled participants for the holiday programmes in the Brabant Region.

The Red Cross in Holland has three holiday - accommodations; the holiday ship of J. Henry Dunant, the holiday houses: "Ijssel vliedt" and "De Valkenberg".

These two houses "Ijssel vliedt" and "De Valkenberg" are situated in a pleasant environment. There are both adapted to the needs of handicapped people. These two houses offer

29

holidays to the disabled. In addition the Red Cross offers also the possibility of taking holidays outside the country. As case study we will consider the just holiday ship J. Henry Dunant

HOLIDAYS PROVISION PROGRAMME:

THE HOLIDAY SHIP J. HENRY DUNANT


1.a.- Domestic holidays: The holiday ship J. Henry Dunant was built in 1970 thanks to the large income of money from the Television charity show "Ship Ahoy". The ship travels by day and gives the opportunity to people to see a constantly changing landscape in The Netherlands.

1.b.- Duration of the holidays: 1 or 2 weeks.

1.c.- Funding: private funding. The Netherlands State do not support this association and the money comes from some campaigns to raise funds.

2.- Organisation:

2.a.- Real cost: The total cost is 1.100 NLG per week

2.b.- Cost to users: The participants need to pay just 325 NLG.

2.c.- Staff: One payed doctor and several nurses (depending of the participant's level of disability). On the ship there is place for 68 participants (26 for people selected for the Tilburg's department) and 50 volunteers (including several nurses and one doctor).

2.d.- Activities: People have the possibility to go on land when the ship anchors. Each evening there is a programme organised on land or in the ship. Parties and other social events organized by the local Red Cross.

2.e.- Facilities: Accessible transport to the ship arranged by the Red Cross In the ship the accessibility is total (toilettes, furniture, etc).

3.- Customers: 68 physically disabled.

3. THE HOLIDAY'S MARKET FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN THE NETHERLANDS.

The possible sustainability of holidays programmes for disabled without State intervention is the ideal solution according to the theory of the New Right. The experience in

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England points to the importance of the private market to ensure the provision. That is not that easy. The private market, by definition, seeks profit. The sector of the disabled do not offer huge benefits. The disabled sector is a field traditionally related to the voluntary sector.

Apart from this fact, some private enterprises work in the sector. In most of the cases the State or the Ministry in charge pays the holidays through the channel of a voluntary disabled organisation which arranges the programme. That seems the ideal solution. The main question now is if the tourist industry can take into account the wider profile of potential consumers with special needs by preparing market profiles similar to those already available for the retired market.

Case Study: stichting recreatie gehandicapten

The Stichting Recreatie Gehandicapten (SGR) is a Travel agency that provide services for disabled who can not go on holiday alone and need some kind of help. They offer travel information and arrange programmes of holidays and excursions on the basis of an individual service. The holidays

offered by SGR are in groups but each has an individual character. The opinion of each participant concerning excursions during their holidays is taken into account. The participants choose the holiday best adapted to their personal needs. The participants must not be bedridden nor mentally handicapped and they must be aged between 18 and 65 years, approximately. The helpers are all volunteers, although most of them do not have any medical background. SGR provides some medical aid during the holiday. The volunteers have just one day's training which gives explanations about the trip and the service to disabled people.

They organised a total of 33 programmes for 1994: 20 abroad and 13 in The Netherlands. To get a clear idea about the organisation we will mentione two of them.

PLACE COUNTRY DAYS FROM/TO SERVICES

GRAN CANARIA SPAIN 15 16/10...30/10 Fly + hotel

TIETJERK HOLLAND 8 1/7......8/7 Bungalows

HOLIDAY PROGRAMME IN GRAN CANARIA

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1.a.- Foreign holidays in the sunny Canarias island.

1.b.- Duration of the holidays: 2 weeks (15 days).

1.c.- Funding: Private funding. There are no subsidies organised through the company, either for the holiday maker or for any helper's travel costs.

