TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Eliana Satkin

News from the TravelAbility Community

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

Wheel the World founder Wins Entrepreneur of the Year at annual EDDY Awards in Atlanta.

Winners of the second annual EDDIE awards, short for Entrepreneurs Dedicated to Diverse and Inclusive Excellence, are “not scared of breaking down doors, actually, demolishing doors.” Read about Silberstein and the other nominees, here.

IBCCES Announces Certifications of Dubai and Orlando Airports.

Our partners at IBCCES, the only credentialing organization in the autism field, have had a very busy quarter.  Recently, they’ve announced certifications including Dubai Airport, Orlando airport authority, our first Certified attractions in Korea and Macau, just to name a few.  You can read about more of their partners, here.

Ed Harris, Lancaster’s Tourism Maestro, Turns Crisis into Triumph.

Discover Lancaster’s CEO took tourism to the next level, driving record growth and setting a new standard for marketing innovation, even in the midst of a pandemic. Read how, here.

Jupiter Rebuilds Beach Walkovers to Help People in Wheelchairs.

Palm Beaches is making waves and redefining shorelines with their inclusivity movement. Find out how, here.

National Parks Becoming More Autism Friendly.

Customized Itineraries, visual schedules, sensory guides, quiet rooms, and sensory-friendly days are a great starting place for welcoming the neurodiverse into the great outdoors. Read how national parks are embracing inclusivity, here.

Accessibility at Vancouver Airport.

YVR is the first airport to receive an ‘Accessibility Certified Gold’ rating under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program. Read about their commitment to exceeding standards, here.

Wheel The World, Easy Access Travel and Tapooz Recommended by AARP as Top Tour Companies for Travelers with Physical Challenges.

AARP knows what travelers with mobility issues need to explore the world, and the TravelAbility community is bridging the gap. Learn how, here.

New on Accessible DMO Landing Pages:

San Francisco Travel has organized their accessibility feature in a unique and creative way. See it here.

Introducing TravelAbility Fellows Lauren Badolato and Ellie Satkin

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Please welcome Lauren Badolato and Ellie Satkin, the newest additions to the TravelAbility team!

The TravelAbility fellowship provides the opportunity to meet university internship requirements, while making a real difference in the world of inclusion through marketing. The interns are already working behind the scenes on all things TravelAbility – from event planning for the Emerging Markets Summit to designing this newsletter.

Lauren Badolato

Lauren Badolato

Lauren is a single mom to two children, ages six and eight, with disabilities. Originally from Brooklyn, she now lives in Orlando as a graduate of Valencia College. She’s been around the hospitality industry since she was a child, but the merge of hospitality and inclusion became a priority when her second son was born with a rare genetic disorder. Having a son who may never walk has changed the way she experiences travel, and has fueled a passion for creating a barrier-free travel experience.

As part of a college internship course, she was able to observe a mock interview of a Rosen Hospitality student with Wheel the World. She connected to the cause immediately because of her own struggles in hotels with her son. As a constant advocate, working to raise awareness for a variety of her son’s 42 diagnoses, TravelAbility made the perfect next step for linking passion, purpose, and profession.

Ellie Satkin

Ellie is a business student at San Diego State University, entering her junior year. As a business major and Hot Yoga instructor, her goal is to work with people in health and wellness. She was looking for virtual internships for location flexibility when family ties uncovered the perfect marketing internship through TravelAbility. 

Working with TravelAbility has been an eye opening experience that is impacting every area of Ellie’s life. During her training as a yoga instructor she learned about adapting experiences for the different abilities of students she would encounter – from pregnant women to diabetics, but she had no idea just how wide and diverse that range was. She says she’s growing in awareness in a way that she can bring into other circles of life – from adaptive yoga to recognizing accessibility barriers on her own college campus. Inclusion has taken on new meaning as she works to make it a reality.

News From Around The Web

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Australia: The Year of Accessible Tourism

Unlocking the economic power of accessibility: Queensland’s $12 million initiative is transforming tourism through accessibility grants and improved marketing representation, paving the way for businesses to tap into a $13.5 billion market.

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Sesame Place San Diego receives Autism Certification

Sesame Place San Diego is leading the way in autism accommodations. Discover how their certified autism center renewal and expanded amenities is helping them reach neurodiverse visitors.

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Adventure Sports; Diving for People with Disabilities at the Red Sea

Red Sea Global uses “commercial good sense” in creating Project Aurelia to ensure Red Sea is one of the most inclusive destinations in the world.

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US Airlines Improve in their Handling of Wheelchairs

US airlines’ handling of mobility devices in 2023 exposed! Ranked by reports of mishandling, you may be surprised by which carriers are falling short and who’s making improvements.

