The Intersection of Travel and Disability
Congratulations, Jake, on this well-deserved recognition! Who knew a credit card scam would change the face of accessible travel? Your work with Travelability and the Accessibility Playbook cannot be overestimated for the impact they have on tourism in 2024.
Here’s the link to the article in Northstar Meetings Magazine.
Triumphs of our own – How the TravelAbility Community is Leading Accessibility Innovators in Transforming Travel and Tourism Worldwide
Read the story and watch the video in USA Today
Let’s talk about the folks who are trying to backtrack on mocking Gus Walz
because they didn’t know he had a disability.
Right. Okay. So …
Let’s start with the fact that he’s a seventeen year old kid who was so proud
of his dad, whom he obviously loves deeply, that he was moved to tears.
That’s beautiful, and a hell of a testament to their relationship.
But sure, some people thought his reaction was over the top and “weird.”
And therefore fair game. Until they heard he has a disability.
(So, to recap, it would have been a-okay in that crowd to bully a typical kid
for *acting atypical* but maybe he should be off limits now that they know
he has a diagnosis.)
Pull up a chair, won’t you, friends?
Being an accepting, inclusive, and not completely shitty human isn’t about
having access to everyone’s medical records. It’s about humanity. It’s about
not having to know that there’s a label for a fellow human’s unique
constellation of strengths and challenges in order to approach them with
compassion.
It’s about not needing an explanation for why someone comes across a little
– or a lot – differently from the average bear in order to indulge their quirks,
celebrate their differences, support their challenges and accommodate their
access needs, to give them extra time and love and leeway.
Labels / diagnoses / identities are important and valid and helpful in a million
different ways, but they shouldn’t ever be the ticket that we demand from
others before granting them entry into the arena of our empathy. The only
fare needed is humanity.
So lay off the kid. Not just because he has a disability, but because he’s
human, and that’s reason enough.
By Jake Steinman
Take a look at how these Paralympic promotional videos reflect the evolution of the way the disability community prefers to be perceived.
This video aimed to challenge stereotypes and showcase Paralympians as extraordinary individuals. It featured athletes with disabilities performing remarkable feats of skill, strength, and courage.
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics trailer reflects the disability community’s desire to be perceived as resilient, empowered, and diverse as it showcases Paralympians from various ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, and sports.
This video uses a film noir approach by toggling between romantic stereotypes and the intensity of competition to show the brutal reality of what these athletes had to endure.
Overall, the narrative of disabled athletes is shifting from weakness to empowerment, strength and independence.
Jake Steinman
An inclusive soccer stadium showed Kevin the difference he could make through Travel Oregon.
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: A few summers ago, I brought my family and some out of town guests to a Portland Timbers game. We forgot headphones for one of the younger children in our group who has sensory issues. After back-to-back goals, this youngster became overwhelmed, so we decided to leave the stadium. On the way out of the stadium we stopped by guest services. Much to our delight, the staff was trained to support visitors with sensory issues and were quick to hand us a sensory kit that allowed us to stay and enjoy the rest of the game – which included food, beverages, and trips to the Timbers store for merchandise.
Travel Oregon’s vision is to be a welcoming destination for all. Experiencing travel with family members that have mobility and cognitive issues gave me insight into what destinations can do to improve accessibility in ways that have major impacts for visitors. Supporting and enabling accessibility and inclusivity presents an incredible moral and economic opportunity for the tourism industry.
Supporting and enabling accessibility and inclusivity presents an incredible moral and economic opportunity for the tourism industry.
Kevin Wright
Q: What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization?
A: As the Vice President of Brand Stewardship, my responsibilities include building market
awareness for Oregon through the management of Oregon’s brand and ensuring Travel Oregon’s work reflects the honest, abundant, and imaginative spirit that makes Oregon unique. I have the privilege to work with some of the brightest minds in the tourism industry.
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 paradox of opportunity. There are so many opportunities for destinations to enhance
accessibility for the traveler that it can be hard to determine where to start or how best to deploy limited resources for the greatest impact. It’s a constant balance between the desire to be nimble and jump on opportunities with the need to have a strategic approach that can be scaled statewide for broader impact.
Q: What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility in your destination, and which are you most proud of?
A: While it never feels like enough, it does feel good to take a step back and look at
what we have accomplished. Travel Oregon recently added sensory kits to our State Welcome Centers, which includes staff training, and we are also currently installing hearing loops. Travel Oregon recently awarded $3.6 million to 56 recipients through the agency’s Competitive Grants Program to fund projects across the state that will improve accessibility and inclusivity for underserved and under-resourced communities, such as people with disabilities, BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and LBGTQIA+. So much of this work is happening at the local level, which fuels our content team with new accessibility stories to share with visitors. We continue to improve the information we share on our accessibility hub on TravelOregon.com. Hosting influencers with disabilities has also been a powerful tool to tell authentic stories. The feedback we receive from their visits is invaluable.
Two colleagues I like to follow and collaborate with in the Destination Management Organization (DMO) space are Alison Brooks from Visit Mesa and Kathleen Harvey from Destination British Columbia.
Kevin Wright
Q: Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.
A: I feel fortunate to be on the TravelAbility Board. I am continually learning and bringing
ideas back to our teams from the collective expertise and generosity of these passionate individuals. Two colleagues I like to follow and collaborate with in the Destination Management Organization (DMO) space are Alison Brooks from Visit Mesa and Kathleen Harvey from Destination British Columbia. Kathleen was instrumental in the development of the Travelability Playbook and Alison is doing so much for Visit Mesa on so many fronts. It is inspiring to try and keep up.
Q: What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?
A: I am excited about how accessibility shows up in Travel Oregon’s 2023-2025 strategic plan. In 2024, I see our organization doubling down on the work we have started, continuing to test and try opportunities that arise and seeing the fruits of the $3.6 million we invested through our grants program as we continue down the path of making Oregon a welcoming destination to all.
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