13th Accessible Tourism Day on 5 March 2025 as part of the ITB - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) will present national and international experts who will discuss strategies and progress on the topic of inclusion in travel. The programme includes keynote speeches, presentations of best practices and panel discussions on the development of accessible tourism over the next ten years, inclusive travel for children and young people and accessible nature experiences.

Other topics include digital innovations and AI applications in connection with inclusive travel, new legal frameworks such as the Accessibility Reinforcement Act and a status report on the reorganisation of the ‘Travel for All’ certification system.

The programme was drawn up by the GNTB together with the project advisory board - including the working group ‘Easier Travel - Barrier-free Holiday Destinations in Germany’, the state working group ‘Tourism for All’ and the Tourism Working Group of the German Disability Council (DBR).

The event will be opened by the Federal Government Commissioner for Tourism, Dieter Janecek MP. Jürgen Dusel, Federal Government Commissioner for the Interests of People with Disabilities, and André Nowak, spokesperson for the Tourism Working Group at the German Disability Council, will give a welcome address.

Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB, explains: ‘Accessibility is an integral part of our sustainability strategy, which includes socially responsible tourism offerings as well as climate and environmentally friendly travel. Progress in the digital transformation, such as the planned integration of accessible offers in the GNTB Knowledge Graph, strengthens Germany's position as an attractive destination for people with a need for inclusive offers.’

The ‘Accessible Tourism Day’ is sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and supported by Messe Berlin/ITB.

The event will be held in German and English (with simultaneous translation). Sign language and written interpreters will also be available. An ITB ticket is required for on-site participation. Online participation is free of charge.

Further information on the event and the registration option for the online version are now available at www.germany.travel/tdbt.

Image Credit: © DZT/Jens Wegener