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Hyatt Outlines Support for Neuro Diverse travelers

Hyatt’s game-changing survey reveals how hotels can cater to neurodivergent travelers, enhancing every step of their journey from booking to check-out.

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Question of the Month: Where Have You Seen the ROI for Accessibility?

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Robert Kneschke | Stylephotographs

Aside from “The Right Thing to Do,” where have you seen a return on investment (ROI) for accessibility? With the increasing attention on accessibility in the media and the proliferation of assistive technology, innovations, and amenities, disability awareness today is at a similar stage as sustainability was five years ago. We reached out to several members of the Destination A11y Club—a consortium of DMOs committed to proactively promoting accessibility—to learn about the ROI they are experiencing.

Answers from Destination A11y Club Members:

Courtney Cacatian, Executive Director, Visit Charlottesville/Albemarle:

  • “Designing and promoting accessible experiences allows communities to access new audiences. These audiences may already be aware of your destination and want to travel there but may be unaware of how. By answering how, you’re addressing that demand and growing word-of-mouth through an often-close-knit community.”

“Designing and promoting accessible experiences allows communities to access new audiences. These audiences may already be aware of your destination and want to travel there but may be unaware of how.”

Ed Harris, President and CEO, Visit Lancaster:

  • Top 5 Reasons for Accessibility ROI:
    1. More respect from internal staff members and community stakeholders.
    2. Positive feedback and relationships with elected officials.
    3. Compliance with ADA regulations.
    4. Positive PR and media placements.
    5. Attracting a more diverse population.

Patrick Harrison, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Tampa Bay:

  • “At the end of the day, this is a money business, so hotel bookings are the ROI. The number of travelers with accessible needs is enormous, and they want to travel and spend their money.”

Brett Laiken, VP Marketing, Visit Florida:

  • “Seeing people comment on social media about accessibility in Florida is what I look for. And obviously, bookings through Wheel the World.”

Jason Holic, Sr. VP, Operations and Community Engagement, Experience Kissimmee:

  • “Ultimately, we’d like to measure ROI in incremental room nights. Until we can achieve that through co-ops and partner booking data, ROI comes from additional partner engagement opportunities, co-op campaign matching funds, and destination marketing thought leadership.”

Stuart Butler, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Myrtle Beach:

  • For stakeholders (hotels and attractions):
  • A massive reduction in the risk of costly lawsuits.
  • A significant untapped market of people with disabilities who represent potential customers and employees. Accessibility opens the door to serving this segment and boosting market share.
  • Consumers with disabilities offer high value due to their strong ties to their community and increased likelihood of repeat visits.
  • Investing in accessibility demonstrates commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility, enhancing brand image and fostering customer loyalty.

Julie Pingston, President and CEO, Visit Lansing:

  • “I spoke twice at the Michigan Tourism Conference this week on accessibility, sharing our ‘why’ for developing and promoting accessibility:
    1. It connects to our organizational goal of being welcoming to all.
    2. We’re addressing the needs of an emerging market for travel to our destination.”

Patrick Lennon, VP Marketing, Visit Fairfax:

  • “As part of our accessibility involvement with the DAC, we reached out to various county and city manager departments to learn about the features and services they’ve developed for people with disabilities. This has resulted in new relationships with city staff, where their accessible features are now being promoted through us.”

Visit Myrtle Beach Launches “Traveling the Spectrum”, a groundbreaking docu-series

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This movement for changing the world of autism travel needs your help. Please share.

Traveling the Spectrum is a groundbreaking docu-series that highlights the inspiring vacations of three families, each with a member on the autism spectrum. Currently, 87% of families with members on the spectrum don’t travel due to a lack of sensory-friendly options. That’s an untapped audience of millions in America alone who are not traveling to any destination. Traveling the Spectrum is set to change this narrative — but it needs your help. Starting a movement is only possible with collective support.

87% of families with members on the spectrum don’t travel due to a lack of sensory-friendly options.

Traveling the Spectrum is looking for a groundswell of support to show streaming services that this is the type of content that people want to watch. Please take a moment to watch the trailer. If you find yourself moved by the Traveling the Spectrum mission, please give it a like and a share. Visit the website and voice your support for this series to be picked up by streaming services so this message can travel worldwide.

This show goes beyond destination marketing. It’s a series that dives into the essence of humanity. Lend your support to get this series noticed by streaming platforms. This is the start of a ripple effect that can change the way the world views people with autism.

Traveling the Spectrum is more than just a project —it’s a mission to make a difference – and difference that can only be made together.

Please join us by sharing one or all of the following with your teammates and to your social networks: