Eliana Satkin

TravelAbility Introduces Bed Height Mapping Pilot Program for Accessible Travel

March 30, 2024 by Eliana Satkin

A woman in a wheelchair with her hand on the bed in a hotel room. — Photo Credit: Wheel the World

TravelAbility has announced the launch of a pioneering initiative to map hotel bed heights, addressing the primary concern for wheelchair travelers: the unpredictability of bed heights in hotel accommodations.

Why This Matters: For individuals who use wheelchairs, traveling can often feel like a gamble due to the lack of standardized information on hotel accessibility. While their homes are tailored to their needs, and they are familiar with accessible local businesses, the same cannot be said for hotels they may visit. Images of hotel amenities abound, yet details on ADA-compliant rooms are scarce, leaving wheelchair users without the necessary information to plan their travels.

The Challenge: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets forth certain requirements for hotels, but bed height is not among them. Given the variation in wheelchair sizes, a one-size-fits-all approach does not exist, making this an area of concern for travelers seeking accessible accommodations.

TravelAbility’s Solution: In collaboration with five Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) that are members of the Destination A11Y Club, TravelAbility is spearheading a pilot program called Heads in Accessible Beds to collect and share essential data on the accessibility of hotel sleeping rooms and bathrooms. This information will be made available on a dedicated, easy-to-find landing page on each DMO’s website, ensuring that wheelchair users—as well as locals hosting visitors with mobility challenges—have access to the information they need to make informed travel decisions. Additionally, hotels can feature this data on their own accessibility pages, further aiding travelers in their planning.

The five destinations that will be participating in the pilot program are Visit Alexandria (VA), Experience Kissimmee (FL), Visit Tampa (FL), Visit Lex (KY) and Visit Myrtle Beach (SC).

Contact Information: Tricia Roth tricia@travelability.net

About TravelAbility: TravelAbility is committed to making travel more accessible for everyone. By providing crucial information and resources, TravelAbility empowers individuals with mobility challenges to explore the world with confidence.

Accessibility Champion: Jill Boggs

March 30, 2024 by Eliana Satkin

President/CEO, Visit Fort Wayne

Head shot with the caption: "Accessibility Champion: Jill Boggs"

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

Q1. When did you begin focusing on accessibility in your destination and what was the impetus for wanting to make your destination more accessible?

Our destination has always been focused on accessibility. Both the city and the county have dedicated departments and employees and there are several nonprofits addressing various accessible missions. One such organization, Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities, has been in our community for 80 years. They are a free-standing not-for-profit providing a comprehensive continuum of supportive services serving the unique needs of people with varying disabilities and their families. Turnstone is one of eleven official Paralympic training sites in the U.S. The men’s and women’s goal ball teams live and train on Turnstone’s campus. One program offered is adaptive sports for varying ages. Visit Fort Wayne collaborates with Turnstone to bring in, and serve, adaptive sporting events.

"Turnstone is one of eleven official Paralympic training sites in the U.S."

Our destination has a head start over others regarding where we stand as a supportive, service-oriented community for local and regional residents, and visitors, who have varying abilities.

Q2. What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization?

In my administrative role as President/CEO, I work with a team of experts to market and sell the City of Fort Wayne (Indiana’s second largest city) and Allen County as an exceptional destination to visit. In 2022, 8.8 million leisure and group visitors spent $995 million in our communities. We also use industry expertise and leadership, with community collaboration, to develop quality of place for residents and visitors, so Fort Wayne/Allen County can benefit from a vibrant and growing tourism economy.

Q3. Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers that you face regarding the advancement of accessibility in your destination? What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility in your destination, and which are you most proud of?

"Being an accessible destination came out loud and clear as the overarching foundation of our 10-year plan."

Last January, we embarked on the process of building our destination’s first tourism master plan. Through the listening and surveying process, residents and visitors provided the loudest voices on the plan’s focus for destination development to grow the local visitor economy. The resounding results of the data received caused the consultants to build into the 10-year plan, a foundational vision, mandate if you will, that building an accessible destination is priority in all 20 initiatives outlined in the final plan. Over 2,200 residents, over 600 visitors, and hundreds of stakeholders participated in naming and ranking initiatives. An accessible destination came out loud and clear as the overarching foundation of the 10-year plan. The opportunity challenge now is putting our plan into action. Out of the 20 initiatives listed in the plan, Visit Fort Wayne is assigned to lead eight, with Accessible Destination as one of them.

Q4. Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.

John Morris, founder of WheelchairTravel.org. He will be our keynote speaker at our May inaugural Power of Tourism and Hospitality Awards Luncheon. I also follow Wheel the World, Destinations International, and various disability travel focused groups on Facebook. In addition, we rely on our own destination’s disability experts and non-profit organizations as resources.

Q5. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?