2.- Organisation:

2.a.- Real cost: Data not provided by the travel company.

2.b.- Cost to users: Basic price: 2,241 NLG

Possible supplements 1,452 NLG

Total: 5,693 NLG

The prices include travelling, airport taxes, the holiday cost, some excursions and the cancellation insurance. The possible supplements are depending of the Degree of dependence. For foreign holidays, accident and luggage insurance in included.

2.c.- Staff: The holidays in Gran Canaria made for 13 participants and 9 voluntary workers.

2.d.- Activities: There are possibilities of excursions to the capital or elsewhere following the wishes of the holiday makers.Each evening, there is in the hotel a show or an orchestra. The city is full of wonderful shops just for tourist.

2.e.- Facilities: The hotel Buenaventura Playa is on the beach. It is a very big hotel with accessible accommodation and facilities (14 lifts, 3 bars, 2 restaurants, a hairdresser, a sauna, etc.) The beach is too wide and varied in levels to allow access for disabled people to the sea. Accessible transport from the airport to the hotel is also arranged


HOLIDAY PROGRAMME IN TIETJERK


1.a.- Domestic holidays in Tietjerk (Friesland)

1.b.- Duration of the holidays: 8 days.

1.c.- Funding: Private funding. There are no subsidies organised through the company, but as domestic holidays, the holiday maker pay the helper's travel costs.

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2.- Organisation:

2.a.- Real cost: Data not provided by the travel company.

2.b.- Cost to users: Basic price: 502 NLG

Supplements: 439 NLG

Total: 941 NLG

The prices include transport, , the holiday cost, some excursions and the cancellation insurance. As in the case mentioned before, possible supplements are depending of the Degree of dependence. For all holidays within Holland, accident and luggage insurance are excluded.

2.c.- Staff: The trip to Tietjerk in Friesland (The Netherlands) is for 10 participants and 10 voluntary helpers.

2.d.- Activities: A lot of trips are organised through the typical landscape of the country. Dinner is normally taken in the b u n g a l o w s w i t h a n o c c a s i o n a l o u t i n g t o a restaurant.Entretainment programme is organized by "De kleine Wielen"

2.e.- Facilities: The holidays take place in full accessible bungalows for 5 people in the Bungalow park "De kleine Wielen". Each bungalow has a roomy living room, a bathroom completely adapted and the bedrooms for 2 to 3 people. The

participants may go outside, to the shop or the water side without any problems.


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KEY POINTS

1. POLICY ON DISABLED IN SPAIN

2. THE INSERSO.

3. THE ROLE OF THE NGO IN THE PROVISION OF HOLIDAYS FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN SPAIN.

4. Case Study: COCEMFE

5. THE ROLE OF NGO IN THE PROVISION OF HOLIDAYS FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN EUSKADI.

6. Case Study: FDFB

7. THE HOLIDAY'S MARKET FOR DISABLED IN SPAIN. Case Study: ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL S.A. (Madrid)

SECCIÓN 3

TOURISM PROVISION FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN SPAIN.

1. POLICY ON DISABLED IN SPAIN

The policy on disabled in Spain does not follow same scheme as Nederlands. Spain is divided in 17 Autonomous Communities have legislative powers specific to their own territory. They have their own autonomous government, and jurisdictional powers in the application of laws approved by their parliaments. The Spanish State is, however, not a federal state, since power is delegated downwards, from the centre to the Autonomous Communities. The municipalities are perhaps the weakest element in this system, since their budgets are dependent on subvention from various higher levels of government, and there is a lack of definition as to their specific competences. In fact, the transference of power to the different Autonomous.The main difference between The Netherlands and Spain is the structure of the government (at central, provincial and municipal level). The Netherlands is a small country and these three levels are not a barrier for the provision of holidays for disabled."Las Autonomías" are the autonomical regions in Spain. Euskadi, Catalunya, Galicia, Andalucía y Valencia are the most representatives During this research the responsibilities of the Central Social security services are now concernant to the local Social security service with his own policy. This struggle for the power also in Welfare benefits between the Central Government and the Autonomías is not really good for the provision of services for disabled in Spain. The Central government holidays programmes for handicapped started in 1986 with 212

