TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Autism

Visit Lauderdale Expands Its Embrace of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower; Its Convention Center is First in North America to Adopt the Program

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Logo for US chapter of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower includes a close up of a sunflower and an American flag

Arriving at an unfamiliar convention center can be a confusing experience for anyone but particularly for travelers with disabilities, hidden or visible. The Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center is employing a range of tools to make sure all travelers feel welcome from the moment they pass through the door. The new approach represents a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

The convention center is adding a variety of cues to indicate when someone needs special assistance at the facility. A permanent space will be dedicated to providing a person with a hidden disability or a traveling companion various Sunflower products, such as a lanyard, badge, wristband or pin.  And all convention center employees will be trained on how to spot and help someone with a hidden disability.

The initiative is just the latest chapter in Visit Lauderdale’s proactive moves to create a warm and inclusive welcome for every traveler.  The Sunflower, for example, has been incorporated into Visit Lauderdale’s accessible tourism marketing for the past two years and was subsequently adopted by Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. 

“Visit Lauderdale is committed to providing everyone a safe and supportive environment and has long championed inclusion and accessibility tourism by removing all barriers to a quality experience for everyone,” said Richard Gray, senior vice president of Inclusion and Accessibility at Visit Lauderdale. “We embraced the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program as soon as we learned of it and couldn’t be prouder that our newly renovated and expanded convention center is the very first on the continent to implement the program.” Read more.

 Our TakeAway: Credit Visit Lauderdale for the foresight to realize that their convention center will now not only be accessible for meetings and conventions, but also for the numerous local events and festivals that use the convention center.   Credit Sunflower creators for coming up with an image that is simultaneously subtle and powerful. The growth of the Sunflower is one of the accessible travel industry’s most promising trends.

How Choose Lansing Chose Its New Name and Its Focus on Accessibility: Q & A with Julie Pingston, President and CEO of the DMO

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The DMO's new logo: Choose Lansing with Choose in bright orange and Lansing in big blue letters. The tagline below reads Plan on Something Greater

Julie Pingston is not one to coast or think small. She and her team at Choose Lansing just unveiled a new name, a new logo, and new taglines based on nearly a year of research and design. And the unveiling was no soft rollout. How about halftime of a Michigan State football game? But Julie is on to the next huge project. In a few weeks, the DMO will host their inaugural accessible travel summit. TravelAbility Insider Editor Dan Tobin was fortunate to catch a few minutes with Julie to talk about how to capture the highlights of a diverse region, the passion that drives her commitment to accessibility, and what she has learned from a year in the Destination A11y Club.

DT: I really love your new logos and I thought it was great that you explain the thinking behind the changes on your website. Why did you decide to do that?

JP: We worked almost a year on the rebranding and we had gone through such an extensive process and we had come to an outcome that we were so proud of. We wanted to explain everything that went on behind it so that people could understand some of the choices we made. Our name is now Choose Lansing instead of Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is a lot shorter for one thing. Our research told us that when people are planning things for our region they value how we partner with them and help them make choices. So that ties into the word “choose.” And we are a regional organization so the tagline “Plan on something greater” represents the idea of the entire region. And we used a pinpoint icon with the star inside to show we’re a capital city. Then the different colors showcase that we have a lot of diversity and different options here. So it was all very purposeful. 

The day after we launched the new name and logo, we showed it in our Spartan football stadium during the first home game and 75,000 people got to take a look at it. And the crowd liked it so that was very exciting.  

DT: I’m hearing a couple of layers of meaning in the logo design. One is the idea of diversity. It also seems to speak to your flexibility and your customization, that you provide choice

JP: That’s exactly what we’re trying to convey.

DT: What were the key ideas that came out of the research?

JP: You know, we are a destination with a big 10 university and a state capital and a lot of other resources. How do we best portray all of that? That’s how we came up with the central idea of choosing.  If you come here we’ve got lots of things to choose from; we’ve got lots of opportunities. We have trails and outdoor recreation and we also have urban destinations. The main point to our clients is that we are going to be engaged with you at all levels and really give that positive experience.

DT: How did you get started with the accessibility assessments and your focus on autism? 

JP: We started with our work with accessibility related to neurodiverse opportunities. A number of our attractions and other locations were looking to add programming so we proactively brought people together within the community to find tools create programming for those traveling on the autism spectrum or with other neurodiversities. Our job as the destination marketing organization is to let people know that we have all these opportunities here. We have a couple of programs that were drawing people from throughout the state. But we wanted to  find more things for those families to do so they are not always going to the same place every time they come here. And our attractions really did step up and every single one of them basically created something that was pointed toward more neurodiversity. 

