Curacautín, located in the Araucanía Region of Chile, is a leading destination for special interest mountain tourism. It is part of the UNESCO Kutralkura Global Geopark and the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, offering unique experiences in geotourism, thermalism, and nature, with attractions such as the Conguillío and Tolhuaca National Parks. Its surroundings, with hot springs and geosites of high cultural and geological value, reflect a natural and heritage wealth that is nationally and internationally recognized for its authenticity and beauty.

However, the commune faces a significant challenge in its tourism offering: the lack of accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities and older adults. This shortcoming restricts the universal right to leisure and recreation for these important segments of the population, leading to sedentary lifestyles and low indicators of autonomy, despite their strong association with outdoor activities. The complex local geography presents physical barriers that make it difficult for everyone to access and enjoy its attractions.

The main causes of this problem are the lack of accessible services in tourism offerings, which limits participation and enjoyment of attractions, accommodations, restaurants, and activities. In addition, there is a lack of a strategic plan to coordinate efforts and allocate resources to promote equitable tourism. The lack of knowledge on the part of people with disabilities about available attractions  and the poor implementation of universal accessibility regulations contribute to perpetuating this exclusion.

Currently, there is no comprehensive strategy that addresses these issues in a systemic and collaborative manner. Existing initiatives are fragmented or fail to coordinate the multiple relevant actors. The proposal for this Territorial Strategy for Inclusive Tourism seeks to overcome these limitations by bringing together all social actors to register, develop adapted experiences, and transform Curacautín into a truly universal and sustainable destination.

• Comprehensive diagnosis of the territory and inventory of accessible services: Identify existing tourism infrastructure, services, and experiences, registering accommodations, restaurants, and activities to inform the community and visitors.
• Adaptation of infrastructure and experiences: Implement adaptations to trails, signage, transportation, and services with accessibility criteria, developing inclusive and diverse tourism experiences.
• Creation of the Strategic Work Plan: Develop a plan with objectives, strategic axes, activities, responsibilities, deadlines, and indicators to guide the initiative.
• Formation of the Inclusive Tourism Committee: Bring together authorities, providers, and organizations to plan and oversee the strategy, ensuring representation from the public and private sectors.
• Workshops for service providers, authorities, and the community: Provide training on inclusion, accessibility, and care for people with disabilities, improving knowledge and tools for practice.
• Promotion of accessible services: Publicize the offerings and advantages of Curacautín as an accessible destination through social media and the municipal website, positioning the community nationally and internationally.
• Inclusive tourism campaigns: Organize contests or activities to involve the community in the inclusive tourism strategy.
• Distinguishing services with a seal: Collectively create a distinctive seal that motivates and identifies tourism services that are part of the accessible offering.

Direct Results:

• Territorial diagnostic report: Have a detailed report on accessible and inclusive offerings.
• Updated municipal registry: Have a registry of services that can be continuously updated.
• Adaptations implemented: At least 5 services with adaptations during the first year of implementation.
• Inclusive tourism experiences developed: At least 3 experiences that integrate various services.
• Strategic Plan Document: Have a clear and agreed-upon operational framework.
• Working group established: Establish a committee with broad representation from the public and private sectors.
• Workshops held: 4 workshops with a minimum of 15 participants each.
• Promotional material and publications: Dissemination of the offer in the media and social networks.
• Accessible tourism offer seal: Creation of a seal that identifies services that are advancing in their inclusive offer.
• Services nominated: At least 5 tourism services nominated to obtain the seal.

Expected impact:

• 1,000 people with disabilities and older adults who live in and visit the municipality of Curacautín have access to an inclusive and barrier-free tourism offer throughout the year.
• Increased participation and autonomy of people with disabilities and older adults through accessible tourism experiences.
• Positioning of Curacautín as a national benchmark in inclusive and accessible tourism.
• Transfer of the strategy to other municipalities in the region and country.

Sandra Gonnet - Executive Director - Inclusive Tourism

Lorena Penroz - Director of Tourism and Economy - Municipality of Curacautín

Curacautín Chamber of Tourism: https://curacautinchile.com/

Somos Malalcahuello A.G.: https://somosmalalcahuello.cl/home/

Conguillio Tourism Cooperative: https://destinocuracautinconguillio.cl/

Sueños de colores Association

Community Union of Senior Citizens

Association of Local Guides: https://www.instagram.com/guias_curacautin/?hl=en