61 Access to the sea is a right of every person, which goes beyond their social and economic, and even physical, condition. Disability, therefore, cannot be an obstacle. Yet, despite the enormous coastal wealth of our country, and the thousands of beaches, often reaching the shoreline for those with disabilities becomes a significant challenge. Many efforts have been made to make beaches more accessible, but there are still many barriers to overcome. One of the main challenges is the lack of adequate infrastructure. Steep ramps, lack of accessible toilets, and the absence of paved paths can make it almost impossible to reach the beach and enjoy the sea. While the Bolkestein directive, which aims to promote the free movement of services within the European Union, has led to an increase in private beach establishments along the Italian coasts, those same establishments have often not been built with accessibility in mind for various reasons. First of all, entrepreneurs encountered difficulties in eliminating architectural barriers, even though funding was available. In particular, town planning and landscape regulations relating to public property proved difficult to manage. This poses additional challenges in the realisation of interventions that meet accessibility requirements on the one hand and commercial profitability on the other. It must be said that Note 13009 on the certification process, although aimed at ensuring high quality standards for bathing establishments, may not have been uniformly applied throughout Italy and this, unfortunately, can be seen in the different standards offered by facilities and the disparity in accessibility between the different regions of Italy that have access to the sea. It seems superfluous, but it must be emphasised, that it is essential to address these challenges to ensure that all people, regardless of their physical abilities, can fully enjoy the wonders of the Italian sea, and of the beauties we can enjoy during the summer months and holidays. And to make this possible, there are several actions that can be taken. Let us start with regulations. It is necessary to introduce stricter regulations requiring beach establishments to be accessible to people with disabilities, which should include specific requirements for ramps, toilets, and accessible paths. Institutions should provide financial incentives to bathing establishments that invest in accessibility, in the form of tax breaks or funding for the installation of accessible infrastructure. No less important, is the awareness-raising of both the entrepreneurs of the establishments and the public on the issue of accessibility; furthermore, it is important to invest in the training of the business. However, effective monitoring is necessary to ensure that existing laws on accessibility are respected and to understand what, if any, critical issues are preventing the promotion of inclusive accessibility at the beach. One of the realities that closely, or rather very closely, deals with breaking down architectural barriers to promote the full integration of people with disabilities is FIABA ETS, which for over 20 years has been trying to make the world we live in, sea and beaches included, a place truly accessible to all. As a representative of the bathing world I took part in the XXI FIABADAY, the National Day for the Abolition of Architectural Barriers that took place in Rome last October, to support this path of civilisation that each of us should make our own and share. Thanks to FIABA’s action, for example, the Budget Law 2022 introduced the 75% bonus for the removal of architectural barriers. This is a deduction, renewed until 2025, which can be used for all buildings, not just houses and condominiums. The attention of Federbalneari Italia (the association of bathing establishments) on the issue of beach accessibility is very high, and involves all members. In particular, Federbalneari Lazio has partnered with FIABA for the mapping of the 364 km of regional coastline, an agreement that, as president, I would like to extend soon to the whole country. But for this, we really need everyone’s contribution and commitment. It is essential to actively involve people with disabilities in the decision-making process to ensure that the proposed solutions actually meet their needs. Access to the sea for people with disabilities in Italy is still a goal to be achieved; however, with a joint commitment by the government, tourism businesses, and society as a whole, it is possible to overcome these challenges and ensure fair and inclusive access to the sea for all. *President of Federbalneari Italia A MAJOR CRITICAL ISSUE IS THE LACK OF APPROPRIATE FACILITIES TO MEET ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS. STRICT REGULATIONS, FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AND AWARENESS-RAISING ARE NEEDED Inclusive accessibility AND THE SEA FOR ALL
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