TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Disability Awareness

Visit Myrtle Beach Launches “Traveling the Spectrum”, a groundbreaking docu-series

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This movement for changing the world of autism travel needs your help. Please share.

Traveling the Spectrum is a groundbreaking docu-series that highlights the inspiring vacations of three families, each with a member on the autism spectrum. Currently, 87% of families with members on the spectrum don’t travel due to a lack of sensory-friendly options. That’s an untapped audience of millions in America alone who are not traveling to any destination. Traveling the Spectrum is set to change this narrative — but it needs your help. Starting a movement is only possible with collective support.

87% of families with members on the spectrum don’t travel due to a lack of sensory-friendly options.

Traveling the Spectrum is looking for a groundswell of support to show streaming services that this is the type of content that people want to watch. Please take a moment to watch the trailer. If you find yourself moved by the Traveling the Spectrum mission, please give it a like and a share. Visit the website and voice your support for this series to be picked up by streaming services so this message can travel worldwide.

This show goes beyond destination marketing. It’s a series that dives into the essence of humanity. Lend your support to get this series noticed by streaming platforms. This is the start of a ripple effect that can change the way the world views people with autism.

Traveling the Spectrum is more than just a project —it’s a mission to make a difference – and difference that can only be made together.

Please join us by sharing one or all of the following with your teammates and to your social networks:

Accessibility Champion: Patrick Harrison

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Visit Tampa Bay Names Chief Operating, Marketing Officers

Marketing Director, Visit Tampa Bay

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

Visit Tampa Bay began intensifying its focus on accessibility as part of a broader inclusivity initiative, which recognized the growing need and ethical imperative to serve all travelers, regardless of their physical abilities. This commitment was further motivated by the understanding that improving accessibility not only benefits travelers with disabilities but also enhances the overall visitor experience, which makes  the destination more welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.

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

Working with a dedicated internal team and external representatives and agencies, I direct all marketing and communications channels including advertising, public relations, branding, activations, targeted niche campaigns and creative out-of-the-box ideas.  Additionally, I oversee our leisure sales team and work closely with our partnership and convention sales team to ensure brand integrity and consistency.

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?

One of the primary challenges in advancing accessibility in Tampa Bay is transforming the mindset of local stakeholders and partners. Too often, accessibility is seen merely as an ADA compliance issue rather than a broader commitment to inclusivity and enhancing the guest experience. At Visit Tampa Bay, we aim to lead by example, demonstrating successful accessible initiatives and sharing findings and best practices with our partners.

A critical early step was the appointment of Jamie Santillo as an accessibility ambassador to Visit Tampa Bay. As a local travel agent with a disability, Jaime brought a valuable perspective, ensuring that our accessibility efforts were not only well-informed but also genuinely reflective of the needs of travelers with disabilities. Her appearance in an accessibility video, along with her Tampa Bay itineraries, underscores the importance of getting input from the community on the initiatives aimed to serve. We are proud to showcase her as an expert in creating inclusive travel experiences. In the past few years, Jamie’s own travel agency, Adventures by Jamie, has been voted a top travel agency in Florida and the Southeast. 

We showcase the value and impact of accessible tourism through pilot programs and strategic partnerships, demonstrating that thoughtful accessibility improvements lead to increased guest satisfaction and repeat visitation. We are particularly proud of our recent initiatives that collectively aim to position Tampa Bay as a leader in accessible tourism. 

Recent initiatives include:

  • EnChroma: We’ve introduced EnChroma glasses at key cultural venues like the Tampa Museum of Art and The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. These glasses allow visitors with red-green color blindness to see a broader spectrum of colors, enhancing their experience of the visual arts.
  • Wheel the World: Visit Tampa Bay was the first DMO in Florida to highlight accessible trips with Wheel the World. We are expanding this partnership to enhance accessibility at more hotels and tourist attractions.
  • AbleVu: We’re working to make Tampa Bay the first “AbleVu Accessible City” in Florida by enhancing accessibility at a variety of partner businesses, including attractions, hotels, and dining establishments.

By sharing the successes of these initiatives, we position ourselves as a model for others in the hospitality and tourism industry, advocating for a more inclusive approach that benefits all visitors.

“Too often, accessibility is seen merely as an ADA compliance issue rather than a broader commitment to inclusivity and enhancing the guest experience.”

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

Visit Tampa Bay often looks to Destinations International, specifically their Social Inclusion program, for ideas and inspiration. Destinations International has established itself as a leader in advancing equity and inclusion within the tourism industry, providing a framework that helps destinations like Tampa Bay develop more inclusive practices. By aligning with forward-thinking frameworks and incorporating their recommendations, Visit Tampa Bay continues to reinforce its commitment to being a leader in accessible travel and tourism.  

Q5. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?

In 2024, Visit Tampa Bay plans to further enhance accessibility through several strategic initiatives:

  • Expansion: Extending accessibility training to improve service delivery across the board. We are also expanding our listings on sites such as Wheel the World, showing off the destination’s accessible offerings.
  • Technology Integration: We are leveraging technology to create more accessible online resources, including virtual tours and interactive guides that are ADA-compliant. We continue to elevate our landing page.

Enhanced Community Engagement: Increasing engagement with local disability advocacy groups to ensure their input and feedback are integral to accessibility initiatives in development. Working closely with county and city officials to be sure that we are highlighting all of the work done in our community.

