As President of the World Travel and Tourism Council, the forum for CEOs and Chairmen of the world's leading travel and tourism companies, I am delighted at the publication of Best Practice in Accessible Tourism: Inclusion, Disability, Ageing Population and Tourism. The book epitomises the strategic vision of 'New Tourism' and demonstrates best practice in accessible tourism from around the world, highlighting how tourism destinations and organizations can learn from the innovators in serving this market.

As we outline in our Blueprint for New Tourism, 'New Tourism is a new sense of coherent partnership between the private sector and public authorities. It is geared to delivering commercially successful products – but in a way that ensures benefits for everyone. New Tourism looks beyond short-term considerations.' The book presents a powerful argument for just this, creating commercially successful products that are based on a foundation of including all people no matter what their access needs are.

This approach makes clear business sense. Travel and tourism businesses and destinations not only need to cater for the needs of growing markets, but must also operate within international conventions and national legislation in order to be sustainable. Inclusive design is a major step in ensuring social as well as environmental sustainability.

Accessible tourism takes into account not only people with disabilities but also the increasing number of senior travellers who have access needs. While these groups form a market segment in their own right, they also fall into the whole range of existing segments such as backpackers, luxury seekers, 'Frequent Individual Travellers' (FITs) or business travellers. We therefore call upon strategic thinkers across the Travel and Tourism industry to take on board the powerful arguments presented by this book.