The theme was communicated by the department’s Peter Myron at the launch of tourism month in the Limpopo province.
Speaking during a press conference, Myron encouraged South Africans to become tourists in their own country, adding that the department had put in place to certain measures to ensure that travelling was accessible for everybody, including persons with disabilities.
“Universal access is really important because it falls in line with that constitutional theme, and persons with disabilities therefore are part and parcel of our customer base. They are part and parcel of our society, of our community. And therefore whatever service we are offering to all consumers and all tourists in the country, we also must make those services available to persons with disabilities.”
Myron explained that the department is working with organisations such as DEAF federation of SA, BLIND SA and the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities SA.
The department has also helped forge a forum for people with disabilities where issues of reform and infrastructure can be addressed.
Andrew Dipela of the Limpopo Tourism Agency expounded on what those projects were:
“The LTA commits to assessing trails in all parks and venues managed by LTA, for their sustainability and ease of use for all travellers. A nature trail in the park can be set up so that it can not only be traversed by someone in a wheelchair but it can also be walked, and the informational sign along the trip can be read by a blind person. Furthermore it need not be single handicapped trail so that it is only used by persons with disabilities. It is just a nature trail; people of all sorts will use it.”
The theme ‘Tourism For All’ also stretches out to include families with low income that would like to see more of our beautiful country.
Source: Sowetan
