Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has a range of accessibility features to enable physically-challenged delegates to move around. Photo Credit: MCEC
Last month, Seoul Tourism Organization won the grand prize at the
first Seoul Universal Design Awards for its ‘barrier-free environment
creation’ project, created in December 2021.
The organisation has been promoting the ‘Universal Tourism
Environment Creation Project’ since 2019, with the aim of ensuring that
travellers can move conveniently around the city and access services.
The project includes the Seoul Danurim Accessible Tourism Center, which
opened in April 2019, and offers services such as wheelchair accessible
vehicles and travel-assistive device rentals.
Business travellers visiting Seoul for a MICE event, for example, can
make a reservation for “recommended tours” in advance to use the
vehicle at no cost to visit barrier-free tourist spots. Seoul Convention
Bureau says diversity is well reflected throughout the city, especially
in the city’s most popular tourist spots.
A diversity of cultures and religions is reflected in Seoul, shares Jin Hyeok Park, director of Seoul Convention Bureau. Photo Credit: Seoul Convention Bureau“There’s Seoul Central Mosque and many Halal restaurants for Muslim
tourists, while Myeong-dong, known for shopping, is also where the most
famous cathedral of Korea is located”, says Jin Hyeok Park, director of
Seoul Convention Bureau.
“And around Insa-dong, another hot spot for Korean souvenirs, one can
find a temple and temple food restaurant among the modern buildings.
Presenting tourist spots in this way helps to promote diversity in
Seoul, not only to the international visitors but also to local
residents, helping to make their stay in the city comfortable.”
At
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the venue’s head of safety,
David Howie, points to how MCEC has a range of accessibility features,
including wheelchair access, vision impairment and assisted hearing,
while wheelchairs are available for hire and there are wider seats in
the venue’s theatre spaces.
For BCD Meetings & Events, the agency says experience shows that
‘our differences fuel innovation for our company and communities. The
agency says it treats everyone with respect, dignity and fairness and
empowers each person to develop their ‘Confident Self’ to the fullest.
“We’re committed to making a positive impact in our people’s lives so
they can make a positive impact in the lives of others,” it says.
“Within our D&I framework, we’re focused on a growing range of
initiatives aimed at increasing workforce representation for
under-represented groups, fostering workplace inclusion for all,
influencing change in our marketplace/industry and increasing diversity
in our supply chain.”