Accessibility Actions for Touristic Larnaka
As part of Larnaka Tourism Board's ongoing efforts to welcome and embrace all visitors there are currently several initiatives underway to increase touristic accessibility.
Braille Menus in Hotels
LTB is working with the charitable organisation ‘Ena Emeis’ to introduce Braille and audio menus at seven of the region’s four and five-star hotels; something that has not been done on the island before.
The hotel restaurant menus are currently being adapted for blind persons into Braille (English and Greek) and with a QR code for visual disability. This significant step in welcoming guests with a visual disability is one of several actions LTB is involved in. The menus are nearing completion and more information will be announced soon.
The participating hotels are: Golden Bay Beach Hotel, Sandy Beach Hotel, Lordos Beach Hotel & Spa, Radisson Blu Hotel Larnaca, Robinson Cyprus, Sunhall Hotel and E Hotel Spa & Resort.
Innovative Ablebook App
LTB is currently working with the founders of the innovative Ablebook app to increase the number of tourism and hospitality establishments that offer facilities for persons with a disability. All information (and much more) is included on the invaluable app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play. We are excited to reveal more about this venture upon its completion by the end of the year.
Pioneering Hotel Internship
As part of LTB’s participation in the ‘Go for Vet in Erasmus+’ project of the Erasmus+ programme of the EU, LTB facilitated an internship at Sandy Beach Hotel for a deaf person to join the Pastry Department for one month. The internship proved to be highly successful, dispelling myths and stereotypes about people with hearing loss and their ability to work within the hotel industry; paving the way for more opportunities for persons with a disability to work in tourism.
The internship was based on the project result guide: 'Recommendations for VET Providers on Including People with a Disability in Erasmus+ Professional Mobility' here.
Free Beach Facilities
Organised beaches offer two, free sunbeds and an umbrella to holders of a European Disability Card and one accompanying person and are reserved in a designated front row (look for the disabled sign on the umbrella). The sunbeds are typically found by the lifeguard tower where assistance is available, as well as free use of floating wheelchairs (with the supervision of the lifeguards).
You can find the beaches and more information about accessibility in Larnaka region here: Larnaka Region - Accessible Cyprus
Image 1: Ablebook founders Symeon Stylianou and Andreas Vasiliou.