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participants. The number increase since 1989 but only with handicapped citizens from the areas where the INSERSO has responsibility. This situation is unfair for the rest of Spanish disabled and in 1993 began a new directive open this programme for all the disabled in Spain. Other problems comme now because handicapped from Catalunya or Valencia has free access to programmes of the INSERSO and programmes of his own Autonomous Community. That mean that they have more chances as other Spaniards from Extremadura or Castilla.

Leisure policy for the elderly and handicapped take into consideration the social tourism (a small but increasing supply of cheap holidays and trips), these are provided by both public and private institutions to take responsibility for what started as private ventures, and the emergence of voluntary sector centres for the elderly.

THE INSERSO.

The Instituto Nacional de Servicios Sociales (INSERSO) was set up under Royal Decree-law 26/1987, of 16 November, under the Institutional Management of Social Security, Health and Employment, as the Social Security Agency responsible

for managing Social Services which are supplementary to the benefits available under the Social Security System. We can call it: Welfare Ministry. Under the provisions of Royal Decree 530/1985, INSERSO assumed all the Central Administration's power in respect of managing Social Services. Under Royal Decree 727/1988 INSERSO was brought under the scope of the Ministry of Social Affaires.

The INSERSO has different areas related to groups with "special needs": Handicapped, elderly & Refugees. The "Responsibilities" most important for our research concerning tourism for handicapped are:

Declaring handicapped individuals to meet Social Security eligibility requirements as well as examining and registering the handicapped.

Managing the social and income benefits foreseen in Title V of Act 13/1982, on Social Integration of the Handicapped.

Setting up and running Residential Centres for the physically, mentally and sensorial handicapped, offering them permanent attention and personal as well as other social services.

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This three responsibilities are quite important for our topic. Physically Handicapped who want to take part in a programme of the INSERSO should have more as 50% of disability (Responsibility one). Secondly the "Residential Centres" oriented to insertion in society through a productive work, could be use as Residential Hostel in the Summer. In fact last 1994 they did.

The organisational structure of the Instituto Nacional de Servicios Sociales (INSERSO) was set forth in Royal Decree 1433/1985. The institute's human resources in 1993 have been: 1,934 staff and 9,076 workers under labour contracts as well as 350 casual workers. The managerial structure is of a functional nature, aimed at achieving the social integration of the groups for which INSERSO is responsible as well as ensuring participation of the handicapped in managing the relevant services through the Boards for the handicapped. That is the same structure as in The Netherlands: Government and private and voluntary organizations. The private organization and normally also volunteer , which operate on a non-profit making basis, are responsible for providing services.

Besides its Central Services and Provincial Directorates, INSERSO, works through an infrastructure of Care Centres for the elderly and the handicapped. The basic centres for the handicapped . As of December 1993, INSERSO had 32

directly-managed Basic Centres in operation. The INSERSO had 4 Centres for the Recuperation of the physically handicapped in operation, located in Salamanca, Lardero (La Rioja), Albacete and San Fernando (Cádiz). This kind of centres are ideal to provide accommodation and services for a holidays programme for physically handicapped. The accessibility is optimal and also the occupational training can make unforgettable holidays. In fact the INSERSO use this centre in the Summer, when the "residents" take holidays in another part.

The social protection system in Spain for the handicapped administrated by INSERSO includes various financial protection programmes which take the form or regular benefits. Retirement and disability pensions are paid in fourteen regular payments, the total for 1993 being 441,420 pesetas. The disability pension carries a supplement of 50% of the annual amount when the beneficiary is affected by a chronic handicap of 75% or more and needs another person to help with basic daily chores. In 1993, the amount has been 220,710 pesetas broken down into fourteen regular payments.

