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    - Photo via Red Costarricense de Turismo Accessible -
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Published on Thursday, September
8,
2022
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A Costa Rican non-governmental organization (NGO), the Red Costarricense de Turismo Accessible (Accessible Tourism Network in English), won the first place award in the Solidarity Tourism category for promoting accessible tourism for people with physical limitations.
The award was recognized during the Sustainable Social Tourism Summit, held in Guanajuato, Mexico. At the summit, the best tourism organizations were awarded in the categories of Environmentally Responsible Tourism, Solidarity Tourism and Socially Responsible Tourism.
"We are doing things well as an organization and as a country, and this award certifies it,” Stephanie Sheehy, NGO representative said.
According to the Institute of Tourism, NGOs presented 35 projects about solidarity tourism. Participants were from other countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Argentina and Costa Rica, among others.
The award recognized projects promoting community participation in local tourism management, accessibility and inclusion, and the empowerment of specific vulnerable groups.
The jury was made up of representatives from other NGOs and private companies. According to Gustavo Pérez-Berlanga, one of the members of the jury, the award for Costa Rica was decided unanimously.
Founded
in 2017, the Costa Rican NGO is a
non-profit association that works to
inform and promote inclusive
tourism. One of their star projects
is called Donatapa (donate your lid
in English), where they collect
plastic waste to be transformed into
plastic wood. The wood is later used
for building retractable walkways
allowing people in wheelchairs to
reach the beach shore. Currently,
the Donatapa campaign allows them to
install plastic retractable walkways
and donate amphibious wheelchairs to
more than 13 beaches in Costa Rica. Costa
Rica's Law 7600 regulates the
tourism industry to include
accessibility to tourist sites for
people with disabilities in places
such as hotels, theaters, museums,
volcanoes and national parks among
others. According
to the Tourism Institute, there are
still challenges to be met regarding
beach accessibility for people with
physical disabilities. There is
still a need for direct access to
the water, user-friendly showers,
parks or bathrooms. ----------------- What else should the institute do to support NGOs' accessible tourism programs? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
   
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