Accessible tourism may be a recent concept in Portugal, but hotels in the Algarve region have the opportunity to make their businesses more viable during the current financial crisis, as the Hotel and Tourist Enterprises Association (AHETA), in conjunction with RDPE, is promoting a seminar on the subject at the AHETA headquarters in Albufeira, today at 2pm.

The concept of accessible tourism is only just beginning to draw the attention of authorities and businesses in the tourism sector, but it is estimated that these niche markets, involving more than 127 million Europeans, can be worth more than €83billion in revenue for Portugal.

Already adopted by many major destinations, including Spain, accessible tourism is defined as a product where facilities, services and infrastructure are adapted to be accessible to both able and handicapped citizens, as well as children, pregnant women and elders, amongst others.

Some beaches in the Algarve are already classified as disabled friendly, amongst which Salema, Meia Praia, Porto de Mós, Luz, Alvor, Quarteira, Monte Gordo and Manta Rota.