PERCEPTIONS OF ACCESSIBLE TOURISM: AN ANALYSIS OF ATTITUDES AS A FUNCTION OF DIRECT CONTACT WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN ROMANIA

Accessibility is a contemporary issue in tourism that requires knowing the perspectives of the majority of the population. People with disabilities encounter not only environmental and communication difficulties in tourism activities but also attitudinal barriers. According to contact theory, direct contact with people with disabilities (PwDs) is an effective way of promoting positive attitudes towards them. Based on this, this paper explores whether contact with PwDs influences the perception of accessible tourism among the Romanian population. This study used a quantitative approach, comprising an online, self-administered questionnaire survey of the adult population in Romania (N=1046). The respondents were selected using quota sampling and stratified by gender, age, region, and type of municipality. To increase the sample's representativeness, the results were weighted according to the primary socio-demographic variables (gender, age, type of municipality, and educational level) based on the latest available census data (as of 1 December 2021). The data was analysed using the statistical package SPSS version 22 for Windows. The results suggest that, although individuals with disabilities face considerable challenges in their leisure activities in Romania, the general population is often unaware of this unless they have someone with a disability among their family, friends, or close acquaintances. Those who do not interact with people with disabilities are less informed about the difficulties they encounter, whether in accessing tourism or dealing with other daily barriers. Furthermore, they are less likely to recognise the inadequate communication and treatment of people with disabilities. They are also less inclined to view the promotion of accessible tourism, including accessible routes and online collections, as essential compared to those who have contact with them. Direct contact is therefore essential, not only for gaining a better understanding of the situations and challenges faced by people with disabilities but also for diminishing attitudinal barriers. Following contact theory, the study emphasises the importance of direct contact in fostering social acceptance. This is particularly important in Romania, where the population is not fully aware of the need for accessibility, and negative social attitudes create an unavoidable barrier to accessible tourism.