"Vacation without barriers for people in wheelchairs" campaign

Research from 2017 showed that there is no tourist destination in the Republic of Croatia that is fully adapted to people in wheelchairs, which has not changed to this day.

Most of the members of the Croatian Association of Paraplegics and Tetraplegics (HUPT) do not go to the Adriatic because they do not have fully adapted destinations in Croatia.

Therefore, in 2022, HUPT launched donor campaign in order to collect funds for the realization of the project "Vacation without barriers for people in wheelchairs - adaptation of a tourist destination".

In the last year, 60 percent of the funds, or 81.000 euros, were collected through donations and direct activities of the association.

The goal of the campaign is to adapt a destination where people who move with the help of wheelchairs would have adequate accommodation, access to the beach and the sea, mapped adapted catering and cultural facilities, paths without architectural barriers and marked and mapped paths for active holidays with bicycles. 

This non-profit project would serve HUPT members (an alliance of 6 local associations of spinal injured people, 721 members in total) and users of international partner associations.

Link to the crowdfunding campaign:
Barrier-free vacation in wheelchairs – adaptation of tourist destination

In addition to finances, the association also engaged in field work. In the height of the summer season from June to September, together with the Croatian Tourist Board, they visited all the beaches along the Adriatic, from Savudrija to Molunat.

It was found that two beaches are fully adapted: Kostanj in Rijeka and Valkane in Pula.

What does that mean? This means that only two beaches have adequate parking, access to the beach, sanitary facilities for people with disabilities, sunbeds and an adequate entrance to the sea.

In addition, 90 percent of hotels are not fully wheelchair accessible. And if they are adapted, they are not located in the immediate vicinity of the beach.

After fieldwork, HUPT and HTZ issued i guide with beach map which are adapted to a certain extent for people in wheelchairs. It is available on the websites of HTZ and HUPT.

The campaign 'Vacation without barriers for people in wheelchairs' continues in 2024. The built destination will be a shining example of what accommodation adapted to people in wheelchairs should look like.

What after that? The desire is to build an entire settlement which will improve the quality of life of people in wheelchairs, but also enrich and complete the tourist offer of the Republic of Croatia.

If you would like to support HUPT's 'Holiday without barriers' campaign and donate funds, click HERE.

Photo: HUPT