We then just put out the word out in the marketplace  that we had all of these opportunities. We also had the opportunity to add training to our front line staff so we partnered with the Michigan Autism Association and residential options and they trained more than 1000 people so far on how to help guests with accommodations and understanding all the different needs that travelers might have. That really gravitated throughout the community because suddenly we were not being asked to train exclusively our hospitality businesses but we were being asked to train all kinds of businesses. That was six years ago and then we were intent on making our destination accessible in all ways and for all needs. The pandemic slowed us down a little bit but we were always very intent on moving forward to provide opportunities and information about all the accessibility points in our community. 

On October 26 we are doing our inaugural tourism accessibility summit for all of our hospitality partners and anybody who really wants to learn how to heighten the guest experience by providing information and just doing more being more aware.

DT: How are you measuring the results of all these great initiatives? Are you looking at the bottom line or are you looking more at customer service and satisfaction?

JP: Both definitely. We have seen more people travel here looking for these resources that we have put into place. Some of our attractions do track where their visitors come from that participate in the programming and we have seen an increase in the number of visitors from further away and in and staying over. I always think of something Jake Steinman says:  At some point we’re all going to be in need, having mobility issues and needing all the accommodations we can find. So I just think of this work on accessibility as planning for the future.

DT: Choose Lansing was invited to join TravelAbility’s Destination A11y Club last year. What are you taking away from that group so far?

JP: So much. It’s been very beneficial to us as a destination to be able to have the resources of the other members so that we can ask questions or share an idea. TravelAbility has also created a wonderful playbook for DMOs that we’ve been able to use locally with our partners. You know, you don’t know what you don’t know and then you start going through this playbook and all of a sudden they’re discovering things that they never thought about, It gives information in a very easy to digest format. Everyone can take that information and then make change within their venue or their property or their attraction. We use the playbook as a guideline to steer people and that’s how we got to the tourism summit where we can pull all that together as a destination and showcase for everybody. 

DT: It sounds like you’re playing a key leadership role in this work of raising awareness. But you’re also playing a convener role of shining a light on what venues and attractions are doing and bringing them together. 

JP:  That’s absolutely accurate. Our goal is to just bring all the things that are happening together so that we all can share and create that destination wide experience for all that come here. It’s not like you can only go to this hotel or this attraction to find that experience. You can go anywhere in the region. 

DT: Is there any particular moment you can  point to that crystallizes why you do this work? 

JP: Our theater does sensory-inclusive performances. The first one I went to I met several families and every single one of them said that they had never had the opportunity to go out together as a family before. I have a good friend who has a son with autism and she has taught me that when her son was young she could never go to a theater or a museum or any kind of art gallery. And now you know those opportunities are available because of the work that we’ve done for those on the autism spectrum. And when I see these families at the theater and the children are all dressed up everyone looks so excited . . .  it’s a beautiful experience and that’s how I know that we are on the right path. I tear up. 

Our Takeaway: Julie Pingston is a standout in our field–a great leader, bridge-builder, and advocate.


It’s a S**t Show: Disabled Travelers Share their Worst Memory

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photo of panelists at Emerging Markets Summit including Toby Willis, Dan Tobin, Houston Vandergriff and Becky Large

By Jennifer Allen

There’s nothing more powerful than learning from mistakes. Four disabled travelers took the stage at the Travelability Summit to share their worst experiences, and what the travel industry can learn from them. Here’s who shared, and what we can take away from their experiences.

Cory Lee, Founder, Curb Free with Cory Lee

Cory Lee is arguably the biggest name in disability travel. As a travel blogger, adventurer, and full-time wheelchair user who has visited all seven continents, you can bet that he has some stories to tell. Through his blog and social media platforms, he provides valuable insights into various destinations, offering advice on accessible attractions, accommodations, transportation, and more.

Cory was traveling for his work with his blog when he was given an “accessible” room that had a twelve inch step to enter. When he called to arrange for a new room, he was told that he could figure something out. It ended up being an ordeal to move to a different hotel that had a room that was meant for his power chair.

The big takeaway here has little to do with physical accommodations and everything to do with disability awareness and attitudes. The person on the other end of the phone couldn’t get their mind around the fact that he couldn’t just hop his heavy chair up a large step. We train people to ask questions, which is a great starting place, but they also need to accept the answers as what they are.

Toby Willis, Sr. Product Manager, Expedia

Toby Willis is currently building an inclusive travel product strategy and vision for the Expedia Group Marketplace division. The goal is to help travelers from marginalized backgrounds feel safe, welcome and understood. Accessible travel is at the heart of this effort. He is also a founder and current President of the Ability Inclusion Movement, which is the first Expedia employee resource group to give voice and representation to Disabled employees with a diverse range of accessibility requirements. 

As a frequent traveler with vision loss, Toby has had his share of rough experiences. The one that sticks out most in his memory was when he was denied entrance to a hotel because of his service dog… repeatedly. At the end of a long travel day, the last thing you want to do is try to find a hotel that will accept you. On his third try, a hotel clearly labeled as “pet-friendly” let him in.

Similar to the way we educate people that a wheelchair is a mobility impaired person’s legs, a service dog is a part of the body for someone with vision loss. The dog cannot simply be left behind any more than a part of the body could be stashed in the coat room. The dog is not a pet, it is an essential.

