Traveling by boat and people with disabilities in Greece
New Greek Law Framework for safe travelling by boat for disabled persons
Greece is a country with an intense tourism mobility and its main characteristic is the many islands that can be visited on holidays. In order a tourist to travel to these destinations, he needs to change ways of transport and definitely travel by boat.
But what if the visitor is an elderly person or a person with mobility difficulties?
Travelling by boat involves objective difficulties for people with mobility difficulties when the appropriate rules are not followed. In addition to easy access to all areas of the boat, their safe movement must be ensured.
What is changing?
According to a new law framework of the Greek Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, from 1 May 2019 clear law framework and requirements will be set for the safe movement by ferry boats of persons with disabilities.
The law framework will regulate issues such as access to boats, signaling, transmission of alerts, alarm and other details concerning the movement of disabled persons within the boat.
According to the framework, boats should include:
- Specially designed areas for the stay of people with mobility and other difficulties
- Appropriate equipment for people with disabilities to access boats (suitable lifts and elevators)
- Special striping signs in the field of vehicles, from the entrance of the boat to the elevators
- Special signage in public areas
- Special system for the transmission of announcements for people with disabilities
- Insurance seats for wheelchairs for people with mobility difficulties
- Designate suitably trained crew members to serve people with disabilities.
It is important to emphasize that accessibility in tourism not only concerns accommodation, but all the aspects relating to tourim destinations.
Τhis article was originally published by p-consulting.gr