Versão Portuguesa
The Inn
Mindo Lago offers appropriate ramps for wheelchairs throughout its occupated
area.
Visiting
new places and enjoy the Nature has always been the passion of Mercedes
Narvaez, 94 years old. Although she has not always been able to do all the
traveling she liked. Mainly because tourist infrastructure did not give her the
facilities to move deftly, in a wheelchair.
But every year more places that take account of disabled
people or elderly people with walking difficulties.
The wheelchair, which uses the since 2 years
old, became the companion of all her travels. This week was the Arasha Inn
Resort & Spa, along with their daughters and grandchildren. The advantage
of this place is that there are ramps for access to all spaces.
The
bathrooms are the closest to the reception, the bathrooms are large to enter
wheelchair and moreover have tubes placed in the walls so that the guests can
cling to them while relaxing in the bath.
Bernardo
Garzón, owner of the Inn Mindo Lago, this adds value to the service, which is
highly valued by families. Recalls that when he started his activity in the Inn
(2005) were held nightly walks, one attractive to people, but not for those who
had walking limitations.
Even on one occasion, one of the participants
had to carry his daughter throughout the route. Now have ramps and the place
has lighting for easier access.
Narváez appreciates the fact of not having to
climb stairs to get to the bathroom. This causes pain in the legs and turns
into a migraine. More exhausted than when it ends a road trip of their hours
from Quito to Arasha.
She plays
with young people who are approaching the car to help her out. "Watch I am
strong", warning them.
Are part of
the Inn staff. They are in charge of taking her to the bedroom and show you
where is the pool. There is Mariana Paredes, another frequent tourist.
The pool is
one of his favorite places, because it has a ramp that allows you FRUI it. The
legs become painful arthritis in the stairs of public pools. This type of
infrastructure responds to a national campaign that the Ministry of Tourism has
been promoting from the private tourism sector, since 2012.
Furthermore, it was possible to publish a
Manual of accessibility for places of accommodation. Therein the terms and
conditions of the places are specified, to be considered accessible. The manual
was distributed in various hotel companies so that they can apply it in their
infrastructure.
So far it
has been upheld. Baños in Tungurahua province, is one example. Affordable City
was declared due to the construction of access ramps to the main tourist sites
and signaling.
Also gained international recognition as the
Prize of the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality Award and Queen
Sofia of Spain, in 2010 Las Granadillas The hostel is a reference.
It has three floors and all are connected by a
system of ramps. The doors are wide, precisely to give access to wheelchairs.
Its owner,
Alfonso Morales, started this project in 2005 his life Traveller influenced
your decision. It was also complicated go
to his favorite tourist places because they had no infrastructure that
should be inclusive and facilitate mobility in a wheelchair. Something similar
happened with Patricia Agirre, but in another corner of the country: in Mindo.
Her grandfather used wheelchair during his
last years of life, through it realized how hard it is to be able to enjoy with
his family the other tourist places in free time.
She opened
the hostel Birdplanet. It has a ramp in the dining room and a adapted room. The
Inn is inclusive tourism a year ago. Specializes in care for people with
disabilities abroad. Receives 8 people per month on average.
Pablo Marañón
hosts the same amount in his Inn
Huasquila Amazon Lodge. Is in the
province of Napo. Has seven rooms, which were built five years ago, since it
soon became clear the need for an inclusive infrastructure. Travelers arrived
and had not communities. Also the paths were adapted to people with visual
disability can circulate.
According
to the Ministry of Tourism, one of the reasons why the sector turned over for
inclusive tourism was the demand .
In a report
published in 2012 by portfolio, it is specified that about 6 million people
with a disability travel annually for tourism and recreational reasons a Global
scale. Furthermore. It is estimated that the 125 millions of people seeking
this service in Europe, 70% of them have financial resources to frequently
travel abroad.
Currently is developing a strategic planning
Accessible Tourism, to know the number of tourists with disabilities moving in
Ecuador and the number of accessible places.
The study is being done in the provinces of
Imbabura, Pichicha, Tungurahua, Napo and Guayas, according to Pamela Green,
Technical Area Director of Products and Innovation. Will be ready in November.
Source: "El Comercio"
Turismo Adaptado
