Accessible tourism in Italy: state of the art and future prospects in the digital age

Commonly accepted ethical principles, but also profitable economic logic, require attention to the tourist needs of people with disabilities. The paper illustrates the evolution and current situation of accessible tourism in Italy, and its possible prospects, in the digital age. In fact, many current results and even future projects are linked to the evolution of the IT technologies that often replace the human assistance of people with disabilities. The evolution of the sector is presented, also considering the recent regulatory changes. Some Italian initiatives for disabled population are described. Then the focus is on the current and potential contribution of ICT and digital reality based on the dissemination of information on the Internet. Italy can be an important example for many other countries.