Information Package / Course Catalogue
Accessible Travel Services
Course Code: TTS135
Course Type: Area Elective
Couse Group: Short Cycle (Associate's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 0
Credit: 2
Lab: 0
ECTS: 2
Objectives of the Course

The objective of this course is to help students understand the concept of accessible travel services, the expectations and needs of tourists with special needs, and the physical, communication, and operational barriers they may encounter during the travel process. By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to plan accessible transportation, accommodation, itineraries, tours, guided services, and travel agency services at a basic level.

Course Content

This course covers the concept of accessible travel services, profiles of tourists with special needs, accessibility practices in transportation, accommodation, reservations, transfers, tours, and destination services, product development processes for accessible products at travel agencies, as well as fundamental topics related to effective communication, digital accessibility, assistive technologies, ethical principles, safety, and crisis management.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.This course explains the concepts of accessible travel, accessible tourism, universal design, and tourism for all.
2.It categorizes the travel needs of individuals with disabilities, elderly tourists, individuals with chronic illnesses, and tourists with temporary mobility limitations.
3.It evaluates transportation, accommodation, booking, transfer, tour, and destination services from an accessibility perspective.
4.It analyzes product development, information dissemination, sales, and operational processes for tourists with special needs in travel agencies.
5.It develops fundamental solutions for communication, technology use, ethics, security, and crisis management in accessible travel services.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Ünüvar, Ş., & Sarı Yıldırım, Ş. Eds. (2021). Erişilebilir Turizm: Postmodern Bir Sentez (1. baskı). Ankara: Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
2.Baş, M. (2016). Engelli Turizmi (1. baskı). Ankara: Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
3.World Tourism Organization. (2016). Manual on Accessible Tourism for All: Principles, Tools and Best Practices – Module V: Best Practices in Accessible Tourism. Madrid: World Tourism Organization.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
The concept of accessibility, accessible tourism, tourism for all, an inclusive service approach, equal participation in travel services, and the importance of accessibility in the tourism sector.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Physical disabilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, chronic illnesses, older tourists, and individuals with temporary mobility impairments.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Universal design approach, independent mobility, safe use, understandable information, wayfinding systems, accessible communication, and inclusive planning in services.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Accessible information presentation, accurate identification of customer needs, addressing special requests during booking, and advance preparation for transportation, accommodation, transfers, and tour services.
Week 5 - Theoretical
Accessibility in air, road, sea, and rail transportation; airport services, wheelchair assistance, escort services, baggage handling, and boarding procedures.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Accessible room features, bathroom and common area arrangements, elevators, ramps, restaurants, pools, reception, emergency systems, and the role of hotel staff.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Creating accessible itineraries, suitability of points of interest, rest areas, museums and historical sites, natural areas, cultural routes, and planning for duration and pace.
Week 8 - Intermediate Exam
An assessment of the topics covered in Weeks 1–7. A midterm exam will be administered covering the concepts of accessibility, profiles of tourists with special needs, universal design, reservations, transportation, accommodations, and route planning.
Week 9 - Theoretical
Accessible product development, customer needs analysis, supplier selection, creating accessible package services, sales consulting, and operational monitoring in travel agencies.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Effective communication with guests with disabilities and special needs, appropriate address, empathy, body language, communication with visually and hearing impaired individuals, coordination with companions and families.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Mobile applications, digital maps, audio guides, subtitles, sign language support, QR codes, online information, assistive technologies, and digital accessibility.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Non-discrimination, human dignity, privacy, independence, security, consumer rights, accessibility standards, social responsibility, and ethical service approach.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Emergency planning for tourists with special needs, evacuation processes, health problems, getting lost, transportation disruptions, natural disasters, safe service delivery, and crisis communication.
Week 14 - Theoretical
A general evaluation of all topics covered in the course.
Week 15 - Final Exam
A final exam will be held covering accessible travel services, profiles of tourists with special needs, transportation, accommodation, route planning, agency services, communication, technology, ethics, and crisis management.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Assignment1%10
Quiz1%10
Midterm Examination1%20
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Quiz2012
Midterm Examination110111
Final Examination110111
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)52
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
OÇ-1
3
3
1
2
1
1
2
5
OÇ-2
2
3
1
5
1
1
2
5
OÇ-3
4
2
2
4
1
1
5
5
OÇ-4
4
2
1
5
1
2
5
5
OÇ-5
3
2
1
4
1
5
4
5
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026