Tourist accessibility in museums of Tabasco

Abstract

The quest for equality and full social inclusion has led tourism to expand the opportunity for all visitors to enjoy accessible tourism services as an integral part of a destination's offering. This paper analyzes the accessibility conditions for visitors with motor and sensory disabilities offered by museums in the state of Tabasco, Mexico. The methodology follows a qualitative approach that allowed for the description of aspects related to the infrastructure and service of twelve venues. The categories analyzed were: accessible entrances and routes, service areas, signage and information, and service staff. A checklist with 28 indicators was applied through indirect on-site observation, which allowed for the establishment of a diagnosis of accessibility in the museums. Two interviews were conducted with museum administrators to obtain data on service staff and to triangulate what was observed in the field. Among the most relevant findings is that, although none of the museums met all of the categories and indicators, most meet certain accessibility criteria, particularly in infrastructure; service staff exhibit serious deficiencies across the board. Two situations are identified that hinder the establishment of accessible museums in Tabasco: lack of knowledge and awareness on the issue, and a lack of resources for implementing accessibility measures, which require financial investments. Finally, four recommendations and future lines of research are established for further exploration of the topic.