Sustainable Product Development for Accessible Tourism: Case Studies Demonstrating the Need for Stakeholder Collaboration

Joachim Josef Nigg and Sarah Eichelberger
Additional contact information
Joachim Josef Nigg: Department of Strategic Management, Marketing and Tourism, University of Innsbruck, Karl-Schönherr-Straße 3, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Sarah Eichelberger: Department of Strategic Management, Marketing and Tourism, University of Innsbruck, Karl-Schönherr-Straße 3, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: Sustainable tourism builds on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), involving the consideration of people with disabilities, which necessitates their corresponding integration within tourism development. The noteworthy potential of accessible tourism is demonstrated in several studies. Hence, efforts have already been made to develop and adapt products in this regard. However, there are still challenges related to the inclusion of people with disabilities in tourism. Therefore, this study examines product development for accessible tourism through four case studies that have developed and implemented products for people with disabilities in the past. Data is gathered by means of qualitative interviews with managers of these product developments, and data is also triangulated with secondary information. The results show that product development for people with disabilities strongly depends on the immediate collaboration of all stakeholder groups and the inclusion of people with disabilities, building on the underlying values of the destination. Furthermore, the study indicates that in accordance with the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), sustainable product developments for accessible tourism are based on the sustainable tourism principles. Thus, both theoretical and practical implications for tourism facilities as well as for destination management organizations can be derived.

Keywords: sustainable tourism development; inclusive tourism; people with impairments; tourists with disabilities; multiple case study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/20/11142/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/20/11142/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11142-:d:652215

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().