The new “Castellana Caves LIS Guide” è was presented today, Monday 10 February, during the press conference “Tourism for all: accessibility, services and culture of the Caves”, which saw the protagonists Castellana Caves and Municipality of Castellana Grotte (Ba) in the conference space of the Puglia region at Fieramilanocity on the occasion of the Bit.
This is the first video guide in Italian Sign Language of the caves of Italy, which describes the underground itinerary of the Castellana Caves, a three-kilometer route accessible in all seasons and one of the most important tourist attractions in Puglia, ready to welcome visitors throughout the twelve months.
In Puglia all year round, therefore, but also for everyone, because making the tourist itinerary increasingly accessible is the goal of Grotte di Castellana srl, committed to eliminating distances and the physical and communication difficulties that limit the enjoyment of the beauty of the Apulian karst complex for tourists with disabilities. They work daily to ensure the possibility of fully accessible visits for all visitors, including through the methods identified in the "Grotte 100% Accessibili" project, presented in December 2018 and which in 2020 will be enriched with a new video guide in LIS created in collaboration with Digi.Art.
From descriptions of the various environments to useful information for visiting the caves, from the presentation of the two possible itineraries to information on shows and events: this guide is designed for deaf tourists, created with the support of specialized technicians and featuring content provided by expert guides at the Castellana Caves. It can be used independently offline using the visitor's personal smartphone or tablet, downloading it free of charge from the Android and Apple marketplaces. This integrated service represents just the first step toward an increasingly significant expansion of technological resources for visitors.
The video guide is produced under the patronage of the Puglia Region, Puglia Promozione, the Regional Guarantor of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Metropolitan City of Bari, the Municipality of Castellana Grotte, and the Italian Tourist Caves Association. Full details are available on the Castellana Caves website (http://www.grottedicastellana.it/grotte-di-castellana-guida-lis/).
During the conference at Fieramilanocity, the Councillor for Tourism and Cultural Industry of the Puglia Region spoke Loredana Capone, the Director of the Department of Tourism, Cultural Economy and Territorial Development of the Puglia Region Aldo Patruno, the Mayor of the Municipality of Castellana Grotte Francesco De Ruvo, the Tourism Councillor of the Municipality of Castellana Grotte John Philomena, President Victor Casulli and the Vice President Francesco Manghisi (who together with the Councilor Maria Lacasella make up the Board of Directors of Grotte di Castellana srl) and Stefano Scagliuso, who is entrusted with the artistic direction of the tourist site.