New Hulu series, created by a woman with autism, lauded for avoiding stereotypes

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Nina and Evie, played by Ashley Storrie and Kat Ronney from a scene in Dinosaur

One of the hardest aspects of living with autism, according to Scottish comedian Ashley Storrie, is “masking”–trying to hide it from everyone else. You would think then that creating and starring in a television series partly based on her life would be terrifying. Instead she found it liberating.

“Being Nina has made me realize that I should just be me and spend less time trying to make everybody feel more comfortable around my weirdness,” says Storrie about the character she plays on Dinosaur.

The title refers to Nina’s infatuation with dinosaurs and her job as a paleontologist, which she loves. But the six-episode series also shows Nina’s struggles to deal with both small and large disruptions to her routines.  is propelled by a major disruption in Nina’s life as the sister she lives with gets engaged and prepares to move out. 

The website “The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism” called the series “excellent” and declared it superior to the “stereotyped-laced” Netflix series Atypical about an autistic adolescent boy. Read an interview with Ashley Storrie on that site. 

TravelAbility Introduces Bed Height Mapping Pilot Program for Accessible Travel

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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.

Was 2023 The Year That Accessibility Entered the Mainstream Zeitgeist?

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Collage of logos of Conde Nast, the American Pavilion,, BBC, and USA Today accompanied by a pull quote from Jake Steinman: "It feels like the message of accessible travel is a growing part of the general zeitgeist."

This past year felt different. TravelAbility’s growth rate has accelerated in each of our five years, but we seemed to break through some sort of barrier in 2023. Inquiries and invitations have been coming from all directions—from regions and destinations from throughout the US, from large travel and hospitality companies, from new global partners like the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival and Destinations International.

“It does feel like the message of accessible travel is penetrating all parts of the industry and is a growing part of the general zeitgeist,” says Jake Steinman, TravelAbility founder and CEO. “Companies are seeing it as a lucrative market and they are bringing in trainers to improve their service. And, as evidenced by the unprecedented growth of the number of adaptive/assistive technologies as well as ‘Age-Tech’ at this year’s CES in Las Vegas, the level of innovations is staggering.”

Steinman adds that TravelAbility is riding a wave that begins with travelers with disability and advocates. “It’s about quality of life and predictability.  Individuals have configured their homes and studied their neighborhood so that they can live independently. But when they go to travel, it’s Russian Roulette because there’s so little information.”

The mainstream media is also paying more attention to the issue, according to Tricia Roth, head of marketing and engagement. “One of the main reasons we’re trying out more of a roundup approach in this issue of Insider is because of the number of articles we’re seeing in major publications, from USA Today to NPR, The New York Times, Condé Nast to the BBC has mushroomed.”

Here is a rundown of some of the markers and highlights that stood out for us in 2023:

A pull quote from Tricia Roth: "The number of articles we're seeing about accessibility in major publications has mushroomed."
  • Partnering with Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for destination organizations, to reach over 700 destinations worldwide and help them improve their accessibility.
  • Hosting the sold-out EMS Summit, the premier event for travel professionals and experts to learn, network, and showcase the latest innovations in accessibility. (Our 2024 EMS Summit will be held November 13-15, in San Francisco.)
  • Growing the Destination A11Y Club, a membership program that provides destinations with access to exclusive content, tools, and support to enhance their accessibility to 18 destinations last year from nine in 2022,
  • Nearly doubling the content of the Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive guide that contains over 100 links to videos, presentations, and examples of accessibility best practices from various sectors of the travel industry.
  • Publishing a special edition of USAE News, a leading publication for association executives, that featured a wrap-up of the EMS Summit and offered exposure to the sponsors and speakers.
  • Launching Accessible Journeys, a quarterly online magazine in collaboration with Mélange Publishing, that showcases inspiring stories, tips, and destinations for travelers with disabilities. The magazine reached over 1.7 million readers in the summer edition.
  • Rebranding the Launchpad pitch fest as the InnovateAble Showcase, an annual event that celebrates the most creative and impactful accessibility solutions in the travel industry. The event coincides with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th.
  • Invite to advise the American Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival about how they can become for accessible in 2024.

In addition to these achievements, TravelAbility also introduced several pilot programs in 2023, such as:

  • Academic Accessibility Learning module, an online course that uses the Accessibility Playbook to teach hospitality students about accessibility. The course was offered by the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and received such positive feedback from the 800 enrolled students that it will become a graduation requirement for all 3000 students in the future. This program aims to change the way hotels treat and welcome guests with disabilities.
  • Rethinking Accessibility, a turnkey program that helps destinations discover and highlight their existing accessibility features. The program involved five destinations and revealed 210 new accessibility features that can attract and accommodate travelers with disabilities.
  • Visit Tampa Accessible Riverwalk Pass, a discount attraction pass that offers access to the most popular and accessible attractions along the Tampa Riverwalk. The pass sold over 1900 tickets and generated $109k in sales in two months.
  • Introduced the Visit Florida/Wheel the World (WTW) coop program, in which WTW accessibility features in 30 locations in three Florida destinations where the state covered 50% of the costs.  The program was offered to all DMO’s in Florida at their annual industry conference and has been expanded to 14 destinations in the state.

TravelAbility is excited to continue its mission of growing accessibility in 2024 and beyond. For more information, visit www.travelability.net.

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