According to the WHO, today about 15% of the world’s population are people with disabilities, and this figure is constantly growing. Travelers with disabilities are becoming an increasingly numerous tourist audience, and today the ecotourism sector is undergoing an evolution not only by piloting new business models, but also by creating inclusive opportunities for tourism development that would take into account the needs of people with disabilities. Ensuring equal opportunities in tourism allows ecotourism destinations and tour operators to provide equal access to tourism facilities, reach all the visitors, and increase the profits as well.

People with disabilities have become one of the most vulnerable groups during the pandemic, and today improving the inclusiveness of ecotourism destinations is becoming especially relevant to overcome the consequences of COVID-19, creating new safe travel opportunities and contributing to the recovery of the tourism industry. The accessibility of tourism facilities, services and products for people with disabilities must become a central part of a responsible and sustainable tourism policy to cope with the impacts of the pandemic.

Together with the national, local and foreign partners, UNDP in Belarus is actively contributing to the improvement of the accessibility of ecotourism sites in Belarus by improving the infrastructure of nature reserves and agro- and eco-farmsteads, making them more comfortable and accessible for people with disabilities.

Within the project "Support to entrepreneurship development in the tourism industry at the local level in the Republic of Belarus", implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Belarus with the financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, the barrier-free environment of the cheese dairy farmstead in the village of Komarovo was improved. While on the Augustow Canal inclusive toilets were installed to meet the needs of visitors in wheelchairs. A new playground for children with disabilities is now under construction in Braslau. All the three facilities will be available for visitors with disabilities in the next tourist season.

The infrastructure of three Belarusian reserves – "Nalibokski", “Aziory” and "Asviejski" – will become more inclusive for people with disabilities within the new project on ecotourism development implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus with the financial support from the Russian Federation.

Within the new project, the entrance to the visitor centre in the “Aziory” reserve (Hrodna region) will be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, while the visitor centre of the "Asviejski" reserve will be equipped with the wheelchair ramp to ensure its accessibility for people in wheelchairs.

In the "Nalibokski" nature reserve (Minsk and Hrodna regions) the existing eco-trail will be modernized – the wooden flooring passing through the swamp and meadow biotope will be renovated, the handrails for people with disabilities will be installed.

In 2022-2023, the project plans to conduct a series of trainings focused on social responsibility and ensuring accessibility of specially protected natural areas for people with disabilities. A series of trainings will be provided to the managers and employees of environmental institutions, project pilot sites and other Belarusian specially protected natural areas, local residents of the project territories, entrepreneurs, NGOs, owners of agricultural farmsteads, artisans, representatives of cultural institutions and other participants of ecotourism clusters.

Guided by the new Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UNDP will continue to advance disability inclusion across all aspects of its programming and operations in support of the 2030 Agenda.