Discover Accessible Quebec!
By Isabelle Ducharme, Chairperson, Kéroul
Recently, Kéroul had the pleasure of inviting journalists and disability representatives from Ontario to La Belle Province to sample part of Kéroul’s Accessible Road—a tourist guide, specifically designed to promote accessible tourism in Quebec. Since its first edition, the guide has grown to offer more opportunities for people of all ages who have mobility restrictions to plan a safe trip with reliable information.
Each of the visiting journalists agreed to live the experience and spread the good news to their readership. We hope that more people will visit the province and be encouraged to develop similar opportunities in Ontario and beyond!
This stimulating and mutually advantageous adventure would not have been possible without the work of Kéroul’s The Accessible Road coordinator, Monique Bouchard, and Ministère du Tourisme du Québec’s representative, Magalie Boutin. I would also like to acknowledge the warmth and high-quality service provided by representatives of the Regional Tourist Association as well as the employees of the establishments that we visited.
The Accessible Road
The Accessible Road is a unique, innovative concept that creates an environment in which persons with mobility issues can travel safely and without worrying about accessibility.
Nearly 150 tourist attractions and service options from more than 12 regions of Quebec are featured in the guide. Descriptions of the facilities’ amenities and icons for people with motor, vision or hearing impairments provide helpful information about the services offered.
With much enthusiasm, Kéroul goes about its mission of promoting Quebec’s tourist attractions—with universal access as a top priority. The Accessible Road has four outstanding features that cover:
- Various regions
- Accessible cultural and natural sites
- Thematic circuit and getaways
- Stimulating—and always accessible— travel experiences
This invaluable tool for planning a trip to Quebec offers a whole network of universally accessible tourist sites. It links the main attractions across the province and recommends adapted hospitality services, including: tourist information offices, transportation services, accommodation and restaurants.
In addition to enhancing the physical accessibility of their facilities, The Accessible Road’s partner establishments have Welcoming Ways-certified front-line staff on hand to accommodate visitors with mobility restrictions. This helps to ensure a memorable experience with high-quality, personalized service.
The Accessible Road is available online and in print. Both free versions allow users to optimize their travel plans, whether they seek vacation ideas, must-see attractions, tours or blockbuster shows. The print version is an invitation to go online to discover a platform that allows a higher involvement in planning travel, building itineraries and making online reservations.
The Accessible Road is one of many products resulting from Kéroul’s strategy to develop adapted tourist services and create specialized tools that highlight Quebec’s attractions and hospitality services. The only thing missing to make this a “picture perfect moment” is you—by connecting to The Accessible Road, travelling can be more than a dream!
For more information on The Accessible Road, visit www.larouteaccessible.com/en/
