TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Editorial

Listening Tour Notes From our Founder: “Oakland Speaks Its Mind and We Listen to Their Awesome Questions”

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TravelAbility 2020 listening tour
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As Listening Tours tend to do, our recent Oakland roundtable raised some smart questions and pushed us to think about accessibility, tech, disability and the travel industry in even deeper ways. It also motivated many of our colleagues to take the fear of compliance and turn it into action. Here are a few of the items of interest during our Oakland, CA, meeting.

  1. Pam Wright of Point Hospitality told the group about using the AccessiBE app to make all six of their hotel websites compliant. The motivation for this action was to deter lawsuits.  Point Hospitality will work with TravelAbility to design an “Accessible FAQ” page on their website as a model that can be used by others that will include accessible room specs as well as images.
  2. Astrid Johannessen of Alcatraz Cruises told the group about the new Bay cruise initiative with the National Park Service (NPS) that will feature a full range of accessibility options including audio description and assistive hearing devices. NPS holds an annual training session at Fort Mason. One of the desired outcomes is to get front line staff to be more pro-active.
  3. Jake Steinman, Founder, TravelAbility Summit brought the group up to speed on some of the industry news that will be impacting the next TravelAbility Summit. On the table: Expedia is expanding their Diversity & Inclusion program beyond its internal employee focus to an external effort that includes customers. 
  4. The concept of shared values seems to be trending in destination marketing. Many are working to understand the needs of their communities and providing accessibility solutions locally. The Think Differently Pledge in Dutchess County took this approach and has over 60 different municipalities who signed their pledge and committed to making their communities inclusive for all. TravelAbility is working on a sample pledge that DMO’s can use with their hotel and attraction partners.
  5. Toby Willis from Expedia recently joined the TravelAbility Advisory Board and there may be opportunities to collaborate with them on scenario-based training videos.
  6. Art Jimenez is positioning the Reno Sparks CVB as the driving force behind accessibility and working with a group in Truckee –Hi5’s – an organization of adaptive sports athletes. The CVB will be highlighting individual athletes in their social media campaigns.

Thanks to all who attended including Astrid Johannessen, Alcatraz Cruises; Bonnie Lewkowicz, BORP; Pam Wright, Point Hospitality; Laszlo Horvath, Active Media; Elaine Schroth, Visit Concord; Jake Steinman, Tricia Roth,  TravelAbility Summit; Art Jimenez, Reno-Tahoe: Tracy Harris, Reno Tahoe

A Free Presentation From DesignSensory: Advertising Targeting Disabled Travelers

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a slide that says toolkit for destination, ongoing research, creative assets and campaign inclusion
courtesy Josh Loebner, DesignSensory

For the past few months, TravelAbility has been offering a free download of the highest-rated presentations from TravelAbility Summit. This month we’re featuring the presentation, “Advertising Targeting Disabled Travelers” from Josh Loebner, director of strategy at DesignSensory, here.  We’ve also given you the presentation in a nutshell, including key learnings and links to previous Summit presentations, below.  

o  Presentation in a Nutshell Designsensory lays out a plan for operationalizing tourism advertising.

o   Key Learnings In 2018, less than 20 national brands included disability portrayals in integrated campaigns

If You Missed Last Month’s Free Presentation on Boomers from AARP You Can Find it here.

7 Attendees Speak Their Minds About TravelAbility Summit 2019

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crowd at San Francisco reception talking during conference to other attendees
Attendees socialize at the hotel and talk all things accessibility, tech and more.

Here are seven comments from TravelAbility Summit attendees that were either posted online or sent to us via e-mail. We are humbled. -Jake, Tricia, Denise, and the TravelAbility Team.

When Travel and Disability Intersect

  • “I found the Summit to be a fascinating and educational three days. In targeting the intersection of disability and travel I think you’ve locked on to a critical conversation. Coming from the disability side, I knew there was work to be done but if I’m being honest, I had no idea how much there is and how large the disconnect is between the two communities. In conversation after conversation I was both shocked at how little many of the travel industry representatives knew or understood about accessibility and disability while also being impressed by their genuine desire to learn and their openness to new ideas. That combination makes me think that the TravelAbility summit could grow into something much, much bigger and even more impactful.”  Ian Ruder, New Mobility Magazine

