Many people dream of vacationing on Greece’s famous islands. That dream is now a little closer to reality for visitors with mobility challenges, thanks to a significant investment from the Greek government in making the country’s beaches more accessible.
The SEATRAC system is the core of the initiative. It’s a solar-powered mechanism involving a chair on a fixed track that can be installed on beaches with various types of terrain, from sandy to rocky – though it's only suitable for use when the sea is calm.
After transferring themselves into the chair, SEATRAC users then use the waterproof remote to move the chair along the ramp down the beach and into the water. Then, they use a handrail to leave the chair and swim. Accessible parking, bathrooms, changing areas, and walkways are also being installed on beaches that have the SEATRAC mover.
The accessibility initiative, which reportedly cost 15 million euros ($16.5 million USD), will ultimately make 287 beaches across Greece fully accessible, with 220 planned to become operational this summer. You’ll find SEATRAC movers on islands like Crete, Santorini, Corfu, and Kos, as well as the Greek mainland.
Interested in learning more? Check out the official website for the project (https://www.accessiblebeaches.gr/en_us) for photos and a map of beaches with SEATRAC technology.
Bringing the sea closer:
- SEATRAC was launched in 2012 by the Greek company TOBEA (Thinking Out of the Box Engineering Applications). Prior to its development, few devices existed to help people get in and out of the water at the beach.
- In addition to Greece, the SEATRAC mover has already been installed on beaches in Italy, Cyprus, and Latvia, and will soon be expanding to the US, UK, Spain, Croatia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
- “It is time for the world to be more accessible. All beaches around the world should be fully accessible so that everyone is free to enjoy the sea independently and safely,” said TOBEA CEO Ignatios Fotiou.
