Tourism and Disability: An Economic and Managerial Perspective

This book addresses existing challenges and opportunities related to tourism for people with disabilities. A niche market that is largely underdeveloped, its potentials are also often underestimated. It examines the strategies, policies, and initiatives - at regional, national, and international levels - to foster the development of accessible tourism for people with disabilities. It does so by examining the different social, cultural, legal, and information/interactive barriers that represent important constraints to welfare, inclusion, integration, and promotion of civil rights, which bring difficulties and detriment to tourists with disabilities.

Additionally, the book analyzes the characteristics and dynamics of that portion of the tourism industry that is more oriented to meet the distinctive travel demand of people with disabilities. In doing so, the book explores how preferences for travel services and facilities of people with disabilities differ from preferences of tourists without disabilities. All these issues are addressed from both a theoretical and a practical perspective by adopting a multidisciplinary approach, which leverages from the fields of management, economics, and statistical analysis. The book can be useful for a broad audience made of both researchers and practitioners (among which tourism companies and corporate trainers) who are expected to deal with the topic of tourism management.

Tindara Abbate is associate professor of strategic management at the University of Messina, Italy. She has been involved in several research projects, both as scientific coordination and as research participant. Her research interests focus on tourism and disability, open innovation and open innovation digital platforms, and social innovation.

Fabrizio Cesaroni is professor of strategic management in the Department of Economics, University of Messina, Italy. His main research interests are in the management of technological innovation and intellectual property rights and in the management of technology transfer processes from non-profit research organizations (universities and public research laboratories) to industry.

Augusto D’Amico is professor of business economics and management at the University of Messina, Italy. His research interests are in the area of marketing and, in particular, consumer behavior. He is the author of numerous publications and coordinator of interdisciplinary research projects.