The “Accessible Beach, Beach for All" program includes 239 bathing areas this year, according to numbers from Turismo de Portugal.

This number is equivalent to 36 percent of the classified bathing areas, which represents a significant increase compared to the 77 that existed two decades ago, Jornal de Notícias reports.

The Portuguese non-profit organisation, Salvador Association, which works to promote the full inclusion of people with motor disabilities, argues that many of these beaches are only accessible "on paper.”

People with mobility limitations report difficulties reaching the sea, mentioning restrictive circumstances such as walkways which are far from the sea or impassable due to sand, improper parking, or amphibious chairs without maintenance.