This past year felt different. TravelAbility’s growth rate has accelerated in each of our five years, but we seemed to break through some sort of barrier in 2023. Inquiries and invitations have been coming from all directions—from regions and destinations from throughout the US, from large travel and hospitality companies, from new global partners like the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival and Destinations International.
“It does feel like the message of accessible travel is penetrating all parts of the industry and is a growing part of the general zeitgeist,” says Jake Steinman, TravelAbility founder and CEO. “Companies are seeing it as a lucrative market and they are bringing in trainers to improve their service. And, as evidenced by the unprecedented growth of the number of adaptive/assistive technologies as well as ‘Age-Tech’ at this year’s CES in Las Vegas, the level of innovations is staggering.”
Steinman adds that TravelAbility is riding a wave that begins with travelers with disability and advocates. “It’s about quality of life and predictability. Individuals have configured their homes and studied their neighborhood so that they can live independently. But when they go to travel, it’s Russian Roulette because there’s so little information.”
The mainstream media is also paying more attention to the issue, according to Tricia Roth, head of marketing and engagement. “One of the main reasons we’re trying out more of a roundup approach in this issue of Insider is because of the number of articles we’re seeing in major publications, from USA Today to NPR, The New York Times, Condé Nast to the BBC has mushroomed.”
Here is a rundown of some of the markers and highlights that stood out for us in 2023:
- Partnering with Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for destination organizations, to reach over 700 destinations worldwide and help them improve their accessibility.
- Hosting the sold-out EMS Summit, the premier event for travel professionals and experts to learn, network, and showcase the latest innovations in accessibility. (Our 2024 EMS Summit will be held November 13-15, in San Francisco.)
- Growing the Destination A11Y Club, a membership program that provides destinations with access to exclusive content, tools, and support to enhance their accessibility to 18 destinations last year from nine in 2022,
- Nearly doubling the content of the Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive guide that contains over 100 links to videos, presentations, and examples of accessibility best practices from various sectors of the travel industry.
- Publishing a special edition of USAE News, a leading publication for association executives, that featured a wrap-up of the EMS Summit and offered exposure to the sponsors and speakers.
- Launching Accessible Journeys, a quarterly online magazine in collaboration with Mélange Publishing, that showcases inspiring stories, tips, and destinations for travelers with disabilities. The magazine reached over 1.7 million readers in the summer edition.
- Rebranding the Launchpad pitch fest as the InnovateAble Showcase, an annual event that celebrates the most creative and impactful accessibility solutions in the travel industry. The event coincides with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th.
- Invite to advise the American Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival about how they can become for accessible in 2024.
In addition to these achievements, TravelAbility also introduced several pilot programs in 2023, such as:
- Academic Accessibility Learning module, an online course that uses the Accessibility Playbook to teach hospitality students about accessibility. The course was offered by the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and received such positive feedback from the 800 enrolled students that it will become a graduation requirement for all 3000 students in the future. This program aims to change the way hotels treat and welcome guests with disabilities.
- Rethinking Accessibility, a turnkey program that helps destinations discover and highlight their existing accessibility features. The program involved five destinations and revealed 210 new accessibility features that can attract and accommodate travelers with disabilities.
- Visit Tampa Accessible Riverwalk Pass, a discount attraction pass that offers access to the most popular and accessible attractions along the Tampa Riverwalk. The pass sold over 1900 tickets and generated $109k in sales in two months.
- Introduced the Visit Florida/Wheel the World (WTW) coop program, in which WTW accessibility features in 30 locations in three Florida destinations where the state covered 50% of the costs. The program was offered to all DMO’s in Florida at their annual industry conference and has been expanded to 14 destinations in the state.
TravelAbility is excited to continue its mission of growing accessibility in 2024 and beyond. For more information, visit www.travelability.net.
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