Accessibility and Wellness for All: Vesuvius National Park Leads Inclusive, Sustainable Tourism

Before improvements, the park’s terrain marked by uneven, clayey, and unstable soil with gentle slopes and frequent stairs hindered access for wheelchair users, families with strollers, and visitors with limited mobility. These natural features compromised stability and traction, making safe passage difficult throughout the trails.

Key needs were to remove physical barriers caused by the park’s challenging landscape, allowing access for people with disabilities, families, and those with reduced mobility. Rising interest in outdoor fitness created demand for inclusive workout spaces, met by Percorso Vita Easy. Additionally, accessible digital tools were needed to provide guidance and enrich experiences for all, including visitors requiring tactile or sensory support.

The solution identified two main areas for restoration with accessibility-centered interventions: creating Percorso Vita Easy, an inclusive outdoor fitness trail, and upgrading Trail 11, the Terzigno Pinewood, with accessible pathways for visitors with mobility limitations. Both projects removed physical obstacles and incorporated features to ensure sustainable, barrier-free access in these restored zones.

Actions included installing Percorso Vita Easy, an outdoor fitness trail with all the equipment made from recycled plastic catering to accessible exercise needs, and transforming the Terzigno Pinewood Trail (Trail 11) into a flat, natural-material path suitable for mobility-challenged visitors. A new AI assistant “Mr Plinio” is being deployed, and, thanks to QR codes installed along the trail, real-time information is provided, enhancing independence and inclusivity for all.

Partners included Federparchi, COREPLA, and Procter & Gamble, who contributed to Percorso Vita Easy’s development under the national Percorsi Vita nei Parchi program. The AI assistant Mr. Plinio was developed with Seed Media Agency, which also manages the park’s social media accounts. These collaborations ensured the successful integration of cutting-edge digital tools and sustainable accessibility features.

The park now features Percorso Vita Easy, offering eco-friendly outdoor fitness equipment for all visitors. The Terzigno Pinewood Trail is fully accessible for those with mobility, visual, or hearing impairments, thanks to adapted pathways, clear signage, the Ortus Jovis that hosts 2,500 plants selected based on a strongly distinctive feature capable of engaging the five senses and the AI assistant Mr. Plinio. These combined enhancements deliver an engaging, inclusive visitor experience for all.

Challenges involved the park’s complex terrain that limited access for many visitors. Technical difficulties in restoration arose from the need to stabilize pathways while preserving fragile ecosystems. Moreover, adapting infrastructure for varying accessibility requirements and delivering clear, inclusive visitor information, including digital content, proved demanding.

Lessons highlight the need to balance ecological preservation with accessibility, ensuring nature remains unharmed while welcoming all visitors. Innovative materials and AI tools boost engagement and autonomy, while strong partnerships underpin technical and outreach success. Careful planning is vital to address terrain challenges and promote tourism that is both sustainable and fully inclusive.