TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Expert Q&A

Accessibility Champion: Ron Pettit, Director, Disability Inclusion & ADA Compliance

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With Ron leading the way, Royal Caribbean Group is named as one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.”

Note: This interview is part of an ongoing series featuring interviews with 24 Champions of Accessibility for 2024 selected and celebrated by TravelAbility.

Q: When did you begin focusing on accessibility and what was the impetus for wanting to make cruising more accessible?

I began focusing on accessibility in 1997 when I took the role of Senior Specialist, Customer Service Policies & Policies at Northwest Airlines.  As part of my role, I developed, coordinated and implemented policies, procedures and training aimed at improved air travel experience for over 3.3 million Northwest customers with disabilities and compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act. Among my accomplishments, I introduced a Customer Advisory Board composed of several individuals representing different disabilities to solicit advice on how we could better serve this growing disability market. 

This was in addition to my “day job,” and the more I worked with the disability community, the more I acknowledged my own disability (being hard of hearing) as one of my diverse identities. I wanted to do more.  I love to travel and the idea of making travel accessible is incredibly rewarding.

Finally, the opportunity opened up to become a full-time Access Manager leading a team of six individuals and managing Royal Caribbean’s accessibility program. I’ve been there ever since, catching the wave to disability inclusion on the high seas!

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

I am responsible for the Disability Inclusion and Accessibility program at Royal Caribbean Group and its family of cruise lines with a focus on our three global cruise brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea. 

I have almost 50 people on my team who are dedicated to the disability market. Most of my team is in our Accessibility Contact Center, helping our guests and travel agent partners plan accessible cruise vacations and accessible shore excursions.

I have a small disability inclusion team who collaborate with our brands to develop and execute disability inclusion strategies and standards in the workplace and marketplace, including the areas of digital accessibility and supplier diversity.

Our goal is to be a global leader in providing innovative and accessible cruise vacations, making a lifetime of vacations possible.

Q3. Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers that you face regarding the advancement of accessibility? 

Some of the most difficult obstacles or barriers are around education and awareness. There are always opportunities to do more in this area.  

Q4. What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility, and which are you most proud of?

I am most proud of our Autism Friendly initiative which we introduced at Royal Caribbean International in 2014 and Celebrity Cruises in 2015. This initiative aims to reach the target market of 1.5 million individuals on the autism spectrum and their families in the U.S. and Canada, as well as 75 million globally. We introduced the first ever Autism Friendly movies and Social Story by a cruise line. As a result we received several awards for our Autism Friendly initiatives.

I am also proud of the fact that we introduced not only one, but three advisory boards at a cruise line – Disability, Autism, and Accessible Travel Advisors – including the disability community and travel advisors on how we can further improve and innovate the accessible cruise vacation experience.

Q5. Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.

There are too many to list them all – but some names pop to the top of my mind – Eric Lipp, Cory Lee, Debra Kerper, Kristy Durso, Amy Garner, Jordana Izzo and everyone on our Accessibility Team and our Disability, Autism and Accessible Travel Agent Advisory Boards. New accessible travel agents Deneen Cooper and Cynthia Perez are recent connections that also come to mind.

I am proud that Royal Caribbean Group was named, once again, as one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion,” and for the eighth year in a row by Disability:IN® and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) after scoring a top score of 100% on the Disability Equality Index® (DEI®).

Ron Petit

Q6. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024? 

 We’ve had many accessibility accomplishments in 2024.

  • I am proud that Royal Caribbean Group was named, once again, as one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion,” and for the eighth year in a row by Disability:IN® and American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) after scoring a top score of 100% on the Disability Equality Index® (DEI®).  This is the fifth year we have scored 100%.  Among hospitality and travel companies, we are the only cruise company on the DEI.
  • Icon of the Seas, launched January 2024 which has four accessible suites:
    • A two-story Accessible Icon Loft Suite, our first Star Class suite with Genie Service.
    • An Accessible Surfside Family Suite offering a separate kids’ room
    • Two Accessible Sky Junior Suites.
  • Icon of the Seas also introduced a new category of accessible balcony staterooms – 11 Accessible Infinite Balcony Staterooms that provide level access from the stateroom to the balcony.
  • Expansion of our Accessibility Team with 15 agents in our Contact Center to help with increasing calls and emails from our guests with disabilities and travel advisors.
  • Utopia of the Seas, launched in July 2024, has four accessible suites, continuing the increase of accessible suites from Wonder of the Seas in 2022.  Earlier Oasis class ships only had three accessible suites.
  • Continued to work with Accessible Travel Solutions to expand our line-up of accessible shore excursions around the world including the Caribbean and Europe.