Innovative Business Owners

  • “What a fantastic, first ever, TravelAbility Summit! This was truly a don’t-miss conference. My colleague and I met innovative business owners, bloggers, disability experts, fellow DMO’s championing accessibility issues, and so many incredible professionals. Thank you for making this worthwhile summit happen. I can’t wait to work with everyone in the coming months and attending TravelAbility Summit 2020!  Judi Durant, Ft. Myers CVB

 People Are Just Glad You’re Trying

  • “Such a great first-time conference! I learned so much and made so many great connections. The top two things I learned at the conference were: It’s OK if you don’t know exactly what language to use or how to approach the topic of accessibility. People will be glad you are trying and there are great resources and experts along the way to help you. We also learned how people can help us make our destinations, websites, social media, hotels and restaurants accessible to all travelers.” Carol Astley, Travel Oregon 

Awareness + Empathy

  • “Two takeaways: First, we are early in the journey of providing equal access to the joy and benefits of travel for people with disabilities (mobility, vision, hearing, autism and more.) This journey starts with awareness, empathy, and understanding of the nuances and issues that need to be solved. Second, this group of attendees is made up of pioneers and leaders who have the vision and passion to make a true difference. We need to move from discussion to action, even if small. Aira is here to help.” Troy Otillio, Aira 

 Strong Connections

  • “This conference and the people that were included resulted in an event that was inspiring, timely, poignant, and truly educational through listening and empathy. I made some strong connections. Some are real opportunities to make a difference if we work collaboratively with other companies. Thank you for including and featuring me in the program and letting me know how I and Pegasus as a company can further support you with future TravelAbility events or any other work that you do. Nate Lane, Pegasus

Baby Steps Work!

  • “First let me just congratulate you on, really, an impressive event. And second, let me thank you for including Open Doors in it. Your dedication to the cause is obvious not just in pulling off a major – not to mention brand new – event, but also in how to present yourself and your passion for accessible tourism. I’ve always said it takes just one champion to make a huge difference and you’ve proven that point once again. TravelAbility was a huge stepping-stone for the disability community but the real impact I saw was in the industry—and that’s exactly where it needs to be. You brought together strangers who all have a common goal of universal access in an industry that all people, regardless of limitations, want to be a part of.  Eric Lipp, Open Doors Organization

And Last But Not Least, Awesome Talent

  • “As I leave San Francisco I am reminded of the amazing week I’ve had here at the first-ever TravelAbility Summit. So many awesome speakers, companies and presentations! Congratulations to Jake Steinman and his team for a great conference.” Ron Petit, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

A Free Presentation from AARP: The Unexpected Benefits of Travel for Boomers

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Baby Boomers love to make travel plans.

Featured TravelAbility Summit Presentation of the Month

Boomers continue to be avid travelers, taking 5 or 6 trips and, spending over $6600 per year on travel. Outside of cost and work, Boomers mention their health as the most common barrier to travel. But according to Patty David, who heads up consumer insights at AARP, for those who do manage to get away, improved health was also an unexpected vacation perk. As the population ages, advances in accessibility will also make travel more desirable.  

Presentation Highlights

  • 85% of Boomers wish to take more trips.
  • Mobility and diabetes are the largest health barriers to travel.
  • Health benefits (many unexpected) of travel, such as relationship improvement, begin at trip inception and extend after the trip is over
  • Up to 6 weeks post-trip, travelers said they were still seeing a post-vacation relationship ‘lift’

View the entire AARP presentation from TravelAbility Summit 2019 here.

Methodology/References: 
– 2019 Travel Trends: https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2018/2019-travel-trends.html
– Health Outcomes of Travel: https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2018/travel-health-outcomes.html

20 Accessible Travel Predictions For 2020

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words 2020 written out with binoculars in the background

The travel industry, thanks to collaboration with disability experts, is entering the next decade well positioned to make a difference in the lives of the 1 in 5 people with a disability. Here are our bold predictions, drawn from insights from hundreds of blog posts, several podcasts, as well as scores of conversations during our listening tour following the first annual TravelAbility Summit held in 2019 in San Francisco.

