The La Romana Bayahibe Hotel Association (AHRB) has carried out the presentation of the action plan of its project “Destination La Romana Accessible”, in order to present the progress of the project to date and discuss the next steps to follow in the expansion of its accessible complementary offer.
Considering that accessibility is the condition that a space, object, instrument, system or means meets to be usable by all people, in a safe, equitable, comfortable and as autonomous manner as possible, the AHRB in collaboration with the Open Doors Organization (ODO) has carried out comprehensive assessments of associated Hotel facilities. These evaluations cover specific areas such as rooms, restaurants, shops, pools and beach access, among others.
The evaluations have made it possible to present the accessibility characteristics and facilities present in the evaluated establishments, with the aim of developing short and long-term plans adapted for each property, applying inclusive design principles to make the facilities more accessible.
The executive director of the AHRB, Ana García-Sotocamentioned that “our hotels comply with international accessibility requirements, such as the specific number of accessible rooms, and since 2014 we have trained our collaborators in such important topics as the dignified treatment of people with disabilities or sign language.”
“We understand that the path to full accessibility may present architectural, budgetary and time challenges, but we are committed to overcoming them and creating an inclusive destination that reflects the values of our community,” he added.
Additionally, in collaboration with local tour providers, tourism activities are being analyzed to determine possible adaptations. We are working together with these providers to implement the necessary changes to guarantee a comprehensive experience for people with disabilities.
It is recalled that in 2018 the AHRB signed an agreement with the National Council for the Development and Inclusion of People with Disabilities (Conadis), making accessibility part of the sustainable development policy.
In addition to this, García-Sotoca mentioned that “in the case of Blue Flag certified hotels, the bathroom and beach area facilities have been audited by Conadis and comply with all international requirements to be 100% accessible, reaching the standards established in United States, Canada and Europe”.
Together with Conadis, the AHRB accompanies hotels so that they can prepare when hiring people with disabilities, through training and advice. As a result, they currently have around 22 employees with disabilities working in the destination’s hotels, and more than 300 people have been trained with awareness and training workshops.