Dan Tobin – Traveler with Parkinsons

Dan Tobin is a versatile writer and editor with deep experience in journalism, educational publishing, and nonprofit communication. He’s also a frequent traveler who has Parkinsons.

Dan’s travel nightmare was a fall in a hotel shower. The shower didn’t have a mat or tread strips and as soon as he stepped in, he wiped out. He was unable to move for a while, but eventually forced himself up because he knew his daughter was on her way to the hotel, and he didn’t want her to find him that way.

Dan’s story is a great example of how little differences go a long way in accessibility. A bath mat or shower strips aren’t a big financial investment, but they make a big difference in safety.

Houston Vandergriff, Founder, Downs and Towns

Houston Vandergriff is a travel photographer based in Knoxville, Tennessee.  He has traveled far and wide with the simple vision of making the world a better place through inspiring others to live life to the fullest and to live life with compassion.

Houston, and his mom, Katie, have been to 26 countries and 49 states and have experienced a changing world as accessibility and inclusion have become more mainstream. Their worst story was from a flight with family, when a cousin’s son who has autism and Down syndrome got sick on a plane. No one helped. They cleaned everything themselves, without even a flight attendant offering so much as a napkin. And after they got everything cleaned up she accidentally left her bag with all their clothes on the plane and they wouldn’t let her go back. The experience spoke to the attitudes and lack of awareness of both the crew and passengers. 

Thankfully, their next hardest travel moment was redeemable. They left the camera… with all of the trip pictures… on a train in Italy. They cried and tried to move on. Incredibly, the police department called and everything had been handed in, unharmed. The police officer’s daughter happened to know Houston from Instagram, and reached out to them after the fact to make the connection. This became another example for them of how the attitude towards people with special needs is becoming more open. There’s an awareness that they didn’t see before, and it makes all the difference.

The main thread that all four travelers kept coming back to was the need for training. They all agreed that was the number one way for destinations to improve. Patience, kindness, and understanding go further than any other accessibility initiative.

The Problem: Travel can be a nightmare for disabled travelers

Solution: Enhancing Accessibility and Attitudes in Travel Experiences

  • Prioritize disability awareness training for travel industry personnel to bridge gaps in understanding.
  • Educate staff about the diverse nature of disabilities and encourage open communication with travelers.
  • Emphasize that service animals are essential to individuals with disabilities, not merely pets.
  • Invest in simple safety measures like bath mats and tread strips in showers to prevent accidents.
  • Implement clear guidelines for handling emergencies involving disabled passengers, ensuring timely assistance.
  • Foster an inclusive and compassionate environment through training, promoting patience and understanding.
  • Recognize the importance of service animals as extensions of the disabled traveler and vital companions.
  • Promote awareness of accessibility requirements for individuals with Parkinson’s and other mobility challenges.
  • Encourage the adoption of accessibility initiatives beyond compliance to ensure the comfort and safety of disabled travelers.
  • Develop standardized protocols for handling incidents involving disabled travelers, ensuring prompt and respectful assistance.
  • Elevate the role of training in transforming attitudes towards disabled travelers, fostering empathy and inclusivity.

Canadian Family Takes the World’s First Autism Certified City to the Test

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picture of a glowing green scorpion

It could have sparked a meltdown, landing in a strange city and driving a child who needs routine and predictability to a Sonoran Desert Park full of scorpions, black widow spiders and rattlesnakes for a full moon hike. But Jennifer’s 10-year-old son, Charlie, took an instant liking to Arizona’s Lost Dutchman State Park, probably because of the philosophical storytelling of ranger Jackie Vallejos, and the feeling of anonymity that came with joining 40 strangers to explore the unfamiliar landscape.

“Is anyone scared of a mouse or a grasshopper?”, the ranger asked at the start of the 90-minute night hike. “How about venomous desert creatures such as spiders and snakes?”

Our Takeaway: Autism to Mesa.AZ is poised to become what Broadway is to New York. 80% of their hotels, attractions museums, restaurants, and tours not to mention, city police and fire departments, having all been autism certified through International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). Read More.

Legoland Puts All the Pieces Together for Guests on the Autism Spectrum

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Legoland Resorts announced last month that all its North American theme parks would become Certified Autism Centers (CAC) by March 31st. Legoland parks in Florida and California received autism certification in 2022. The company’s newest theme park in New York will receive autism certification when it reopens in March.

The certification involves specialized training for staff, sensory guides at each ride advising if there are features such as bright lights and loud sounds that might impact visitors who are on the spectrum, and the availability of low-sensory areas and quiet rooms. Read More.

Our Takeaway: Parents with children on the autism spectrum are not willing to have their families forgo vacation experiences at theme parks and attractions. They will choose to spend their money at places that are welcoming to all of their children. Credible certification is a key to winning the trust and confidence of these travelers.