Disability Advocates

By Jennifer Allen from an interview with Jazmin Zavala

Destinations don’t suddenly “get” accessibility when a major para event comes to town. The places that step confidently into hosting roles are usually the ones that have already been doing the work to position themselves as welcoming destinations.

That’s why I wasn’t surprised when I learned that Fort Wayne hosted a World ParaVolley event.

Last summer, we visited Fort Wayne through a partnership focused on advancing accessibility and inclusion. We were blown away by the ease of navigating the city, woodland trails, attractions, and even the water. Almost everything was designed with clear intention to welcome all, and when we stumbled upon something that hadn’t been done before, like running the bases in a wheelchair after the ballgame, we were met with enthusiasm to adapt and welcome.

Long before international athletes arrived, Fort Wayne had already built a reputation as a city that understands accessibility as infrastructure, not accommodation.

From adaptive sports to inclusive community partnerships, accessibility here isn’t treated as a checklist: it’s part of the culture. That mindset showed up clearly in how Visit Fort Wayne approached preparing for the first-ever Sitting Volleyball World Cup in the U.S.

Why Fort Wayne Took on a World ParaVolley Event

As one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the Great Lakes region and Indiana’s second-largest city, Fort Wayne has intentionally positioned sport as a pathway to inclusion. Home to Turnstone, a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site, the city already had deep roots in adaptive athletics and a history of welcoming para athletes.

According to Jazmin Zavala, Visit Fort Wayne’s Sports Sales Manager, hosting a World ParaVolley event wasn’t just about filling a calendar date. It was a strategic decision aligned with the LA28 Paralympic pathway, designed to elevate adaptive sport on a global stage while welcoming elite international athletes to the city for the first time.

Rather than asking if Fort Wayne could host a para event, the question was how to do it well: in a way that reflected the dignity, professionalism, and scale of any major international competition.

Preparing a City, Not Just a Venue

What stands out most about Fort Wayne’s approach is the way preparation extended far beyond the volleyball court.

In just six months, Visit Fort Wayne and Turnstone delivered the first-ever Sitting Volleyball World Cup hosted in the United States. Zavala shared that, “more than 1,000 volunteers and 100 regional partners came together, demonstrating the community’s capacity to host complex international competitions.”

One of the most impactful steps was education. Ahead of the event, Visit Fort Wayne hosted a media day with immersive demonstrations, giving local media and partners firsthand experience with adaptive sport and disability access. Even more notably, over 150 hotel and hospitality staff completed comprehensive accessibility training.

These staff members didn’t just attend a session, they continued on to serve as “Accessibility Ambassadors” throughout the two-week event. This initiative shifted accessibility from something reactive (“call us if there’s a problem”) to something proactive and visible.

Lessons for Destinations Looking to Host Para Events

When asked what advice they would give to other destinations interested in hosting para events, Visit Fort Wayne emphasized three core principles: intention, collaboration, and anticipation.

First, intention matters. “Recognizing the diversity within the disability community and planning accordingly is critical to a successful para-event.” That means recognizing the diversity within the disability community and understanding that access needs are not one-size-fits-all.

Second, collaboration is essential. “Early coordination with venues, hotels, and hospitality partners ensures athletes’ needs are anticipated rather than reacted to.”

Finally, anticipation is everything. The most successful para events don’t wait for problems to arise. They plan ahead, ask better questions, and remain flexible. As Visit Fort Wayne noted, “Adaptive sporting events mirror able-bodied competitions, with success driven by flexibility, knowledge, and a willingness to adapt.”

Quick Takeaways for Hosting Para Events:

• Start with intention, not logistics. Hosting para events works best when accessibility is treated as a core value, not a last-minute accommodation.
  
• Build partnerships early. Close coordination with adaptive sports organizations, venues, hotels, and transportation partners ensures access needs are anticipated, not reacted to.
  
• Invest in training, not just infrastructure. Accessibility training for hospitality and frontline staff builds confidence, consistency, and trust for athletes and attendees.
  
• Designate accessibility champions. Empowering staff as visible “Accessibility Ambassadors” signals commitment and provides clear points of contact during events.
  
• Plan for diversity within disability. The disability community is not monolithic. Flexibility and a willingness to adapt are just as important as technical compliance.
  
• Think beyond the event itself. The systems, relationships, and knowledge built for para events elevate accessibility for all future visitors.

A Model Worth Paying Attention To

What Fort Wayne demonstrates so clearly is that accessibility isn’t a hurdle to hosting major events: it’s an asset. When destinations invest in training, partnerships, and inclusive planning, they don’t just prepare for one tournament. They raise the bar for every future visitor.

For more on the value and logistics of hosting an adaptive sports event, check out these takeaways from TravelAbility’s 2025 Summit.