The first experience of holidays for disabled organized by INSERSO was in 1986 with the “Jornadas de convivencia para minusvalidos fisicos”. Those programmes were arranged for periods of 15 days and were quite successfull. The programmes consist of leisure activities in places of “touristic

36

interest”. INSERSO continued with it fo the next two years. To understand the growing of this holidays programas one can consult this table:

YEAR PHYSICALLY DISABLED

1986 212

1987 400

1988 281


MENTALLY DISABLED

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS

1989 414 2.150 2.564

1990 569 2.500 3.069

1991 309 3.228 3.537

1992 383 3.479 3.876


MENTAL DISABLED

MENTAL PATIENTS

TOTAL PARTICIP.

1993 329 6.306 ---- 6.635

1994 656 6.371 54 7.081

SOURCE: Annual Report 1994. INSERSO’s holidays programme for disabled

The first programme started in 1986.with 212 physically disabled. Since 1989 the INSERSO enlarged the target group with the inclusion of mentally disabled. The participation in this second periods was a test with excellent results. 1992 was an important year in the programme. Until this year the INSERSO programmes were valid only in the Spanish territory where INSERSO has responsibilities (27 provinces). Disabled people from Euskadi or Catalunya for example (where the transference of the national health service responsibilities to the Autonomical health service is total) were not able to participate in the programme. In 1993 the programmes were on offer for all the Spanish territory. The participation in the last two years with the inclusion of a new group (mentally patientes) increase the target.

One can compare the increasing figures with the 360.000 elderly who participate in the holidays programmes of INSERSO. The Earderly holidays programme of the INSERSO: "Programa de vacaciones para la Tercera Edad". The peak in participation has not yet achieved but however the progress in the provisions is clear (Annual Report 1994. INSERSO’s holidays programme for disabled)

The financial sources of the programmes came from the 0,5 if the NGP dedicated to Social Services. The amount for

37

the disabled holidays programmes was 145.000 m Pts in 1994. The budget for 1995 is increase to 155.000 m Pts. Holidays for disabled (BOE of 20th Mars 1995 (n.67; Point 4).

THE ROLE OF THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN THE PROVISION OF HOLIDAYS FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN SPAIN.

Voluntary organisations form the base of the Social work with the handicapped. It is not possible to sustain the provision of holidays for handicapped without these types of benevolent organisations. This is the same situation in The Netherlands and in Spain. The largest charity organization for

physically disabled persons in Spain is COCEMFE (Confederación Coordinadora Estatal de Minusválidos físicos de España).

They began their holiday programmes during the low season of 1987 and during the high season of 1988. After this date they provided 9 annual holidays tours, each one for 45 persons. Holidays for disabled people is a new concept in Spain which is very successful. Normally the disabled people who thake these holidays whish to repeat them.

At the present the demand excede the provision, as explain Jesús Tamayo, director of the holiday programme of the COCEMFE. We will analyse one of their packages as a case study:

Case Study: COCEMFE (Confederación Coordinadora Estatal de Minusválidos físicos de España).


1.a.- Domestic holidays in Cubellas (Barcelona). The majority of the holidays organaised by COCEMFE take place in Spain. However in the 1990 together with the INSERSO they

38

organized a holiday in Portugal and in 1988 and 1999 also to Italy.

1.b.- Duration of the holidays:15 days, from 16 to 29 August 1996

1.c.- Funding: Partial state funding. The COCEMFE recognize that their programmes could be a little more expensive than other partially state funded projects however they feel that the quality is better.

2.- Organisation:

2.a.- Real cost: Information not available.

2.b.- Cost to users: The cost for the handicapped travellers is partially subsidised by the state. If they wish travel accompanied by a friend or able bodied helper this organisation endevour to arrange a special price. The normal price of this holiday programme is 28.500 Pts

2.c.- Staff: 4 Full-time helpers per group and a driver.

