• Ade Adepitan, British television presenter and wheelchair basketball player, has been confirmed as the ambassador for the Spanish Tourist Office’s latest #SpainforAll campaign.
• (Industry peers that would like to like to share any insight or consider joining the ‘Spain for All’ campaign on an advisory panel can register their interest here)

Ade Adepitan has been confirmed as the official ambassador for ‘Spain for All’, a campaign from the Spanish Tourist Office underlining the country’s commitment to improving accessibility and social inclusivity within the travel and tourism sector.

‘Spain for All’ comprises of a number of different initiatives aimed at creating dialogue, sharing key learnings, and building a roadmap for better tourism inclusivity from a social and accessibility standpoint. The campaign includes a travel industry advisory panel with the aim of collating feedback to identify key challenges and opportunities and help build a roadmap towards positive progress.

Adepitan has spent significant time in Spain having lived in Zaragoza and has travelled the length and breadth of the country both personally and professionally. His ambassadorship role includes consultancy services for the advisory panel, personal feedback on his own experiences of travelling around the country as a wheelchair user, and endorsement of the campaign. He is also playing a role at Spain Sustainability Day taking place on 17 April 2024, with a part of the day dedicated to social sustainability and accessibility.

Ade Adepitan says:

“I am ecstatic to work alongside the Spanish Tourist Office on the ‘Spain for All’ campaign.  This type of campaign can truly have a life changing impact on one of the most neglected communities in the world. The disabled community!

Overall, I already rank Spain highly when it comes to accessibility provisions and infrastructure, but we need to educate everyone who works in the tourism industry about how to cater for people with disabilities. We should not be seen as a burden and should be treated with the same respect as all paying customers.  When you are dealing with a person with a disability, you should not make assumptions about what they can and can’t do.  Ask them what they need and listen to them, listen to hear and not to challenge, and always have a can-do attitude.

I believe this campaign could be one of the most important moments in the history of Spanish tourism. The disabled community has billions of pounds of spending power, but until now nobody has ever taken a serious look at how to give us that 5-star service experience.”

This campaign follows a UK survey conducted by Opinium on behalf of the Spanish Tourist Office in December 2023 which asked 1800 UK adults for their thoughts on how accessible Spain is as a travel destination with 86 percent of respondents considering Spain to be ‘very or quite’ accessible.

“Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office (UK), says:

“We are delighted to have Ade Adepitan on board as the ambassador for ‘Spain for All’.  Having spent time all over Spain, from Zaragoza to Ibiza, Ade is the perfect champion to support the Spanish Tourist Office’s objective of making Spain accessible to all. We hope to learn from Mr Adepitan and our peers in the travel industry to better understand the challenges people with accessibility needs face as we continue to advocate for a more inclusive travel sector.”

Last year, the Spanish Tourist Board in the United Kingdom announced its new campaign, ‘Spain for All’, which underlies the country’s aspiration to be a welcoming destination for all. With an ongoing commitment to improving accessibility, eliminating discrimination, and improving diversity within the travel sector, the Spanish Tourist Board is dedicated to making an accessible Spain the reality.  

Below are four recommended accessible activities and initiatives for travellers to Spain.

Explore Valencia's initiatives for travellers with speech, language and communication barriers

The charming historic city of Valencia is one of Spain’s most famous destinations and is a popular choice to visit throughout the year. Pictogram imagery can be found across the city, aiming to improve accessibility for visitors with speech and communication difficulties, including those on the autism spectrum disorder. A map of the city featuring these pictograms can be downloaded here, meaning that those who might find a standard map challenging can navigate the city and feel less overwhelmed when doing so. For those with impaired vision, Visit Valencia also offers audio recordings of the six main routes around the city, helping all visitors to discover the city. 

Ascend the walls of Ávila in a wheelchair

Every year tourists flock to take in the view from the 1,000 year old medieval walls of Ávila,  Castile and León. Refurbishments to this monument include accessible entrances to certain parts of the wall for travellers with reduced mobility or wheelchair users. The Ávila Visitor Centre also loans out wheelchairs for reduced-mobility visitors to the town so that they can enjoy their visit in greater comfort. Enterprises like these made Ávila the first ever city to receive the Access City Award from the European Commission (2011), marking the city’s work to creating an environment accessible to locals and visitors alike. 

Ávila was also highlighted as an example of accessibility at the International Congress on Tourism for All, organised in Spain by the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT). Find out more about the accessible enterprises in Ávila that have contributed towards the city being recognised as one of the most accessible in Spain here.  

