Accessibility

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.”

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.”