2.d.- Activities: Excursions are arranged. They use an accustomised bus that makes possible to visit the surronding area. The group also takes part in parties and other social events.

2.e.- Facilities: The COCEMFE has their own accustomised bus with capacity for 50 persons and as well as a mini bus with capacity for 10 persons. The choice of hotels is made according to the criteria of quality and cost. They generally look for three starts hotels adapted without barriers and which offer serviced tailored to the group.

3.- Customers: the COCEMFE provided 9 annual holidays tours, each one for 45 persons, between 18 and 65 years old. They organized special separate programmes for children in Granada, Madrid and Segovia.

THE ROLE OF THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN THE PROVISION OF HOLIDAYS FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED IN EUSKADI.

Before to study one voluntary organization in Euskadi we should consider the special political structure of Spain and its division into Autonomies. This fact makes necessary to understand the policy on disabled in Euskadi

39

independently of the general Spanish policy. In 1987 the Basque Health Service (Servicio de Salud Vasco) assumes de duties of INSERSO in Euskadi (BOE, 3-December-1987). The Policy on the disabled people depende of the Basque Health Service and not of the National Health Service. But in fact it follows the same guide lines of the National Level. 16,8% of the Euskadi population are disabled (53.765 people). The supply for this group depend of:

• The central and local administration.

• Private and voluntary organizations.

In Euskadi we found a double administration: central government and the Euskadi autonomy. The general result is the cooperation between the government, non-confessional associations and religious organisations (the Catholic Church in Euskadi)

FIGURES IN EUSKADI

sensorial disabled 6.955 PV 10549

physically disabled 16.999 PV 28186

S O U R C E : E n c u e s t a s o b r e d i s c a p a c i t a d o s , deficiencias y minusvalías. Instituto nacional de estadística, 1994.

To get a wider perspective of the role played by the organizations just for the physically disabled in Euskadi one can compare it with other organisations for disabled. Considering the sensorial disabled, blind people have ONCE (Spanish National Blind organisation). In Spain there are between 52.818 and 64.014 blind. Most of them are members of the ONCE. This is a powerful organisation with a high autonomous income through a national gambling system. ONCE has a lot of benefits for his member with his own holidays programme. In fact ONCE has its own business enterprise, FUNDOSA S.A. that finance the only private enterprise of tourism for disabled in Madrid.

The mentally disabled also has its own organisation in Bilbao: GORABIDE. This is the ideal example of voluntary organisation with leisure and holiday provisions for the disabled. In Bizkaia there are 7.000 mentally disabled and 4.500 of them are member of GORABIDE.

Case Study: FDFB40

(The Federation of physically disabled of Bikaia)

The Federación de disminuídos fisicos de Bizkaia (FDFB) is a member of the COCEMFE. This is the only organisation for the Physically disabled in Bilbao. The Red Cross also has representation in Bilbao but not consider the area of holidays for disabled. That is why we could not choose it as a logical reference organization. The FDFB was founded in 1978. The main objective is the integration of the disabled in the society. Integration and accessibility are the key words. The federation has four paid workers, a lawyer and several co-workers (monitors). The centre is small and works as an occupational centre. The income to sustain it come from the Diputacion Foral and some subsidies of the BBK (Bilbao Bizkaia Bank) to an amount of 200.000 Pts p.a. The principal programmes of this association are “training schemes”, using the centre as a day centre (the same concept as in The Netherlands). The federation is structured in different committees: Leisure and Free time, Work, Accessibility and Health.

The committee of accessibility can obtain some subsidies for transport accessibility and they are working towards receiving greater grants.

