The inclusion of people with disabilities (PwD) in tourism is a phenomenon that encompasses various influencing factors, such as accessibility, which must be reviewed for this process to work correctly. Accessible tourism has advantages for both people with disabilities and everyone else. It provides an opportunity for everyone to enjoy leisure without barriers. However, there are still factors that limit the proper operation of the sector, which require a review and new strategies for its improvement. The objective of this review is to offer a synthesis of those challenges that must be addressed in order to achieve quality accessible tourism, as well as to present the various emerging trends that can represent an important advance for the future of accessible tourism. To this end, a qualitative study review process has been carried out where the different opinions and perceptions of the various actors involved in the accessible tourism sector are considered. A thematic analysis and synthesis of the information was conducted using the “Thematic Synthesis” procedure. The methodological quality of the studies included in the synthesis was also assessed. The studies reviewed show a need to recognize disabled travelers as autonomous and independent people who seek to escape from their daily routine, and who require certain specific supports to facilitate their tourist experience. Accessible tourism is valued as a good market opportunity, but its proper development requires greater staff awareness to promote co-creation in tourism, as well as the support of technological systems to create individualized tourist profiles detailing the needs of each person.

In recent years, scientific literature has shown special interest in the identification of the factors that influence tourism expenditure, especially in cultural destinations. However, very few studies of this type have been undertaken in World Heritage Cities. Taking the case of Úbeda and Baeza, declared World Heritage Sites in 2003, and using a multivariate double-hurdle model, it has been possible to identify the factors that influence tourism expenditure in this type of destination, taking into account three areas of spending: transport, food, and visits and leisure. The results obtained are highly significant for policymakers, destination managers and businesses since they can inform decision-making by these groups in order to increase tourism expenditure in this type of city.

In 2013, it had been ten years since the World Heritage designation of Úbeda and Baeza. After this time period, there should have been a change in the image of this tourism destination, which should have been translated, according to the literature, into an increase in tourism, and, consequently, into a greater impact of this activity on the economy of both cities

Úbeda y Baeza fueron declaradas Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad en 2003. Desde entonces, el turismo en estas ciudades se ha convertido en una actividad clave para su economía y se ha incrementado el número de llegadas en más de un cincuenta por ciento. La gestión de cualquier Ciudad Patrimonio de la Humanidad requiere conocer en profundidad al visitante desde diferentes perspectivas: variables sociodemográficas y psicológicas del turista, características del viaje, actividades llevadas a cabo en el destino, la satisfacción con los recursos de este, así como del gasto realizado por el turista durante el viaje y el presupuesto del que parte. En concreto, para el caso de Úbeda y Baeza, se ha podido comprobar que el perfil del turista que las visita coincide a grandes rasgos con el del que acude a otras Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad, establecido en la literatura científica, diferenciándose principalmente en variables más específicas relacionadas con el destino y la propia personalidad del turista. Los resultados alcanzados aportan una información de gran utilidad para gestores y policymakers de las Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad, que podrán adaptar su oferta turística al turista que las visita.

This research aims to clarify if the WHS acknowledgement is capable of attracting international tour‑ ists to sites in spain, purely on its own. to that end, we analysed tourist arrivals by country of departure as visited 12 of the 15 cities that bear the distinction of unesco world heritage sites to see what nationalities visited where and identifying what characteristics drew certain nationalities to certain places. two segments were found to be clearly differentiated, allowing us to come to the conclusion that the WHS award was not sufficient in itself to draw international tourism with requirements for further tourist incentives to bring the international tourists in.