MODIFICATION OF HISTORICAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE PLACES: ACCESSIBILTY BY DESIGN FOR BARRIER-FREE CULTURALTOURISM

Budsakayt Intarapasan Ph.D

Interior Architecture Program and

Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism Instructor

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi

School of Architecture and Design

49, 25th Thientalay Rd., Bangkhunthien-Chaitalay, Bangkok 10150 THAILAND

Tel +662-470-7888

Fax +662-2452-3792

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Introduction

Often referred to as the world’s largest growth tourism industry, tourism is being undertaken by increasing number of people with disabilities (PwDs) travelling to more countries and regions of the world. The new market segments are continually like to the needs of the barrier-free tourism (BFT). The travel of this group needs access tourism facilities requirement of the BFT in niche markets. Regarding the concepts of modification heritage places, it will be useful to see additional reference. These are particularly relevant to UNESCO’s criteria. The BFT forms an important component of international tourism in the world today. As the current access tourism offer does not provide a high-quality destination or adequate infrastructure at stage of the journey for PwDs.

The challenge is a more difficult one, especially when they are of historic interest and any changes that might happen have to be in keeping with characters and materials of the historic place, and do not damage or obscure its important features. Modification means modifying the historic place to suit the existing use or a proposed use. The principle of accessibility of modified access in the historic context is to understand historic, aesthetic, scientific and social value of our cultural heritage for people with disabilities and future generations. It is usually not a part of the overall process of protecting or repairing character-defining features; rather, such work is assessed for its potential negative impact on the building's historic character. For this reason, particular care must be taken not to radically change, obscure, damage, or destroy character-defining materials.

This paper needs relevance to the decisions that need to be made in order to meet the needs of barrier-free cultural tourists. The existing lifestyle of the PwDs and the quality of the heritage environment is to develop the independent living life-style in the social environment.

Keywords: Rehabilitation, historic places, Barrier-Free Tourism,

Purpose of the study

  1. The main purpose for segmenting a market is to sale the program to the BFT.
  2. The analysis of rehabilitation of historic properties provides an essential context for identification.
  3. The study considers the most sensitive solution for historic conservation.

Approach or Expected Results

  1. To develop BFT study into travel and tourism markets in selected sub sectors in heritage places.
  2. To enhance relationships for benefit of the humanity and historical and natural heritage.
  3. To be comparable study experiences on comparable facilities for people of all ages.

Conclusion

Historical and natural heritage places, most building and landscapes were not designed to be readily accessible people with disabilities. In recent years, however, emphasis has been placed on modification of significant historical properties, and disabilities. This issue provides accessibility at historical and heritage, and human needs to balance accessibility and historical preservation. Modification provides standard and guidelines rehabilitation on making historic properties accessible while adapting their historic characters.

Topic Code: C. Accessible Tourism: Conservation access to the historical and natural heritage

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