Under the leadership of the Alanya District Governorate, coordinated by the Alanya Municipality, and with the support of the Mahmutlar Municipality and ALTİD, steps have been taken to implement three projects regarding Alanya's disabled and disability tourism following three years of periodic working meetings with representatives from parliaments, local governments, federations of the disabled, and associations affiliated with these federations from Poland, Sweden, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic; these projects were introduced to tourism professionals, officials from professional chambers and associations, and officials from disability associations and rehabilitation centers during a large-scale meeting held on Saturday, December 11.
ALTİD President Gülçin Güner provided information regarding the project and the accommodation sector in her opening speech. Alanya Mayor Av. Hasan Sipahioğlu stated that the barrier-free Alanya project was first implemented in our district in Turkey and serves as an example, noting that it is also supported by the Ministry of Labour and that barrier-free work will begin in the city and on the beaches before the 2011 tourism season. Alanya District Governor Hulusi Doğan summarized the content of the project. Subsequently, the President of the International Union of Architects and Town Planners, Prof. Krzysztof Chwalibóg from Poland, conveyed the subject of barrier-free cities and hotels in his presentation, where he showed examples from certain cities around the world. Later, taking the floor, the Vice President of the Board of Controllers of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, İrfan Akıncı, provided information regarding applications for the disabled within the scope of the ministry's qualification regulations and other legal legislation, emphasizing that the ministry views such studies favorably and follows developments.
Three studies are being conducted with the project.
1-Barrier-Free City Alanya
To create an exemplary barrier-free city in Alanya with public and private spaces arranged in a way that ensures the participation of local and foreign people with disabilities living in or visiting Alanya in every area of social life, without needing the help of another or with minimal assistance.
2-Barrier-Free Tourism for Everyone
According to the WHO (World Health Organization) and various official sources, as of 2010;
• 9 million in our country
• 700 million in the world
• According to recent studies conducted in Europe, it is stated that there are approximately 130 million people who meet the definition of being disabled, nearly 70% of whom are able to travel and possess a spending potential of approximately 80 billion Euros. Looking at these figures, in order to ensure that people with disabilities can also go on holiday and encounter and integrate with different cultures just like non-disabled people, as well as to ensure that the concept of sustainable 12-month tourism is brought to our country, studies have been initiated for barrier-free hotels.
3rd International Barrier-Free Life Center
The 3rd project, for which the completion of official procedures is expected at the start and whose implementation is being considered; is to prepare a joint project with working partner countries in Europe to establish a multi-purpose International Disabled Education, Rehabilitation, Integration, and Rest Center in Alanya, where people with disabilities from both domestic and international sources can stay for certain periods along with their companions, and to apply for European Union funds and other resources.