Accessible Tourism
A Strategy for Economic Growth and Inclusion
On 6/7/2019, a representative from the Economic Recovery Support Function Team (Econ-RSF) participated in a meeting coordinated between the Economic-RSF and the Disability Integration Program (DI). The DI Program was represented by DI Lead Charlotte Lewis, DI Deputy Mathew Starr, a team of Sing-Language Interpreters and DI Advisor Joel Correa which is the Econ-RSF DI POC. Following the introductions, the Econ-RSF ESA presented Generating Accessibility as an alternative economic strategy, and how it is interconnected to the actual recovery process. As part of the presentation the ESA talked about creating a position paper or White Paper (WP), and presented the preliminary accessibility-strategy to the DI Group.
The DI Group Leaders agreed to join efforts with the Econ-RSF Team to create a WP. The WP which is going to be developed in June, will have a brief description and current stats about people with disabilities and people 65 years or older in PR and US. Then a quick summary of the public policy, legal framework, potential market estimation, multiplier effect and a tech-trend analysis indicating how public policies-the-economy-and-technology are changing the perspective about open services to people with disabilities. The goal of the WP is to prove the economic potential and multiplier effect of introducing accessibility concepts to permanent infrastructure project designs that are going to be developed in relation to the DR-4339-PR Recovery Process. The analysis is going to consider the course of action ECN 11 Medical Tourism Initiative as a pivotal force in the analysis and implementation course.
The analysis can be use by the Disability Integration Advisors as a method to engage stakeholders, project partners and designers in favor of universal accessible standards and designs more suitable for an accessibility economy. Furthermore, information can be shared about their program, the available resources and incentives that promote the integration of people with disabilities, and the economic viability of making new permanent infrastructure available to people with disabilities. Also, a series of short presentations can be coordinated in order for this initiative to be effective to properly disseminate the message. For example, the Economic RSF Team already identified the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association (PRHTA) as a potential audience for this. Internally, some sectors as Housing, Natural and Cultural, Education and Public Buildings can also be a target of this initiative.
The DI Group Leaders agreed to join efforts with the Econ-RSF Team to create a WP. The WP which is going to be developed in June, will have a brief description and current stats about people with disabilities and people 65 years or older in PR and US. Then a quick summary of the public policy, legal framework, potential market estimation, multiplier effect and a tech-trend analysis indicating how public policies-the-economy-and-technology are changing the perspective about open services to people with disabilities. The goal of the WP is to prove the economic potential and multiplier effect of introducing accessibility concepts to permanent infrastructure project designs that are going to be developed in relation to the DR-4339-PR Recovery Process. The analysis is going to consider the course of action ECN 11 Medical Tourism Initiative as a pivotal force in the analysis and implementation course.
The analysis can be use by the Disability Integration Advisors as a method to engage stakeholders, project partners and designers in favor of universal accessible standards and designs more suitable for an accessibility economy. Furthermore, information can be shared about their program, the available resources and incentives that promote the integration of people with disabilities, and the economic viability of making new permanent infrastructure available to people with disabilities. Also, a series of short presentations can be coordinated in order for this initiative to be effective to properly disseminate the message. For example, the Economic RSF Team already identified the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association (PRHTA) as a potential audience for this. Internally, some sectors as Housing, Natural and Cultural, Education and Public Buildings can also be a target of this initiative.