Development of an Accessible Environment in Accommodation Facilities

The global trend in the aging of the average person, as well as the increasing share of the population with health restrictions, provides a growing demand for inclusive tourism. The research shows that low-mobility groups of the population, including pensioners and families with young children, will lead an increasingly active lifestyle every year, so it is necessary to create a barrier-free environment to ensure their access to travel. This paper presents the results of an analysis of the barrier-free environment of accommodation facilities in Saint Petersburg. In this study, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis was carried out of all the available accommodation facilities for tourists in Saint Petersburg (a total of 535 accommodation facilities, including 333 hotels of various stars and 202 private apartments). Quantitative and qualitative data were obtained on accommodation facilities in Saint Petersburg that were prepared to accommodate people with limited mobility. In addition, an analysis of legal acts related to the topic of accessible environment for low-mobility groups of the population was conducted and a set of recommendations was made to improve the situation of the development of a barrier-free environment in Russia.