Holidays are not considered by the FDFB as a main objective. However, they apply to the Basque Health Service (Servicio de Salud Vasco) holidays programmes, without any success. The FDFB organised some day excursions that can not be consider by definition “holidays”. The federation has no connections with European disabled organisations and does not apply to EU programmes as HELIOS, Youth, etc. One can understand that the FDFB is too small in size to support its own holidays programmes but is in fact is the only association for the social group of physically disabled in the area of Bilbao.

This organization does not have any holiday programme. However they present to the Basque Health Service a project in 1994, that unfortunately was not accepted. We can use this data to validate this project and compare with others programmes mentioned during this thesis. But we should keep in mind that it is just a project that never existed.


1.a.- Domestic holidays. Place not determined

1.b.- Duration of the holidays: 1 or 2 weeks depending of the funding.

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1.c.- Funding: State funding (Basque Health Service) 100% state funding

2.- Organisation:

2.a.- Real cost: Data not available on this

2.b.- Cost to users: The percentage paid by the client is based on their earnings.

2.c.- Staff: One group coordinator and and un-dtermined number of volunteers.

2.d.- Activities: Excursions and other recreational activities., parties and other social events. That is a key point for the success of the holidays from a psychological point of view.

2.e.- Facilities: transport, hotel, etc. should be Accessible for disabled.

3.- Customers: 180 the physically disabled, between 16 and 65 years old arranged in packages of 15

THE HOLIDAY'S MARKET FOR DISABLED IN SPAIN.

Case Study: ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL S.A. (Madrid)

The Blind association ONCE through its business enterprises FUNDOSA and the travel agency Viajes 200 started a Travel Agency oriented to provide professional services to disabled in 1992. All the workers are also disabled. The director, Marcial Puebla, has a clear conception of the market. Disabled have a lot of problems in travelling (lack of accessibility in transport and accommodation, low income, the non existence of a professional supply, etc.). But on the other hand the have also a lot of free time and can use the increasing awareness of the public sector trough subsidies to estimulate the tourism for the handicapped. The first objective of Accessible Travel is to investigate hundred of hotels in Spain looking for the conditions of accessibility. The agency has also a list of enterprises that provide accessible road transport for the physically disabled.

The work of Accessible Travel is quite important for the whole group of disabled people because they provided the first list of

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accessible accommodation in Spain. However the enterprise has some problems in the daily work. The first is at home with the neighbours who do not give the permission to build a ramp where there are entrance stairs. The second is to convince hotels managers about the importance of accessibility in their hotels. The third is the fact that the Spanish market is not mature enough for this kind of enterprise accessible travel cannot exist without the monetary help of ONCE. In fact in the last year Accessible Travel folded.

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CAPÍTULO 5

CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

SECCIÓN 1

CONCLUSIONS

Holidays are part of living the fullest life possible for those who are disabled or have particular difficulties; they can find the strength to carry on, or the opportunity to meet new friends (impossible when you are tied to the house all day, every day). Holidays can give the person with mobility problems, a welcome change from a perhaps restrictive or isolated routine. Planning for and enjoying even, a week’s modest holiday has a long term beneficial effects. Inability to participate is an isolating factor and can also undermine health. (Mary Baker, 1989).

Travel and leisure play an increasingly important role in the life of the twentieth century. The opportunities for disabled people to travel have improved enormously in the last 10 years. It is still, unfortunately, difficult for many people with special needs, particularly those with impaired mobility,

to travel spontaneously. The main reasons for people with disabilities being excluded from the tourism market are:

• Inaccessibility of the tourism product (or perceived inaccessibility)

• Lack of appropriate and reliable information about the product

• Lack of staff training in dealing with disabled clients.

This research was oriented to analyse the provision of holidays for the physically disabled at the European Union level and in two specific countries: Spain and The Netherlands.

The structure of the policy on disabled people in The Netherlands and Spain is quite similar Two parties involved are: The Government and the Voluntary Organisations on a non-profit making basis. The government provides regulations, funds, plans, advice and co-ordination. The Voluntary Organisations provide the services, the infrastructure and the daily help to handicapped people.

