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.
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.
With Ron leading the way, Royal Caribbean Group is named as one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.”
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 and what was the impetus for wanting to make cruising more accessible?
I began focusing on accessibility in 1997 when I took the role of Senior Specialist, Customer Service Policies & Policies at Northwest Airlines. As part of my role, I developed, coordinated and implemented policies, procedures and training aimed at improved air travel experience for over 3.3 million Northwest customers with disabilities and compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act. Among my accomplishments, I introduced a Customer Advisory Board composed of several individuals representing different disabilities to solicit advice on how we could better serve this growing disability market.
This was in addition to my “day job,” and the more I worked with the disability community, the more I acknowledged my own disability (being hard of hearing) as one of my diverse identities. I wanted to do more. I love to travel and the idea of making travel accessible is incredibly rewarding.
Finally, the opportunity opened up to become a full-time Access Manager leading a team of six individuals and managing Royal Caribbean’s accessibility program. I’ve been there ever since, catching the wave to disability inclusion on the high seas!
Q2. What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization?
I am responsible for the Disability Inclusion and Accessibility program at Royal Caribbean Group and its family of cruise lines with a focus on our three global cruise brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea.
I have almost 50 people on my team who are dedicated to the disability market. Most of my team is in our Accessibility Contact Center, helping our guests and travel agent partners plan accessible cruise vacations and accessible shore excursions.
I have a small disability inclusion team who collaborate with our brands to develop and execute disability inclusion strategies and standards in the workplace and marketplace, including the areas of digital accessibility and supplier diversity.
Our goal is to be a global leader in providing innovative and accessible cruise vacations, making a lifetime of vacations possible.
Q3. Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers that you face regarding the advancement of accessibility?
Some of the most difficult obstacles or barriers are around education and awareness. There are always opportunities to do more in this area.
Q4. What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility, and which are you most proud of?
I am most proud of our Autism Friendly initiative which we introduced at Royal Caribbean International in 2014 and Celebrity Cruises in 2015. This initiative aims to reach the target market of 1.5 million individuals on the autism spectrum and their families in the U.S. and Canada, as well as 75 million globally. We introduced the first ever Autism Friendly movies and Social Story by a cruise line. As a result we received several awards for our Autism Friendly initiatives.
I am also proud of the fact that we introduced not only one, but three advisory boards at a cruise line – Disability, Autism, and Accessible Travel Advisors – including the disability community and travel advisors on how we can further improve and innovate the accessible cruise vacation experience.
Q5. Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.
There are too many to list them all – but some names pop to the top of my mind – Eric Lipp, Cory Lee, Debra Kerper, Kristy Durso, Amy Garner, Jordana Izzo and everyone on our Accessibility Team and our Disability, Autism and Accessible Travel Agent Advisory Boards. New accessible travel agents Deneen Cooper and Cynthia Perez are recent connections that also come to mind.
I am proud that Royal Caribbean Group was named, once again, as one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion,” and for the eighth year in a row by Disability:IN® and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) after scoring a top score of 100% on the Disability Equality Index® (DEI®).
Ron Petit
Q6. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?
We’ve had many accessibility accomplishments in 2024.
In a dynamic display of innovation and commitment to accessibility, the 6th Annual InnovateAble Showcase took center stage on July 26th, commemorating the 34th anniversary of the ADA. Hosted by Travelability, this “shark tank” style event featured groundbreaking assistive technologies designed to break down barriers for travelers with disabilities.
Key Highlights:
Jake Steinman, founder of Travelability, summed up the event: “The InnovateAbile Showcase exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that’s creating a more inclusive world for everyone. These groundbreaking technologies not only enhance travel experiences but also reinforce the spirit of the ADA, a law that has made America the most accessible country in the world.”
Congratulations to all of the InnovateAble finalists. They were chosen from over 100 companies that TravelAbility vetted for the competition.
Finalists:
We Hear You (Hero Door Opener)
Judges’ Selection
People’s Choice (attendees)
Katy Roberts, Portfolio Manager for Racoon Media Group, which manages the seven Abilities Expo events through North America, commented: “As one of the judges, I was hugely impressed by all of the pitches, the professionalism, innovative and pioneering solutions to bring more independence to the disability community. I can’t wait to see how all these companies develop their ideas in the future.”
“This was an extraordinary selection of innovative technologies,” commented Chris Maher, Founder of Samaritan Partners. “We have invested in two of the companies that were featured. Assistive products that have a business-to-business application are very attractive to venture investors and private capital because they don’t require massive investment to reach the end consumers.”
Travelability: Travelability is a trailblazing organization dedicated to making travel accessible for everyone. Through events like the InnovateAbile Showcase, they champion groundbreaking solutions that redefine the boundaries of travel.
Q1. When did you begin focusing on accessibility in your destination and what was the impetus for wanting to make your destination more accessible?
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) has dedicated over a decade to access projects in our region, with a primary focus on enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities such as the Oregon Coast Trail and kayak launches. Our journey with Travelability began around 2021, when we supported Lincoln City’s local efforts to introduce a Mobi Mat to their beach. Subsequently, our team backed a cohort attending the 2022 Travelability Summit in Florida, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to accessibility and the launch of our own “Oregon Coast Travelability” group that meets regularly.
“Our team backed a cohort attending the 2022 Travelability Summit in Florida, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to accessibility and the launch of our own “Oregon Coast Travelability” group that meets regularly.”
Arica Sears
Q2. What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization?
As the Deputy Director of our nonprofit, I get to wear many hats! From cheering on my awesome teammates in their projects to leading programs focused on sustainability and accessibility, I’m always working on something. OCVA’s primary responsibilities revolve around inspiring travel and fostering collaboration on the Oregon Coast to cultivate a sustainable coastal economy. Regarding Travelability, we have the privilege of bringing together partners along all 363 miles of Oregon Coast to amplify regional accessibility projects throughout our entire destination.
Q3. Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers that you face regarding the advancement of accessibility in your destination?
Beyond budgetary constraints, some of the most challenging obstacles for our accessibility initiatives involve securing city or county support for permitting and managing liability in physical infrastructure projects. Additionally, the inherent challenge lies in the rural and under-resourced nature of our communities, often lacking the immediate capacity or funding to initiate projects promptly.
Q4. What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility in your destination, and which are you most proud of?
Several noteworthy initiatives have propelled accessibility improvements on the Oregon Coast over the past year. First, 12 of our local destination partners have completed, or are in the process of completing, assessments with Wheel the World to provide detailed and accurate information directly to disabled travelers. Additionally, the increased availability of mobi mats has expanded beach access for more visitors and residents. Our team has created a Mobi Mat toolkit to help communities understand what’s needed to successfully support a Mobi Mat, and we currently have a grant program open to fund communities without them. Lastly, I have the honor of regularly facilitating our Oregon Coast Travelability group, which is my favorite group to partner with on opportunities and navigate accessibility challenges together.
Q5. Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.
I draw inspiration and learn from various influencers and brands, including Kelcie Miller Anderson, @thechronicexplorer; Disabled Hikers, @disabledhikers; and Liv Stone, @livstone.
Q5. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?
Looking ahead, our focus involves highlighting the intersection of travelability and climate action. Recognizing a gap in stories within this space, we believe the Oregon Coast can play a pivotal role, with disabled travelers leading the way in sustainable travel initiatives.
You must be logged in to post a comment.