Discover Madrid

The capital has attractions to suit a range of travellers, including those with additional needs and disabilities. Madrid Tourism Board’s Accessible Tourism Guide, downloadable here, provides a plethora of ways to enjoy Madrid and supports travellers with any barriers they may face. With seven accessible tourism routes of interest and information on accessible accommodation, restaurants, attractions and transport to name a few, the guide is the perfect resource both before and during a trip to Madrid. Accessible Madrid also arranges accessible tours of Madrid and the surrounding area, alongside advice on travel in and around the capital. 

Take an accessible tour of Montserrat, Barcelona

The UNESCO-listed site of Montserrat, just outside Barcelona, is home to breathtaking rock formations and the eponymous Montserrat Monastery, the spiritual heart of Catalonia and the location of the mythical 12^th-century Black Madonna (Mary). Accessible Spain Travel have created a Montserrat Half Day Accessible Excursion to allow travellers with reduced mobility enjoy a visit to Montserrat. The tour is tailored for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility, with highlights of the tour including a scenic mountain drive and a visit to the Basilica of Montserrat, with weekday tours also providing the opportunity to enjoy hearing one of the most famous choirs in Europe – Escalonia de Montserrat.

• The campaign underlines the country’s commitment to improving accessibility and social inclusivity within the travel and tourism sector.  
• Travel industry peers that would like to like to share any insight or consider joining the advisory panel can register their interest here.  

In a move towards fostering accessible tourism and promoting social inclusivity, the Spanish Tourist Office (UK) announces the launch of its new campaign "Spain for All”, underlying the country’s aspiration to be a welcoming destination for all, with an ongoing commitment to improving accessibility, eliminating discrimination, and improving diversity within the travel sector. 

‘Spain for All’ will comprise of a number of different initiatives aimed at creating dialogue, sharing key learnings and building a roadmap for better inclusivity from a social and accessibility standpoint to enable more visitors to Spain to immerse themselves in the rich culture, history, and natural beauty of the country. 

Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK says: 

“In Spain, we place strong emphasis on putting frameworks in place for equal opportunities, to expand social rights and reduce the gaps and prejudice between different groups. Our aim is to create geographic and economic sustainability with a socially inclusive tourism model that spreads the benefits around the country, 365 days of the year. To work towards greater equality, good governance and public policy is vital but we also want to learn from our peers in the travel industry and create dialogue to better understand both the challenges and the opportunities as we advocate for a more inclusive travel sector.” 

At policy level, accessibility regulations and support for those with disabilities have been in place in Spain for over 40 years. City infrastructure in Spain must meet accessibility requirements, with many setting the benchmark for accessibility by winning or being shortlisted for the European Commission Access City Awards over the last 20 years: including Ávila, Barcelona, Bilbao, Burgos and Castellón.  

Visitors to Spain can obtain accessibility support and information through Spain Is Accessible; a seal of approval used by Spanish institutions to standardise the accessibility criteria across multiples sectors such as culture, food & wine, nature, sun & beach, health & beauty - to name just a few. The site offers information and support for travellers with disabilities and allows users to filter access to different attractions and destinations dependent on their individual needs. Other initiatives include Spain’s ONCE Foundation, formed in 1988, which reduces discrimination and improves the lives of those with disabilities from an accessibility, inclusion, and employment perspective. It is ranked among the world’s largest social business groups and is a global benchmark for disability organisations. 

Looking specifically at tourism services and infrastructure within Spain, public transport is becoming more accessible especially within the large cities and newer Metro networks. In Madrid, around 70% of the Metro network is currently accessible and around 90% in Barcelona. Accessibility standards also apply to accommodation providers in Spain. Ilunion and Ilunion Hotels, part of ONCE, aim to bring more people with disabilities into the travel workforce, as well as providing a network of adapted hotels.  

The first phase of the ‘Spain for All’ campaign includes the creation of an advisory panel with the aim of collating industry feedback to identify key challenges and opportunities and help identify a roadmap towards positive progress. Other actions to follow will include a consumer survey, panel discussions and a content campaign. 

Industry peers that would like to like to share any insight or consider joining the advisory panel can register their interest here.  

Andalucia has launched a new promotional tourism campaign, ‘Andalusian Crush’ which aims to entice visitors to the south of Spain. 

In line with promoting the region’s rich cultural identity, the campaign focuses on Andalucia’s culture, history and heritage, rather than the stunning scenery with which is it usually associated. American actor Peter Dinklage, famous for his role in Game of Thrones, provided the voiceover for the promotional video, following his own extensive experience filming throughout some of Andalucia’s most beautiful landscapes. Dinklage informs viewers that the region will break you “in a thousand pieces” and to be “careful of the Andalusian crush”, amplifying the enchanting power of this region. 