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The first conclusion is that the provision is better organised in The Netherlands. Holland is a smaller country, the distribution and the organisation of services are easier. Furthermore the special political division of Spain in Autonomies makes some times more complicated the use of State subsidies. If we compare two cities for exempleTilburg in The Netherlands and Bilbao in Spain, one can discover that the offer is qualitatively better in Holland. In fact, there aren’t any provision in Bilbao for the physically disabled. The FCDFB (Federación Coordinadora de Disminuídos Físicos de Bizkaia) presented a project of holidays to the Basque Health Ministry without any success.

The objectives of the disabled’s policy in The Netherlands, Spain and the European Union are the same: integration, participation and equal opportunities. Holiday is not considered as a main objective, but in the last decade existing facilities have changed and a new type of services and programmes emerged as holiday provision. In both countries the ministry has a separate department in charge of the policy on disabled people.

Several travel agencies offer holidays packages for the physically disabled in The Netherlands, compared with just one in Spain: Accessible Travel SA, which close in 1995. The role of the private organisation in the provision of holiday for the disabled is a new trend in the « Social tourism » and one

can expect in Spain a growth of this kind of enterprises in the future, when the market will be mature for that. In fact a travel agency (Viajes 2000) in Madrid has just taken over this challenge. Unfortunately such a young product doesn’t have any available data at present which could be evaluated.

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SECCIÓN 2

RECOMMENDATIONS

Given that at least 11% of the adult population in Europe has a disability, it is estimated that the potential demand for commercial accommodation by people with disabilities is 158 million nights abroad and 193 million domestic nights. At present the actual number of disabled travellers is considerably less than that, but if a conservative assumption is made that each disabled traveller’s trip would attract 0,5 companions, and unserved potential of 35 million overnight travellers and 630 million nights could be generated. (Touche Ross report, 1993).

We recommend that the tourist industry should take into account the wider profile of potential consumers with special needs and encourage the development of appropriate holiday provision. The ability to arrange holiday’s programmes and to cater for everyone whatever their need is

a sign of quality in a service industry, and quality is good for business.

We recommend that all the new-build tourist accommodation be required to be accessible to people in wheelchairs. Although accessibility for disabled people to public buildings and transport is regulated at national level in almost every EU member State, in reality this legislation is not often enforced, and the majority of hotels, apartments, restaurants, bars, cultural and visitor attractions and means or transport remain inaccessible. Neither are there strict criteria governing the use of the international accessibility symbol.

We would like to recommend that if a little extra thought is given to catering for the needs of people with reduced mobility then the tourism experience is made more pleasant and easier for everyone. In hotel design it could mean that there are fewer steps and wider doorways and bathrooms, that information is clearer, that staff are more geared up to listening to individual clients. We recommend that accommodation providers should recognise the special needs of the physically disabled through adequate accessibility and promotional offers for disabled people.

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We recommend that voluntary organizations at national and local level establish links with international organizations, suppliying them with information and new projects.

We recommend that all Tourist Information Centres should have a guide on travel and accessible accommodation for disabled people. In the case of Spain and Euskadi we recommend that a holiday’s guide for disabled like the Blauwe gids in The Netherlands should be created.

We would like to propose that rather than being marginalised into a small subsidiary action, that the needs of disabled people are integrated into the entire thinking about a European Union tourism policy in the next few years. We would suggest that in a follow-up Community Action programme in the field of Tourism, a specific action be funded to consider the United Nations Standards Rules of Equalisation of Opportunities for Disabled People and how they may be more specifically applied in the tourism context.

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CAPÍTULO 6

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SECCIÓN 1

BIBLIOGRAPHY

EDICIONES EL SOL. Guía de los Españoles en Europa, Bruselas, 1998

MARY BAKER Tourism for All. The English Tourist board. London, 1989.

