MUSCAT: The 18th Gulf Disability Forum, under the theme ‘Tourism of Persons with Disabilities: Reality and Future’, concluded on Thursday with a number of recommendations, including the issuance of an e-tourism guide to help persons with disabilities easily reach tourism sites and deals with everything related to services in the field of travel, transportation, hotel and tourist guides.
The forum recommended activating the exchange of experiences related to tourism facilities for people with disabilities between representatives of governmental institutions and the Gulf and international aviation sectors.
This will enable access to tourism, comprehensive access to various types of disabilities, to raise the awareness, knowledge and skills of workers in the tourism sector through training courses carried out by associations working in the field of disability, the establishment of partnerships and agreements between associations of persons with disabilities working in the GCC countries and specialised companies to develop technology support for people with disabilities in the field of tourism.
The forum also recommended the formation of partnerships with various Arab and international associations specialized in the field of tourism for people with disabilities to enable universal access and provide all the needs of people with disabilities in the field of tourism.
The forum, which was sponsored by Dr Yahya bin Badr al Maawali, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development at the Grand Millennium Hotel, aimed at identifying the legislative, legal and tourist services for persons with disabilities.
It also aimed at preparation of tourism institutions for persons with disabilities, services provided to persons with disabilities in national carriers of GCC countries, employment of persons with disabilities in the field of tourism, and tourism challenges facing persons with disabilities in the Gulf society, as well as the issuance of a Gulf tourist guide for people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the delegation members on Wednesday paid a visit to Ain Al Thawarah (spring) in the Wilayat of Nakhl. — ONA