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Greek Hotels Certified For Accessible Services To Disabled

The first “Accessibility Pass” certificates were awarded to Greek hotels that offer equal hospitality services. Photo © Accessibility Pass

The first “Accessibility Pass” certificates were awarded to Greek hotels that offer equal hospitality services. Photo © Accessibility Pass

accessibility_pass_logoGreek hotels that offer equal hospitality services for all guests were honored at the “Accessibility Pass” official launch event on 18 June in Athens.

The “Accessibility Pass” is a global certification scheme that classifies hotels’ and conference centers’ accessibility level, based on their infrastructure, services and personnel skills. It aims to help people with accessibility needs find a hotel or conference center that can accommodate their specific needs, making their overall hospitality experience a simple and friendly one.

“Improving accessibility for people with disabilities has a very special position within the national tourism plan of Greece,” Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said during the launch event.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni. Photo © Accessibility Pass

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni. Photo © Accessibility Pass

The Tourism Ministry is examining every possible financial intervention through European funds to help upgrade the infrastructure of Greek hotels that decide to get the “Accessibility pass” certification.

“It is our duty to ensure the conditions and be concerned with the unobstructed and dignified access of our fellow citizens to holidays, entertainment and the beauties and the colors of Greece,” she said.

Greek accessible hotels

Based on universal criteria, “Accessibility Pass” evaluates the accessibility features of hotels and conference centers, including existing infrastructure, services and  personnel’s proven capability to cater for individuals with accessibility needs, i.e. seniors and people with disabilities (motor, visual, hearing, cognitive).

Nineteen Greek hotels that embraced the certification value early on received the “Accessibility Pass”: Alexander The Great Beach Hotel, Alkyon Resort Hotel & Spa, Almira Hotel, Arion Resort & Spa, Athenaeum Intercontinental Athens, Corfu Mare Boutique Hotel, Crowne Plaza Athens City Centre, Domotel Les Lazaristes, Domotel Xenia Volos, Elefsina Hotel, Eleon Grand Resort & Spa, Eria Resort, Holiday Inn Athens Attica Avenue, Makedonia Palace, Novotel Athens, Sofitel Athens Airport, Thermae Sylla Spa, The Westin Athens and Xenia Ouranoupolis.

Accessibity_pass_disabilitiesAccessibility certifications were also awarded to 164 professionals that successfully completed the  “Accessibility Pass” training and examinations in hotel management, hotel guest services and hotel housekeeping and facilities services.

“Accessibility Pass” certificates awarded to hotels and conference centers certify their accessibility at the moment they were awarded and are valid for one year. Renewal through re-assessment is required, for the certification to be valid. In the meantime, it is the hotel’s or conference center’s responsibility to ensure that its accessibility features are maintained during the certification period.

The certification of Greek hotels and their human resources departments was conducted by PEOPLECERT.

For more information on the “Accessibility Pass,” press here.

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