TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Eliana Satkin

Accessibility Champion: Lynn Smith

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Chief Marketing Officer, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program

She may not be a magician, but Lynn Smith is making the invisible seen around the world.

Q1. What motivated you to become involved in accessibility and do you have a personal connection to disability?

I firmly believe that everyone, at one time in their lives, will experience a non-visible disability. We all have friends and family who are affected by disabilities and conditions that are not immediately apparent to others, and I want all of them to feel supported and able to thrive to the best of their potential.

Removing the stigma around non-visible disabilities is crucial. It’s about making it easier for people to get the help they need and ensuring they feel valued and included. My passion for equity and social justice drives me to contribute to efforts aimed at creating a world where everyone, regardless of their abilities, feels empowered to participate fully in all aspects of life. 

“I firmly believe that everyone, at one time in their lives, will experience a non-visible disability.”

Lynn Smith

Q2.  What is the goal of your organization?

Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone with a non-visible condition genuinely needs support. You may be questioned on if you have a disability because you don’t “look like you have a disability.”

That is why we created the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower – to encourage inclusivity, acceptance and understanding.

It is a simple tool for you to share that you have a non-visible disability voluntarily. By wearing the Sunflower, you’re letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time.

Our goal is simply to improve everyday experiences for people with non-visible disabilities. We do this through the Sunflower symbol which helps make the invisible, visible.  

Q3: Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers you face around accessibility and what actions/initiatives are you taking to address them?

Aside from budget limitations, the most challenging obstacles to accessibility include the lack of awareness about disabilities that are not immediately apparent, stigma and discrimination, inflexible policies, and limited resources. To overcome these barriers, initiatives include educational campaigns to raise awareness, advocacy for policy changes, training programs to sensitize businesses and communities, promotion of inclusivity in all sectors, and fostering collaborations with other organizations and advocacy groups. By implementing these strategies, initiatives like the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program aim to create a more accessible and inclusive environment for individuals with hidden disabilities.

Q4. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

One of my proudest accomplishments is being part of an organization that shares my values and is dedicated to making a difference globally. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program operates in 34 countries, with seven offices. I am proud to contribute to its impactful mission. Working alongside such a dedicated team of individuals and being able to play a role in making the world more inclusive and understanding is incredibly rewarding.

Q5: Who do you follow?  

In addition to Jake and the TravelAbility team, I look to the following for ideas and inspiration:

The amazing HD Sunflower team

Melody Olander of But You Don’t Look Sick.

Richard Gray from Visit Lauderdale

DFAWG – The Dementia Friendly Airport Workers Group

Meegan Winters of AbleVU

Accessibility Champion: Ross Heller

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Publisher USAE News and CustomNEWS Inc.

Q1. What motivated you to become involved in accessibility and do you have a personal connection to disability?

As publisher of USAE Weekly Newspaper, a publication which covers the association and meetings industry, I feel we have a responsibility to cover the issue of accessibility. Understanding of accessibility, in all its aspects, to an association executive is as important as knowledge of food and beverage and/or site selection.

Over the years, disability has always played a role in my life. Among my company’s most successful telemarketers was an employee who had become blind as an adult. His lack of vision did not detract from his ability to talk to clients on the phone. In fact, after my nomination of him, the State of Maryland awarded him its Handicapped Employee of the Year Award.

Q2.  What is the goal of your organization?

USAE’s goal is to thoroughly cover the news of the association and meetings industry including news of CVBs and the hospitality community. We are the only industry trade publication to designate a reporter to regularly cover accessibility. 

Q3. Of what accomplishments are you most proud?

That USAE continues to thrive and bring important news and information to its community of readers 42-years after its founding.

“As a news organization we are continually on the search for knowledge of what others are doing in the field of accessibility so we can pass it along to our community of readers.”

Ross Heller

Q4: Who do you follow? 

As a news organization we are continually on the search for knowledge of what others are doing in the field of accessibility so we can pass it along to our community of readers. Our search is not limited to a specific individual or organization.

What Would You Do?

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Each month we try to address various accessibility issues that may arise within the TravelAbility community. 

