Accessible Tourism

As one would expect from two scholars at the height of their academic abilities, Dimitrios Buhalis and Simon Darcy have delivered a hugely timely and much needed contribution to the under-served area of accessible tourism. Harnessing the best conceptual developments on the topic, Accessible Tourism is a scholarly yet hugely readable collection and readily communicates the various contributors’ passion for and command of their subject. This collection is a must have text for anyone engaged in the theory, practice and policy of accessible tourism and will be essential reading on undergraduate and postgraduate courses across a range of disciplines and fields. I cannot speak highly enough of this endeavour and I’m sure it will take accessible tourism and universal design debates into the mainstream of academic enquiry and industry practice.

-- Professor Nigel Morgan, The Welsh Centre for Tourism Research, University of Wales Institute, Cardiff

The book Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues is one of a kind, and is the only book currently on the market which discusses the concept of accessibility in relation to disability and tourism. Furthermore, the book covers a wide range of topics which are important in the field of accessibility research...Overall, this book presents, in approximately 300 pages, a wealth of knowledge regarding accessible tourism. New researchers in this field can now be in possession of a book which not only introduces important issues for accessible tourism, but also is a valuable resource on which they can build and branch out. Valuable references are gathered together in one volume on specific topics in tourism and accessibility, as well as related literature...It is evident that much work has gone into writing the chapters presented in the book, as well as in organizing them into one logical and coherent volume. Thus, this book is a major contribution to the field of accessible tourism and also a valuable resource for both students and researchers interested in this field of study.

-- Katarzyna Hano, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada * Tourism Planning & Development, Vol. 8, No. 4, 467-470, November 2011 *

Although the book makes a valuable contribution to the study of tourism, disability, and accessibility, it is not too ambitious in terms of critical content, theoretical aptitude, and global application. The book should be of interest to both undergraduate and postgraduate students studying particular aspects of tourism and consumer behaviour, and the social and welfare elements associated with tourism supply and provision. It will also be useful to those students specializing in tourism planning and policy.

-- Marcus L. Stephenson, Middlesex University Dubai, United Arab Emirates * Annals of Leisure Research, 20