  1. More awareness by travel companies about the need for accessibility to become a core value. It’s a must for companies who are trying to understand how to prepare for the Silver Tsunami of baby boomers as they age into reduced mobility.
  2. More emphasis on Universal Design of public spaces and guest rooms as hotels undergo renovations on a 15- or 20-year cycle. More hotels will promote their accessible rooms to locals who have a relative or friend with a disability visiting, but their homes are not accessible.
  3. More media hype around the 30th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). This will no doubt result in increased pressure on the travel industry to level up their accessibility game.
  4. Fewer damaged wheelchairs as airlines begin to work together to develop more effective “below the wing” baggage handler training for power wheelchairs. When damaged, they’re expensive to repair and have led to four and five-figure settlements.
  5. An increase in “drive-by” ADA compliance lawsuits around accessible websites. The increase in lawsuits over web accessibility will be driven by the current vagaries in standards and the precedent set by the 2019 Domino’s pizza case. (A recap of ADA website actions for the past three years can be found here.)
  6. More support from elected officials for accessibility initiatives as disability is one of the few bipartisan issues that bring everyone together. Just this year, aware of the potential voting power of Baby Boomers, the Mayors of Philadelphia, Chicago, Reno and New York City all embraced accessibility as a civic goal as have several governors.
  7. Less lip service from hotels about how accessible they are as they continue to offer only what is required by the ADA, a law that is 30 years old. Also: more scrambling to improve their face-to-face accessibility staff as Boomers age into a disability.
  8. More destinations proactively becoming accessible as this accessibility becomes viewed as the easiest (and least expensive) form of product development. More destinations will follow the lead of Eugene, Oregon, which has collaborated with their City Manager to increase accessibility in nature parks and public transportation. (As an example, here’s how Travel Oregon promoted accessible nature options.).
  9. More airports leading the way in technology and training for aging travelers as well as those with hidden disabilities. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport now offers lanyards to those on the autism spectrum that allow them to pre-board flights. Seventeen airports participated in the ARC Wings for Autism initiative as well as the self-driving wheelchair initiative at Narita Airport.
  10. More affluent Baby Boomers leasing accessible rooms in hotels rather than moving into an assisted living center, which they see as an old-age home. Anecdotal evidence indicates this is already happening.
  11. More “sharing economy” companies such as Lyft, Uber, and Airbnb expanding their accessibility offerings to fill a need that has not been well served by taxi companies. Uber WAV now enables drivers to rent rear-entry accessible vehicles with ramps.
  12. More adaptive technology and “longevity” products targeting Boomers with age-related reduced mobility, vision and hearing loss. Some of these products will improve travel. For example, prominent Silicon Valley VC firm Andreeson Horowitz led a $20 million funding round for “Honor” which connects home care workers with seniors—a service that can also be used while on vacation.
  13. More family-oriented destinations and attractions embracing training to accommodate those on the autism spectrum as well as certification to ensure loyalty of customer base.
  14. Increasingly, Millennials find accessibility to be “cool.” Although difficult to measure, anecdotally the younger generation considers organizations that prioritize accessibility as more aligned with their personal values.
  15. A greater prioritization of Visitor Service training programs–both in-person and online—will proliferate as consumer-facing staff of travel suppliers will need to understand ways to address problems that arise during the check-in process and the stay.
  16. More hotel concierges conducting in-depth research about the accessibility features of the attractions and restaurants they are recommending. Along with a list of recommended places to eat and things to do, the concierge will offer an accessible guide to recommended restaurants, attractions, and museums.
  17. Incidences of “parking-shaming” are on the rise. Already a common occurrence, wheelchair users will become vocal when they find spaces occupied by drivers with questionable handicap permits.  There’s even an APP for that (see more here.) We also predict that shortly, travelers with a disability will be able to reserve an adjacent parking space during the booking process.
  18. More college-level tourism programs incorporating courses with accessibility and visitor experience training. This trend could evolve to become a pipeline for organizations looking to hire talent with disability and inclusion experience. Here’s an example from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Hospitality program.
  19. The cost for a website to become ADA compliant will decrease dramatically as Google begins to “deprioritize” non-accessible websites in search results. Already innovative start-ups such as Accessibe, which can convert a 1000 page website into compliance using AI technology for under $500 per year, has attracted nearly 20,000 clients–including TravelAbility Summit.
  20. An all-out search for euphemisms to replace the word “disabled”. The search will likely be led by Boomers who abandoned words like handicapped or wheelchair-bound because they felt pejorative and insulting. Perhaps this is the year for AARP to launch a contest to find a more modern term incorporating reduced mobility and empowerment.