UNITED NATIONS. Resolucion 48/96. Normas Uniformes sobre la Igualdad de Oportunidades para las personas con Discapacidad. 1993.

S T A T A T I S T I C A L O F F I C E O F T H E E U R O P E A N COMMUNITIES. €tat. Luxembourg, 1995

UNITED NATIONS. Tourism and International Travels. Roma, 1993.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE. Resolution 3447(XXX). Brussels, 1975.

HUGO VAN DER POEL. Leisure policy in European States (Chapter 12). Not published yet. 1991

HELIOS TEAM OF EXPERT. Helios II, Community action programme to assist disabled people 1993-1996. Ed. Commission of the European Communities. Brussels, 1994.

WORLD TOURISM ORGANISATION. Accessible tourism for handicapped people in the 90’s (Para un turismo accesible a los Minusválidos en los 90). Buenos Aires, Argentina, 30 de september - 4 october 1991)

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SERVICIOS SOCIALES: Prestaciones y servicios para personas con minusvalía en los paises de la CE. Coleccion Rehabilitacion, n. 33. Ed Ministerio de Asuntos Sociales. Madrid, 1989.

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COMISION DE LAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEAS. Informe de la Comision al Consejo, al Parlamento y al Comite Economico y Social sobre las Acciones Comunitarias que afectan al Turismo. (Decision del Consejo 92/421/CEE) Brussels 6/4/1994.

MINISTRY OF WELFARE, HEALTH AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS (THE NETHERLANDS). Policy on Disabled people & Accessibility for the physically disabled. Published by the Disabled Persons Policy Department. Utrecht, 1992.

THE NETHERLANDS RED CROSS Aid in focus. Den Haag, 1993.

HET NEDERLANDSE RODE KRUIS. Vakanties 1994, Vrijwilligers. Ed. Red Cross. Den Haag, 1994.

HET NEDERLANDSE RODE KRUIS. Het Rode Kruis in vogelvlucht. Ed. Red Cross. Den Haag, 1993.

STICHTING MOBILITY INTERNATIONAL NEDERLANDS. Blauwe gids 1994 voor mensen met een handicap. Groesbeek, 1994.

Instituto IDES/INSERSO . Las Personas con Minusvalía en España. Necesidades y demandas. Ed INSERSO. Madrid, 1988.

INSERSO/ Universidad de Salamanca. Actitudes hacia personas con minusvalías. Ed INSERSO. Salamanca, 1994.

INSERSO. Programa de vacaciones del INSERSO para personas con minusvalía. Memoria 1994. Madrid, 1995.

INSERSO. Programa de vacaciones del INSERSO para personas con minusvalía. Memoria 1997. Madrid, 1998

SIIS. Deficiencias y minusvalías en la Comunidad Autónoma Vasca. Ed. Gobierno Vasco & SIIS, Vitoria 1988.

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INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE ESTADISTICA. Encuesta sobre discapacidades, deficiencias y minusvalías. Ed. Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Madrid, 1987.

CONCHA BARON & RAFAEL RUIZ. Via jes para Minusválidos. Ed. El País/ INSERSO. Madrid, 1992.

ALFONSO SAN JUAN & IBAÑEZ LOPEZ: Las minusvalías. Ed UNED. Madrid, 1990.

LEGISLACIÓN ESPAÑOLA:

Real Decreto 1476/1987, de 2 de Octubre, sobre el traspaso a la C.A.P.V. de las funciones y servicios del INSERSO (BOE 3/12/1987)

Real Decreto 257/1986, de 18 de Noviembre, sobre Servicios Sociales para minusválidos.

Decreto Foral 19/1994, de 1 de Marzo; concesión de subvenciones en favor de las Escuelas Oficiales de Formación de Educadores de Tiempo Libre (BOB 22/3/94).

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tourism for the physically disabled

Documents

disabled leisure

handicapped people

leisure time

perspective leisure

spain eurostat

fact leisure

fact disabled

welfare state