In recent years, the resilience of tourism destinations has become a key concern in the international debate on sustainable development. Within the framework of the United Nations Agenda 2030, Sustainable Development Goal 11 highlights as a central objective the creation of sustainable, safe and resilient cities and communities, linking resilience to the ability of local systems to ensure safe access, limit the impacts of hazards and disasters, and protect vulnerable social groups. From this perspective, access to reliable, understandable and accessible information can be considered a fundamental prerequisite for social inclusion and can be approached as a critical factor of functional resilience in tourism destinations.
Contemporary scholarship indicates a clear shift in research focus from the management of isolated crises toward broader and more holistic approaches to resilience. As Wang et al. (2022) argue, tourism research has moved away from an exclusive emphasis on crisis response toward the study of resilience, highlighting that resilience is no longer limited to reactions to individual disruptions but refers to a more comprehensive capacity of destinations to function and adapt Moreover, resilience is no longer understood as a simple process of recovery, but as a dynamic trajectory of adaptation and transformation. As noted by Hall, Prayag and Fang (2024), resilience in tourism destinations is associated with the processes through which systems adapt and transform following disruptive events, underscoring its evolutionary and non-static character. Finally, the literature conceptualizes destination resilience as a multidimensional capacity extending across the full range of operational and governance systems. In this regard, Tamanine and Houssas (2023) emphasize that resilience is composed of economic, social, environmental and institutional dimensions and depends on the ability of systems and governance structures to respond and adapt effectively to multiple and simultaneous threats.
Within the field of accessible tourism, information is treated as a fundamental prerequisite for the equal participation of visitors. The UNWTO (2016) underlines that both public and private tourism stakeholders are expected to provide accurate, relevant and timely information at all stages of the travel experience, from preparation to completion, stressing that accessible information constitutes a key factor for effective communication with visitors. At the same time, adequate and reliable information is shown to enhance travellers’ autonomy, as it enables them to compare available options and make decisions with greater independence.
Within the Greek policy context, the National Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2024–2030 further reinforces the importance of accessible information, treating it as a basic prerequisite for the exercise of rights, autonomy and equal participation of persons with disabilities. The strategy places particular emphasis on universal access to information, the use of plain and understandable language, and the universal design of digital services. From this perspective, accessible information can be approached not only as an issue of social policy, but also as a critical factor of functional resilience in places that also operate as tourism destinations.
Despite this institutional recognition, the UNWTO (2016) points out that significant gaps in the provision of information on the accessibility of tourism facilities and services persist, while even where information is available, its reliability often remains questionable. Furthermore, outdated information is highlighted as a factor that may undermine the overall quality of information provision and put visitors’ safety and comfort at risk. Similar conclusions emerge from analyses of the Greek tourism context, where deficiencies in reliable and accessible information are identified as a major barrier for persons with disabilities, limiting their autonomy and increasing uncertainty even in environments where physical accessibility measures have been implemented.
Against this background, the present study argues that information should not be understood merely as a secondary communication service, but rather as a form of functional infrastructure, essential to reducing uncertainty and enhancing the operational resilience of tourism destinations and adaptive capacity of tourism destinations. Particular emphasis is placed on the linguistic and formal accessibility of information, through the use of plain and clear language, and consistent terminology. These elements collectively serve as a decisive factor in reducing uncertainty and enhancing destination resilience for the benefit of all visitors, including persons with disabilities.
Keywords: Resilience, Accessibility, Tourism Destinations, Accessible Information, Sustainable Development
