New Research Names World’s Most Accessible Cities
A survey is pinpointing the 10 most accessible cities around the globe for people with disabilities.
Domestically, Las Vegas, New York and Orlando, Fla. are tops for travelers in this population, according to the study conducted by the Valuable 500, a group of CEOs from major companies including Apple, Google, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble that have committed to disability inclusion. The collective of business leaders first formed at the 2019 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Outside the U.S., other cities making the list include Amsterdam, Paris, Shanghai, London, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.
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The designation is based on the results of a survey of 3,500 travelers with disabilities globally. They were asked to rate cities based on the proximity of accommodations to various attractions and the availability of accessibility information.
“Our research shows that across both the public and private sectors in travel and tourism industry, these cities consistently score well in the accessibility rankings,” said Caroline Casey, founder of the Valuable 500. “However, worldwide, tourist boards still aren’t making the necessary headway to remove the physical and ethical barriers to ensure cities are truly accessible for all.”
A separate report from the Valuable 500 found that people with disabilities experience significant barriers while traveling. In a survey of 1,000 U.S. travelers with disabilities, the group found that two-thirds face stressful and unsafe situations due to accessibility issues and 20% reported feeling unsafe and scared while traveling.
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