Destinations for All 2025 Coming to Turin

Third World Summit on Accessible Tourism

(Registration now open for abstract submissions)

The third edition of a global and crucial event for accessible tourism will be held in the Piedmont capital from October 5-7, 2025, following previous editions in Montreal and Brussels. A strategic opportunity for national and international tourism operators, destination managers and researchers.

Turin, 29 April 2025 – Destinations for All, the World Summit on Accessible Tourism now in its third edition, will take place for the first time in Italy, in Turin, from October 5-7 2025. This promises to be a major event, bringing together experts and operators from the tourism sector worldwide. The event aims to promote and share best practices in accessibility within the tourism sector to strengthen a global network of destinations accessible to everyone, including people with specific needs. The Piedmont capital was chosen to host the Summit following Turin's designation as European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025: the title awarded by the European Commission considered, among other factors, the accessibility features and tourist hospitality available in the city.

The first edition of the Summit was held in 2014 in Montreal (Quebec), under the aegis of the Canadian association Kéroul and with the participation of UNWTO (now UN Tourism), UN, the European Network for Accessible Tourism, and ICAO. Following this event, the Declaration "A World for All" was adopted: a document, available in 10 languages, including 40 specific measures to monitor and implement the recommendations of the World Tourism Organization for inclusive tourism. The second Summit was held in Brussels (Belgium) in 2018. Organized by Kéroul and the Collectif Accessibilité Wallonie-Bruxelles (CAWaB), the event saw the participation of over 400 delegates representing 266 different organizations from 42 countries.

The third edition of the Summit, which will take place at the Lingotto Conference Center in Turin, includes 3 days of panels, debates, and workshops. The event aims to involve destinations and tourist accommodation facilities, as well as any service or entity that may have a direct interest in inclusive tourism. A unique opportunity for key stakeholders to meet, share experiences, and create global partnerships.

"When we talk about hospitality, we must always remember that each person has specific needs, and taking these into account is an act of respect, as well as a sign of civic progress. Making an experience accessible means truly making everyone feel welcome. It's not just a matter of inclusion; it's a strategic opportunity to build a fairer tourism industry capable of looking ahead. Those who today fail to grasp the added value created by developing a tourism supply chain that is truly 'for All' risk not only falling behind but also excluding an increasing number of people in a changing society where the average age continues to rise. That's why a collective effort is needed. Only by combining the energies of public administrations, tourism operators, destination managers, associations, and civil society organizations can we build together a different future where everyone feels welcomed, recognized, and enabled to fully experience every moment of their lives, starting with leisure time. A future made of concrete solutions, intelligent innovations, and good practices that make every place more open, more accessible, and more human." stated Maurizio Montagnese, President of the 3rd World Summit on Accessible Tourism.

The event, in collaboration with UN Tourism, is supported by the Piedmont Region, City of Turin, and Turin Chamber of Commerce with the patronage of National Confesercenti.

The Summit's Steering Committee consists of representatives from public bodies and associations dedicated to developing inclusive tourism that allows all visitors, regardless of their abilities, to take full advantage of the tourism experience offered by destinations. These include CPD (Consulta per le Persone in Difficoltà), IsITT (Italian Institute for Tourism for All), Kéroul, CAWaB, ENAT (European Network for Accessible Tourism), Turismo Torino e Provincia Convention Bureau, ISTO (International Social Tourism Organisation), OPES Italia, and ITS Academy Tourism and Cultural Activities Piedmont. The Organizing Committee for the third edition is composed of representatives from CPD, ISITT, and ENAT. The organizational secretariat is entrusted to Centro Congressi Internazionale S.r.l. and Symposium S.r.l.

Until May 15, submissions are open for abstracts of possible presentations to be delivered during the Summit. The call is primarily directed at tourist destinations, research institutes, associations, as well as commercial operators in the sector who wish to present to the public an experience, a good practice, or even just an idea.

The themes on which abstracts may focus, and therefore the topics that will be addressed during the Summit, are:

A. Accessible Tourism Business

1) Visitor Economy – the value of accessibility

2) Business development - incentives and support mechanisms

3) Tools for small and medium-sized tourism enterprises

4) Business case and success stories

5) Marketing strategies for accessible tourism

6) Commercialization of accessible tourism itineraries

7) National Strategies for Accessible Tourism

 

B. Education, training, skills development and employment

1) Accessibility education, skills and new job opportunities

2) Awareness-raising

3) Certification of courses and persons

4) Inclusive employment policies, strategies and practices

5) Accessible tourism education for young people

 

C. New Technologies for Accessible Tourism

Challenges and opportunities

1) Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence

2) Digital accessibility – Information, Websites, Apps, Chatbot

3) Virtual reality / Virtual Tourism

4) Navigation and orientation

5) Making cultural heritage (museums, archaeological areas, monuments)

accessible through innovation and co-creation

D. Good practice examples of accessible tourism

E. Mobility, transport and wayfinding

To submit an abstract, it must be a maximum of 400 words and 3,000 characters (spaces included), and each author may submit a maximum of 3 abstracts that must have a specific structure consisting of: Title | Keywords | Introduction | Approach | Results | Conclusion | References.

Registration is also already open for all Summit participants.

On this occasion, delegates from around the world will also have the opportunity to discover Turin and Piedmont, a geographical area with a rich cultural, artistic, historical, gastronomic, and natural heritage.

English press kit available here.

For more information: www.destinationsforall2025.org

Ends

PR contact: Ivana Shiell at IShiell@aviareps.com 

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