The first regions in the field of barrier-free tourism in Germany appoint the Dresden PR agency THIEL Public Relations to handle communications for their common cause.
Ten holiday regions and cities in Germany have joined forces to create the Association of Barrier-free Destinations in Germany. Together they are breaking new ground to develop inclusive packages for people with restricted mobility and those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and the partially-sighted as well as for families and senior citizens. To enhance their media profile, the association has appointed the Dresden PR agency THIEL Public Relations to carry out press and public relations work on their behalf.
The association was originally established in 2008 by the city of Erfurt together with the regions of the Eifel, the Franconian Lakes, the Island of Langeoog, Ruppiner Lakes and Saxon Switzerland. They were later joined by the Lusatia Lakeland, Southern Wine Route and the cities of Rostock and Magdeburg. Langeoog was replaced as a member by East Frisia.
The association's main objective is the further development of barrier-free tourism in the members' towns and regions as well as in Germany as a whole. It seeks to offer a platform for regular link-ups and exchange of experience between the regions, to enable joint marketing activities to be carried out and to strengthen countrywide co-operation with politics, administration and other associations. There are already close partnerships in place with the German National Tourist Board and Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railways).
A vital communications channel for the association is its Internet site www.barrierefreie-reiseziele.de, which is kept up to date with current information jointly by the members. The initiative is also represented at trade fairs and exhibitions, and with the appointment of THIEL Public Relations the aim is to further expand the scope and continuity of media work as one of the pillars of its communications strategy. ■
www.barrierefreie-reiseziele.de