Standards for Sustainable Tourism: Insights on Accessibility and Inclusivity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17509694Keywords:
accessibility, tourism, inclusivity, sustainable business models, standards, SDG.Abstract
This study reviews literature and explores the role of the ISO 21902 standard in advancing accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability within the global tourism sector. It examines how standardisation contributes to removing barriers for travellers with diverse access needs while promoting universal design and responsible governance. The findings highlight the impact of ISO 21902 on harmonising accessibility practices, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, the study discusses the interplay between accessibility, digital innovation, and sustainable tourism development. By positioning accessibility as both a human right and a strategic business imperative, this research underscores that inclusive tourism is essential for achieving long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability. As this study is based on secondary data, future studies employing surveys or case analyses can evaluate real-world compliance and effectiveness.
References
Bowtell, J. (2015). Assessing the value and market attractiveness of the accessible tourism industry in Europe: A focus on major travel and leisure companies. Journal of Tourism Futures, 1(3), 203–222. https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-03-2015-0012
ENAT – European Network for Accessible Tourism. (2021). Publication of first international standard on accessible tourism for all, led by UNWTO, Fundación ONCE and UNE. https://www.accessibletourism.org/?i=enat.en.news.2245
GfK & Partners. (2014). Economic Impact and DTravel demand of Accessible Tourism in the European Commission.
Gidage, M. (2025). Exploring the impact of diversity, equity and inclusion on ESG performance: Evidence from Indian organizations. Benchmarking: An International Journal, (ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-11-2024-1009
Gkarane, S., Gianni, M., & Vassiliadis, C. (2024). Running toward sustainability: Exploring off-peak destination resilience through a mixed-methods approach—The case of sporting events. Sustainability, 16(2), 576. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020576
Glushchenko, V. V. (2025). The ESGI concept as the expansion of corporate social responsibility based on the synthesis of inclusive technologies. Modern Scientific Research and Innovation, 169(5), 103299. https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=82439695
International Organization for Standardization. (2021). ISO 21902:2021 – Tourism and related services: Accessible tourism for all – Requirements and recommendations.
International Organization for Standardization / International Electrotechnical Commission. (2025). ISO/IEC 40500:2025 – Information technology: W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2.
Laporte, C. Y., Munoz, M., Miranda, J. M., & O’Connor, R. V. (2018). Applying software engineering standards in very small entities: From startups to grownups. IEEE Software, 35(1), 99–103. https://doi.org/10.1109/MS.2017.4541041
Marčeková, R., et al. (2025). Bridging the gap: Toward inclusive tourism in the Banská Bystrica region of Slovakia. Tourism and Hospitality, 6(4), 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040193
Papanikolaou, Z., Goulas, A., Tsotsas, I., & Gkarane, S. (2025). Digital transformation and business model innovation in the post-COVID era: A bibliometric analysis of financial and organizational perspectives. World Conference on Emerging Science, Innovation and Policy 2025. Futurity Research Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15833595
Sanchez-Gordon, S., Sánchez-Gordón, M., Yilmaz, M., & O'Connor, R. V. (2019). Integration of accessibility design patterns with the software implementation process of ISO/IEC 29110. Journal of Software: Evolution and Process, 31(6), e1987. https://doi.org/10.1002/smr.1987
Sklavos, G., Theodossiou, G., Papanikolaou, Z., Karelakis, C., & Ragazou, K. (2024). Environmental, social, and governance-based artificial intelligence governance: Digitalizing firms’ leadership and human resources management. Sustainability, 16(16), 7154. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167154
Stuchlikova, J., & Botlikova, M. (2021). Information accessibility as a global factor in accessible tourism. SHS Web of Conferences, 129, 08019. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112908019
Tsotsas, I., Gkarane, S., Papanikolaou, Z., & Goulas, A. (2025b). Artificial intelligence in business innovation: A systematic bibliometric review. World Conference on Emerging Science, Innovation and Policy 2025. Futurity Research Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15844723
Tsotsas, I., Papanikolaou, Z., & Goulas, A. (2025a). Emerging trends in business sustainability: A bibliometric analysis in innovation practices. International Conference on Next-Generation Innovations and Sustainability 2025. Futurity Research Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15098298
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). (2025). Ageing and disability.https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/disability-issues/ageing-and-disability
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). (2016). Manual on accessible tourism for all: Principles, tools and best practices – Module I: Accessible tourism – Definition and context. UNWTO. https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284418077
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). (2023). Goa roadmap for tourism as a vehicle for achieving the sustainable development goals.
World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities. WHO.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Maria Gianni, Sofia Gkarane, Zacharias Papanikolaou, Apostolos Goulas, Ilias Tsotsas
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.