When in Andalusia, travellers can explore a world of history, heritage and culture, including: 

• Marvelling at the red-and-white Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba 
• Being inspired at the majestic Alhambra in Granada 
• Visiting traditional, white-washed villages and hilltop towns like Frigiliana 
• Learning the art of Flamenco in Jerez de la Frontera

The #SlowTravelSpain campaign, will highlight sustainable forms of travel in Spain and its islands, recognising the importance of forming a connection with local people and cultures when travelling whilst also lessening harmful impact on communities and the environment. The campaign will focus on geographical diversification and aim to showcase low-impact activities and journeys that fit within the slow travel theme. 

Taking part in low impact activities, exploring quieter routes and travelling with seasonality in mind will provide visitors to Spain with a more authentic experience of the country. In the upcoming months Spain’s social channels will showcase different forms of slow travel through its regions, encouraging lovers of the country to explore its lesser-travelled paths.

Making the choice to slow travel through Spain could mean choosing to travel along the well-connected network of trains, a sustainable yet rewarding option, giving the opportunity to see the lush landscape pass by and discover parts of the country not reached by plane. Alternatively, it could mean participating in responsible activities; From cycling through the mountains of la Sierra Nevada and exploring the Pyrenees in the summer sunshine to hiking through one of the 16 National Parks and diving in the Biosphere Reserves along its coastline.

How you can get involved

In the upcoming months the Spanish Tourist Office will be monitoring the hashtag #SlowTravelSpain on its Facebook (Spain.info.gb) and Twitter (Spain_inUK) accounts to track the posts of people's slow travel experiences across Spain, and to award spot prizes to some of the most impressive entries. When posting photos and videos of low impact activities, quieter routes or other slow travel related topics in Spain, please use the hashtag #SlowTravelSpain to share your content.

How brands, bloggers and influencers can get involved

The Spanish Tourist Office is also looking for brands, bloggers and influencers who have recently visited or are planning a trip to Spain and would like to get involved with this campaign. The aim of the campaign is promote slow travel experiences in Spain and engage current followers with the sustainable and responsible travel options in Spain. The campaign would also seek to create new shareable content across multiple digital channels (blogs, YouTube) to be shared on Spain’s channels. To register your interest in receiving support from the Tourist Office for your content please complete the following registration form.

The campaign entitled ‘The Ultimate Escape’ was the brainchild of Manuel Butler, UK director of Turespaña to reward the travel sector for its dedication and tireless hard work during the pandemic.

The launch of the Ultimate Escape was announced at UK travel industry event, the Travel Weekly Globe Awards, and will provide 85 agents with a four-night break to either Andalucía, the Balearic Islands, Valencia or Galicia.

The trip will include flights, four nights’ B&B accommodation and a special one-day itinerary that includes lunch and dinner and will showcase Spain’s beaches, culture, gastronomy, wine and activities.

Agents can be nominated by a manager or a supplier partner here.

Piccadilly has been world-renowned for its giant advertising boards that hosted their first campaign back in 1908. Now, for the week of 19 July 2021, Piccadilly will play host to Turespaña’s #YouDeserveSpain campaign which helps to put Spain in the hearts and minds of British travellers as they plan a well deserved holiday as international travel slowly reopens.

The campaign will also be displayed on a number of other advertising spaces around London, ensuring the message is received loud and clear by Londoners over the next week. Other London locations include Leicester Square, High Street Kensington, Westfield London, Westfield Stratford, Canary Wharf and Finchley Road.

Turespaña has a series of content planned for the different locations, but for the big screen in Piccadilly, it has reserved creative video content that shows would be holidaymakers recreating their dream holidays at home in contrast to what their dream holiday would look like in Spain. An example has been included below:

The Spanish Tourist Office in the UK will be running a small prize giveaway for those who spot the advertising campaign around London and post them on social media using the hashtag #YouDeserveSpain. The Spanish Tourist Office will select five winners at random to receive a copy of Tom Chesshyre's Slow Trains Around Spain.

To enter, simply take a picture of the #YouDeserveSpain advertising campaign in one of its London locations and upload to social media using the hashtag #YouDeserveSpain and tagging in @Spain_inUK or @Spain.info.GB on Twitter and Facebook respectively.

The prize draw will take place on Monday 26 July 2021 so be sure to get your entries in by midnight on Sunday 25 July 2021.

At present, Spain is on the UK's amber list of destinations. To find out more about travel to and from amber list destination, please see the FCDO guidance here.

For information on entry requirements to Spain, please visit the Spain Travel Advice page on the FCDO website (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain).