The Ministry of Tourism is organizing a series of Webinars on the overall theme of ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ with objectives to promote tourism in India.
Through these webinars, the government is also planning to create awareness about various tourist destinations of India, including the lesser-known destinations and lesser-known facets of popular destinations.
“The 6th Webinar of the series was organised on 22nd April 2020 on the subject ‘Making India an Inclusive Travel Destination For All’.This webinar was heard live by more than 1700 people from all across the world,” Ministry of Tourism said in a press note.
The Webinar was a journey across various destinations in India where people with disabilities have travelled. From the ancient city of Varanasi and exploring the Ghats on a boat, to the snow slopes of Gulmarg, from the Harmandir Sahib Temple (Golden Temple) in Amritsar to the Dalai Lama monastery in Dharamshala, it said.
“From the Jaisalmer fort to rafting in Rishikesh. From the backwaters of Kerala to national parks in Karnataka. Whether it was a hearing-impaired couple or a visually impaired couple, travellers on wheelchairs, groups or solo travellers from across the globe, all these destinations have been conquered by them. The Webinar showcased the endless possibilities for Accessible Travel in India. Facilities available for persons with disabilities at various sites in India and important factors to be kept in mind while planning travel for them were also highlighted in the Webinar,” it added.
The Right of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD), 2016” which came into force in 2017 is a big step towards ‘Making India an Inclusive Travel Destination For All’.
This Act not only increased the types of disabilities from existing 7 to 21 but also enhanced the Rights and Entitlements of Divyangjan thereby providing an effective mechanism for ensuring their empowerment and true inclusion into the Society in a satisfactory manner, the government said.
The webinar was conducted by Neha Arora, the founder of Planet Abled, an organization which provides accessible and inclusive travel solutions for people with different disabilities.
She was assisted by a sign language expert interpreting the proceedings for participants who are hearing impaired.