Accessibility Champion: Toni Bastian

Group Tour & Visitor Center Manager; Richmond Region Tourism

Note: This interview is part of an ongoing series featuring interviews with 24 Champions of Accessibility for 2024 selected and celebrated by TravelAbility.

Q: When did you begin focusing on accessibility in your destination and what was the impetus for wanting to make your destination more accessible? 

A: In 2019, I attended the Destinations International Visitor Services Summit break-out session about Accessible Travel. Wesley Hamilton, the founder of Disabled but Not Really Foundation, shared his physical and emotional recovery after becoming paralyzed from a gunshot wound. Wesley described the daily challenges he now faces in a “World designed for able bodied people.” I left realizing that we, as a DMO, can do a much better job creating an accessible destination. With a lot of research, I proposed to leadership the Accessible RVA Strategic Plan.

Q: What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization? 

A: I am the Visitor Center and Group Tour Manager as a member of the Visitor Experience team. My primary responsibilities include the operations and management of three visitor centers and part-time staff. In addition, I promote the destination to motorcoach groups by attending tradeshows, hosting familiarization tours to our region, participating in sales missions, and providing services such as developing itineraries and sourcing hotels.

Q: Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers that you face regarding the advancement of accessibility in your destination? 

A: The most difficult obstacles include time resources to efficiently work the accessibility strategic plan. It will require a permanent management plan because it is not a single campaign or project. It is woven into our mission and values. It requires focus to keep Accessible RVA relevant to responsibly continue to provide resources to our visitors with disabilities. It is also a challenge to not become overwhelmed with how much can and should be done.

Q: What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility in your destination, and which are you most proud of? 

A: I am most proud of tapping into the richness of the Richmond community which is comprised of diverse and engaged organizations that are passionate about advocating for disability inclusivity. Their guidance helped develop the first step of Accessible RVA which was developing an accessible resource page on VisitRichmondVa.com. Once that was underway, we felt it was imperative to provide educational opportunities for our tourism partners. We are now in our second year with VisitAble and continue to sponsor Disability Inclusiveness Training. We understand the visitor experience will be measured by the equitable, compassionate, and professional treatment received in our destination. Richmond Region Tourism is committed to providing tools for our regional partners to ensure first class customer service is the utmost priority.

Q: Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.
A: TravelAbility has provided immeasurable connections to resources.

Q: What are your plans around accessibility in 2024? 

A: We are preparing for the National Wheelchair Basketball Championships taking place in our destination this year. We have stepped up our partnerships to include 6 Wheels Consulting who is providing site assessments, and we expanded our partnership with VisitAble to provide training for hotels. We are also pleased to welcome John Morris with WheelchairTravel.org to our destination and look forward to his assistance with developing an accessible travel guide.