A holiday that cares

Kochi-based ‘Special care Holidays’, billed as the country's first holiday company for differently abled persons began operations last week with a day-long houseboat cruise in Alappuzha with nearly 150 differently abled people from various parts of south India.

52-year-old Simon George, founder and MD, paralysed from the waist down for more than three decades, moves around in a wheel chair. Through his consistent efforts, Kerala's Department of Tourism has agreed to introduce 'Accessible Tourism' as a special service to promote tourism in the state in its 'responsible tourism' initiative.

According to him, accessible tourism starts with providing the visitors with accessible vehicles, specially-trained co-ordinators and tour guides, doctors and nursing staff and accessible equipment including ramps, automated ramps, wheel-chairs, motorised wheel-chairs, lifts-onto-vehicles, accessible washrooms and toilets, Braille and sign language-scripted materials and equipment for the blind and hearing impaired at all the likely places tourist visit including airports, bus stations, hotels and at tourist destinations.