EDEN (European Destinations of Excellence) awarded, in November 2013, Kaunertal, a small valley, close to Tyrol in Austria for its accessible tourism. Indeed, for over 30 years, Kaunertal has renovated its facilities in order to welcome everybody, including wheelchair users, persons with reduced mobility or families with small children and strollers.
Everybody can have access to the Kaunergrat Nature Park, its glacier (2750 m) and its restaurant, thanks to a road up to the top and some wood gondola platform. Tourists can do barrier-free skiing (handiski /monoski). Thanks to a 4 star hotel entirely built to respect the needs of persons in a wheelchair and to 12 apartments entirely adapted; all publics can have easily access to accommodations. In addition, tourist operators (like ski instructors, persons working in hotel and restaurants) are very well trained to understand and answer to the specific requests of all their guests.
Kaunertal is thus a very good example of how a mountain area can be accessible for all. To know more, please discover Kaunertal’s video by
6 December 2013