Developing Accessible and Inclusive Tourism in the Mountain Areas with the “I AM FVG” Project
Making the mountain regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia increasingly accessible, welcoming and enjoyable for everyone: this is the aim of “I AM FVG – Inclusion and accessibility, making mountains easy to experience and enjoy”, a new project involving 84 municipalities across Friuli Venezia Giulia. The initiative includes a wide range of measures designed to improve the accessibility of tourism services and experiences in mountain areas, both in summer and winter.
Through technical assessments of infrastructure, routes and tourism services, I AM FVG seeks to gain an accurate picture of the current state of accessibility, while identifying critical issues and potential areas for targeted improvement. The data collected will be integrated into the “FVG for All” website, a key tool enabling everyone to independently choose experiences, services, accommodation facilities and restaurants that best meet their individual needs.
In addition to mapping activities, the project also provides tourism, cultural and sports professionals with aids and equipment to support and implement accessibility, as well as dedicated training programs. The aim is to make the mountain experience increasingly safe, autonomous and accessible. Particular emphasis is also placed on communication: through the production of multimedia content and targeted promotional activities, the project seeks to enhance and give visibility to an inclusive tourism offer that truly places people at its centre.
As part of the I AM FVG project, a specialization course for ski instructors from Friuli Venezia Giulia on “teaching and accompanying people with disabilities” has also been launched. Organised by AMSI FVG (Italian Ski Instructors’ Association) and the Collegio Maestri di Sci FVG (FVG Ski Instructors’ College) in collaboration with PromoTurismoFVG, the course runs until March and involves 33 participating ski instructors. The programme includes theoretical and practical sessions on physical and sensory disabilities, as well as neurodiversity, with the aim of strengthening skills and professional expertise in support of increasingly inclusive skiing
Moreover, existing information brochures on accessible tourism have been updated and new publications produced. The brochure “FVG – A Region for Everyone: Accessible Tourism in Friuli Venezia Giulia” brings together the entire accessible tourism offer across the region. “A Sea of Accessibility” focuses on coastal tourism resources developed as part of the “A Mare il Mare” (Loving the Sea) project. The brochure “FVG – The Most Beautiful Places and Villages to Visit” presents the region using easy-to-read and easy-to-understand language.
With I AM FVG, PromoTurismoFVG continues the work launched in 2015 in collaboration with the Regional Advisory Commission for people with disabilities and their families, further strengthening accessibility as a structural component of the region’s tourism offer. Measures include the assessment of the accessibility of guided tours promoted by PromoTurismoFVG and of facilities located along these routes, the launch of a free Italian Sign Language (LIS) interpretation service, and the collection of data on accessible routes and services in nature reserves, parks, historic villages, and social agricultural enterprises. Alongside these initiatives, thematic projects such as the Wine and Taste Route of Friuli Venezia Giulia have been implemented by identifying accessible wineries, restaurants, and businesses among the participating establishments, as well as urban data-collection projects carried out together with various local administrations.
