Italy is known for its breathtaking scenery, rich history, and mouth-watering cuisine. The sounds of Italian being exchanged over pasta and a carafe of house wine or the sounds of traffic in bustling Rome, or the quiet of the country are what a visitor to Italy usually remembers.
No Level Playing Field
But, as Robert Wirth says, ‘Many deaf people have had problems visiting Italy in the past. It is a very famous country and attracts plenty of tourists who come for the wealth of art, food, history and culture. Deaf people want to appreciate those sorts of things – la dolce vita – but most would like to have a trusted guide who is also deaf.’
Wirth, who is deaf, owns the five-star Hotel Hassler in Rome and is co-owner of the International Wine Academy of Rome. ‘It’s not fair that hearing people are able to appreciate the ‘hot’ travel programmes such as countryside walking tours, speciality tours with a focus on food and wine, and so forth – while deaf people often have to work extra hard to plan these on their own, or join a hearing tour and miss out on the communication,’ he explains. ‘By having full access, they can enjoy thoroughly all the things that this country has to offer.’
Enter Hands On Italia, a travel service that caters to signing travellers visiting Italy.
From No Access to Full Access
Rome resident Terry Giansanti, originally from America, was born deaf to deaf parents. ‘Language is the foundation of what humanity is.’ He says. ‘Without language, how can we communicate, express ourselves, get things done? I grew up with full language access, and when I came to Italy it was like being born again. I did not even know or understand anything that was going on around me, and had to learn from scratch. During that process, I learned so much about myself, the way I reacted to things and how I dealt with the challenges I faced. I also gained a whole new perspective on the world.’
Giansanti was frustrated by the lack of accessibility to communication at various tourist attractions. He shared his sentiments with Wirth, and they, together with Italian-born guide Vanessa Faraone, founded Hands On Italia (HOI) in 2003. This has since grown into Hands on Travel offerins trips to a variety of destinations.
‘HOI is a customised travel service which aims to meet the desire of every single travel group,’ Giansanti says. ‘I try to fit visitors’ interests with the various services we provide, which include countryside walking tours, wine tasting and cooking classes, customised guided tours in major cities such as Rome, Florence, and Naples, and the countryside.’ HOI also offers itinerary advice.
Unique Trips and Classes
In addition to customised tours, three-hour walks and one-day trips, HOI offers one-week walking tours to Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast, along beautiful centuries-old trails. For the well-seasoned traveller, there is the appealing choice of summer treks through the Dolomites, exploring Tuscan wineries, private cooking classes with a deaf Italian chef, meals at the regions’ very best restaurants, visits to local producers, and more. Incredibly, all of these options are made accessible to signing travellers.
For instance, wine-tasting sessions and courses, mostly located at Wirth’s Wine Academy, are provided using sign language interpreters. Interpreters are also made avai-lable for other services whenever necessary, reassuring travellers worried about communication barriers.
Prices are reasonable, too. HOI offers a tiered pricing system where travellers can choose from individual tours or group tours, customised or packaged tours, and number of participants. Included in the costs of a one-week walking tour, for example, are breakfast, a lunch or dinner with wine, paid admission to museums and attractions, private wine-tasting at wine estates, and all taxes and gratuities.
Hospitality and Communication are the Key
‘The thing travellers enjoy most, of course, is the direct communication with sign language which allows them to learn so much more about the country,’ Giansanti says. ‘We give them a broad outlook of Italy – history, culture, food and wine, even deaf culture. Our nar-ratives help them appreciate this country in a much deeper manner.’
Wirth also believes hospitality is key to travellers’ satisfaction. ‘Hospitality services are very important, and it is basically my whole life. HOI is something that I really am keen on because I want to see deaf travellers received well in Italy,’ he explains.
Although most of the guests are deaf, HOI also serves people who hear. Giansanti mentions a hearing woman who stayed a week. She had chosen HOI based on their punctual and prompt correspondence, and personalised services. ‘Needless to say, that was a real honour, showing us that we are not only good for signers, but our quality of services can compete with anybody out there.’
He adds, ‘Italy is an intriguing country just waiting to be discovered, and with our services every traveller will go home with a remarkable hands-on experience that wouldn’t have been available otherwise.’
For more information on pricing and services, visit http://www.handsontvl.com.
