The Americans with Disabilities Act requires places of lodging to “identify and describe accessible features in the hotels and guest rooms offered through its reservations service in enough detail to reasonably permit individuals with disabilities to assess independently whether a given hotel or guest room meets his or her accessibility needs.”
Jim Butler, a hotel attorney, recently warned hotels about a surge in lawsuits targeting hotels for violations of this provision. He says that this is a popular avenue for ADA attorneys, because “one need only visit the defendant’s website or the websites of their OTAs to quickly test for compliance.” Since attorneys need not actually visit the hotel in order to file suit for violations of the requirement to describe accessible room features, filing cases is easier and faster.
OUR TAKE: Unclear information is often one of the most significant barriers to accessibility, and it also prevents businesses and destinations from taking full advantage of the disability market. Making accessibility information clear is the most important factor to mitigate the chances of getting sued. To see a model of an accessible landing page any hotel can emulate using a template developed by TravelAbility, click here.
To read more ADA lawsuits surrounding a lack of information about accessibility, click here.
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