On 12 February 2026, the final international seminar of the CE-Spaces4All (Accessible Spaces for All) project took place at Kulturhaus Schüttkasten in Retz, Austria. This event marked a major milestone for the project, which is focused on improving accessibility in tourist and public spaces for people with reduced mobility and other needs.
The project is funded under the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE 2021–2027 programme and aims to use digital technologies to enhance information and accessibility across natural areas, cultural heritage sites, national parks, and other popular destinations so that people of all abilities can plan and enjoy visits independently.
CE-Spaces4All’s Role and Contributions
As a key project partner, CENIA co-organized the seminar together with the Czech Association of Paraplegics (CZEPA) on behalf of the Czech Republic. From the Austrian side, Weinviertel Tourismus GmbH hosted the event. Experts from CENIA not only helped coordinate the event but also shared key field mapping results and digital accessibility evaluation tools developed during the project.
Representatives from Podyjí National Park (Czech Republic) and partners from Thayatal National Park (Austria) were actively involved in discussions, underlining the importance of linking nature conservation with the strategy of accessible tourism. Their participation helped highlight concrete plans for building accessibility-friendly services in protected areas.
Seminar Highlights and Key Messages
During the seminar, CE-Spaces4All partners focused on:
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Sharing achieved results from three years of project implementation, including mapping tools and accessibility data.
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Panel discussions addressing how tourism can be made truly accessible for all.
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Presentations of Accessibility Guides and the Provider Portal—resources designed to support public understanding and service providers in assessing accessibility.
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Developing a strategy for future activities that build on project outcomes.
Participants stressed that accessibility is not only a social necessity, but also a significant opportunity for regional development and tourism growth. The seminar highlighted that barrier-free environments offer benefits not only to persons with disabilities, but also to families with children, seniors, and visitors with temporary mobility limitations.
Project Impact and Future Outlook
For all involvement in CE-Spaces4All was an opportunity to help coordinate technical outputs and share knowledge across the Central European partner network. The project has contributed new tools and helped shift how accessibility is considered in tourism planning and service provision.
The final seminar in Retz served not only as a summary of achievements, but also as an inspiration for the further development of inclusive tourism across Europe.