Boosting accessibility and inclusiveness in tourism and cultural heritage sites: benchmarking best-practices

Purpose “Accessibility” and “inclusiveness” are pivotal factors influencing the socio, environmental and economic dimensions of tourism attractions and heritage sites. Despite their high impacts and related spillover effects, comprehensive strategies and tools for assessing, monitoring and optimizing their effects have not been defined yet. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review technique has been used in order to identify, evaluate and synthesize the available literature in both fields of tourism and cultural heritage. It has been essential for framing the concepts of “accessibility” and “inclusiveness”, identifying the main methods and practices employed to measure and evaluate them, and proposing a set of universal actions. Then, it classifies the best-case studies at the global scale. Findings This research confirms that best practices leveraging accessibility and inclusiveness in tourism and cultural heritage actively involve local communities in the economic and social discussions, supported by long-term planning and sustainable policy frameworks. In this context, collaboration and communication among all stakeholders – such as citizens, local businesses and public authorities – play a central role. Moreover, the establishment of a continuous action-oriented system for monitoring and evaluating social, economic and environmental impacts is demonstrated to be essential. Such systems are key to developing long-term strategies, particularly for the preservation and conservation of social and natural environment. Originality/value This paper fills the literature gap proposing a set of strategies enhancing accessibility and inclusiveness in tourism and cultural heritage. This research may be employed by local and international regulatory agencies to extend their socio-economic perspective, reducing the related environmental impacts. In this way, it would overcome the actual fragmentation, facilitating global justice and equality.