July’s scenario: Welcoming a deaf traveler.

A deaf traveler enters your visitor center to ask for information, but the center has no one who can communicate in sign language. What would you do? 

Here are some suggestions from TravelAbility community members:

Brett Laiken, VP Marketing, Visit Florida

The simplest way to communicate is by using the Notes function on your phone and typing messages. There are also apps available to download that allow better communication options. 

Dr. Josh Loebner, Global Head of Inclusive Design, Wunderman Thompson

Start a notepad conversation with a first question, “Do you read lips, or would you prefer I write down (or use voice to text) what I’m saying?”

Additionally a survey could be conducted among deaf travelers that have visited previously to gain insights into what some of their frequently asked questions were at that venue and those with answers could be populated into a simple one-sheet document to supplement real time conversations. Also, the venue/destination’s website could have curated content for attractions and other locations in the area that are deaf/hard of hearing friendly to have even more info to share in addition to immediate dialogue. 

Jennifer Barbee, Co-Founder, Destination Innovate

BeAware app or a transcription app. All front line employees should be trained on tools to assist with accessibility.

Wanda Wayne, Discover Lancaster, Visitors Center Manager

We have had deaf visitors in the center more than a few times. When it becomes known that the visitors are hearing impaired, we generally speak more definitively (the person may be able to read lips); look them in the eye; write things down when needed and refer to written materials.

Muhammed Ruman, User Experience Designer

In this situation, I’d start by using a translation app to communicate with the deaf traveler immediately. I’d also provide written materials and videos in sign language. Long-term, I’d invest in staff training for basic sign language and hire diverse staff.

Disability Mom Responses through Social Media:

Utilize the Language Bank Interpreter Line.

Use Google Live to convert speech to text.

Start by writing everything down, unless there is an additional international language barrier. In that case, use Google Translate.

Check out this guide on how to communicate better with deaf people (from a deaf person)

Here’s last month’s What Would You Do? 

Scenario: An Autism Meltdown in your attraction. 

Answers: Click here

Heads in Accessible Beds Preliminary Results

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The numbers are coming in! Brace yourself – results are both surprisingly positive and challenging.

A few months ago, TravelAbility spearheaded a pilot program called Heads in Accessible Beds to collect and share essential data on the accessibility of hotel sleeping rooms and bathrooms. These details on ADA compliant rooms address the primary concerns for wheelchair users and exchange the gamble of finding a room that meets their needs with a guarantee.

“We appreciate the leadership of TravelAbility which is helping push our industry forward and educating destination marketing organizations about how to be more welcoming and inclusive to travelers with disabilities. Improving accessibility is not only about physical spaces but includes access to information and increasing the knowledge of staff.

The Heads in Accessible Beds program has been a great entry point for us to engage our hotel partners. I’m really pleased that the compelling context and straightforward action steps have resulted in eight of our hotels taking part in this initial pilot. We’re excited to promote the results and take a step further in making a meaningful improvement to the traveler planning process.”

Claire Mouledoux, SVP of Communications, Visit Alexandria

Thanks to a collaboration with four Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) that are members of the Destination A11Y Club, we’re excited to share preliminary results. Here’s what we’ve found so far:

  • Bed heights ranged from 7”- 38” inches. 
  • None of the bed heights were adjustable.
  • Only one out of the 25 hotels offered bed raisers (Westin Alexandria Old Town).
  • The distance from the floor to the bottom of the bed frame ranged from 0”-18” inches.
  • 21 out of 25 hotels had carpeted rooms. 
  • Number of grab bars ranged from 0-3.
  • The height of the grab bars from the floor ranged from 12”- 36.5” inches.
  • 13 hotels had a raised toilet seat available.
  • Two hotels didn’t have a roll in shower.
  • Width of the doorway into the bathroom ranged from 28.55”- 42”
  • One hotel didn’t have a pool.
  • All hotels that had a pool also had a pool lift, except for one. 

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Triumphs of our own – How the TravelAbility Community is Leading Accessibility Innovators in Transforming Travel and Tourism Worldwide.

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