Visit Fort Wayne is forming a task force that will assist us with the accessible destination initiative outlined in the 10-year tourism master plan. This group will advise and support the official launch of this overarching foundation of the plan. Fundraising for a destination accessibility assessment will be a priority. Our goal is to launch the assessment process in late 2024 or early 2025.

Accessibility Champion: Apoorva Gandhi

March 30, 2024 by Eliana Satkin

Senior Vice President, Multicultural Affairs, Social Impact and Business Councils, Marriott International

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

Q 1. What motivated you to become involved in accessibility and do you have a personal connection to disability?

I have been connected to disability almost my entire life. One of my oldest and best family friends is deaf as well as my youngest daughter. This fuels my passion to do my part to create a world that is inclusive, empathetic, and welcoming to all. I have seen first-hand the innovative skills of people with disabilities, and I am proud to work to create business inclusion for all.

Q 2. What is the goal of your organization?

Marriott International’s goal is to connect people through the power of travel. As part of that, we work to welcome all to our hotels no matter who you are, where you come from, what your abilities are or who you love. We want all to have a sense of belonging when you come through our doors. Additionally, our core values include putting people first and serving our world. One way we do that is through our Serve360 social impact and sustainability global program.

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?

It is generally important to make sure that when the topic of inclusion arises that the disability community is included. Disability exists across all demographics and backgrounds. I work to ensure that the voices and opinions of this important community are contributed to the venues and discussions that I am in.

Q4. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

One of the projects I am most proud of is our ‘Room for All’, where we worked with the disability community to listen, try to understand, and practice inclusive design to improve the travel experience for travelers with disabilities. We created an accessible hotel room that was welcoming, elegant, and comfortable. We believe in the idea of ‘nothing about us without us’ and we’re honored to host many travelers of all abilities to our HQ and hotels to listen and learn about accessibility and help us evolve how we inclusively welcome all.

Q5: Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.

I am inspired by the example of my parents who came to the United States as immigrants back in the 1960’s. Through the great generosity of the United States and its people, their hard work and sacrifice, they were able to create a life full of opportunity for my sister and me. Their story inspires me and allows me to stand on their shoulders daily and to pay it forward.

Inside Travel Oregon’s Governor’s Conference: Proactive Accessibilty

March 30, 2024 by Eliana Satkin

On the scene with Jake Steinman, Founder and CEO, TravelAbility

While attending the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism, I was struck by the diverse approaches to accessibility among the various Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs). While some view accessibility as a mere checkbox or legal requirement, the state recognizes it as a strategic investment for today’s disabled travelers. Oregon is proactively preparing to accommodate the upcoming ‘silver tsunami’ of baby boomers—10,000 individuals turning 65 each day, with 40% self-identifying as having a disability.

.During the conference, discussions buzzed about partnerships between DMOs, land managers, advocacy groups, and nonprofits—many aimed at enhancing accessible trails and natural spaces, which are a point of pride for Oregon. Governor Tina Kotek’s opening speech and subsequent awards ceremony emphasized this commitment, with the term ‘accessibility’ mentioned 22 times from the stage.

Quote: "Accessibility" was mentioned 22 times in the governor's speech and the awards ceremony that followed.

Beyond the speeches, I noticed thoughtful accommodations for disabilities throughout the venue. These included a designated ‘accessibility table’ in the general session ballroom, as well as a designated “sensory room” like the one at Portland Airport. The conference also included an “Accessibility Vendor Showcase” room, curated by TravelAbility, that highlighted startups like Wheel the World, Enchroma color blind glasses, Access Trax beach mats (designed for wheelchair users), and the Hidden Disability Sunflower Lanyard—a global symbol indicating someone who may need additional care. Additionally, Becky Large, founder of the Autism Travel Club and a former TravelAbility EMS Summit presenter, participated in a neurodiversity breakout session. Notably, Oregon incentivized vendors by offering complimentary exhibit tables, lodging, and travel stipends, rather than requiring them to become sponsors.

In contrast to some state tourism conferences where accessibility is merely symbolic, Oregon. Travel Oregon’s visionary leadership, led by Executive Director Todd Davidson and VP of Marketing Kevin Wright, has adopted a proactive strategy. Their commitment is evident through a groundbreaking $3.6 million grant program, specifically designed to enhance and upgrade accessible experiences for all travelers.

Entrance to the Accessibility Vendor Showcase at the conference.

Both accessibility breakout sessions were standing-room-only, reflecting a universal desire to accommodate all disabilities, regardless of the challenges. Engaging discussions highlighted the organizational hurdles in integrating accessibility into existing roles and underscored the need for dedicated research efforts.

During a luncheon presentation, Travel Oregon’s budget structure revealed a legislative triumph from two decades ago—a 1% lodging tax earmarked for travel promotion. This foresight, coupled with a cap on local DMO tourism fund usage, has positioned Oregon as a trailblazer in accessible tourism, setting a benchmark for others to follow.

This forward-thinking approach was showcased at the Accessible Vendors Showcase (right)