What would you do?

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WHAT WOULD YOU DO? SCENARIO #4

Each month we try to address various accessibility issues that may arise with the TravelAbility community. 

A group from the Blind Seniors Association will be attending a conference in your destination and have inquired what there is to do for them on their free day. How would you go about researching and finding this information?

Responses:

Tom Babinszki, blind travel blogger

This can get quite time consuming, as I’m finding that accessibility information is often not available. I would look for events, exhibits, concerts, museums, etc. I would check if the venue has accessibility information on their site, and if it is sufficient. Otherwise, I would just contact the places I find interesting. Oftentimes you may be surprised that there is more accessibility than what they tell you about on the web site.

Be proactive and hire a local blind person, or content creator, to work with you on accessible itinerary options, like this Seattle site.

Natasha Dillinger

Natasha Dillinger, Seattle-based mom and content creator

Be proactive and hire a local blind person, or content creator, to work with you on accessible itinerary options, like this Seattle site.

Tami Reist, President/CEO, Alabama MountainLakes Tourist Association

  1. Outdoor experiences

Lake Guntersville State Park:Offers accessible trails and sensory experiences, such as the sounds of birds and water.

Monte Sano State Park:The park has accessible picnic areas and sensory gardens where the textures and scents of plants can be enjoyed.

  2. Music and Cultural Events

Alabama Music Hall of Fame (Tuscumbia): Enjoy guided tours with descriptions of music history and audio experiences.

    Helen Keller Birthplace: Experience the history of Helen Keller through tactile exhibits and guided storytelling.

 3. Dining and Social Experiences

   Local Cafés and Restaurants: Enjoy the rich Southern cuisine with friends or family. Many establishments are happy to accommodate special needs.

   Farmers Markets:These provide an opportunity to enjoy the fresh smells and textures of locally grown produce.

4.Community Centers and Clubs

  Senior Centers

Many offer social activities, like music nights, storytelling sessions, and group outings, specifically designed to be inclusive for people with disabilities.

   Church Groups: Many churches in the area have programs and gatherings that cater to seniors, providing a sense of community and belonging.

5. Historical Tours

   Guided Audio Tours: Many historical sites in North Alabama offer audio tours, allowing a blind person to enjoy the rich history of the region through detailed descriptions.

6. Art and Craft Workshops

   Tactile Art Classes:Some community art centers offer classes where participants can create art through touch, such as pottery or textile crafts.

 These activities can provide an enriching and enjoyable experience for a senior blind person, allowing them to connect with the beauty and culture of North Alabama in a meaningful way.

Hilda Dunford, blindness advocate and mom

We call each place we hope to visit and ask what accommodations they have for someone who is blind.

Jason Holic, CDME, Sr. Vice President of Operations & Community Engagement, Experience Kissimmee 

I would reach out to Lighthouse Central Florida (https://lighthousecfl.org/). They are a non-profit partner of Experience Kissimmee that specializes in teaching independent living skills to those with vision loss or low vision in the Central Florida area, including Osceola County. Tapping into their network of resources would provide plenty of insights and ideas. I would also reach out to the Greater Orlando Council of the Blind (https://www.fcb.org/GOCB) for additional thoughts.

Accessibility Champion: Arica Sears, Deputy Director, Oregon Coast Visitors Association

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

 The Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) has dedicated over a decade to access projects in our region, with a primary focus on enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities such as the Oregon Coast Trail and kayak launches. Our journey with Travelability began around 2021, when we supported Lincoln City’s local efforts to introduce a Mobi Mat to their beach. Subsequently, our team backed a cohort attending the 2022 Travelability Summit in Florida, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to accessibility and the launch of our own “Oregon Coast Travelability” group that meets regularly.

“Our team backed a cohort attending the 2022 Travelability Summit in Florida, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to accessibility and the launch of our own “Oregon Coast Travelability” group that meets regularly.”

Arica Sears

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

As the Deputy Director of our nonprofit, I get to wear many hats! From cheering on my awesome teammates in their projects to leading programs focused on sustainability and accessibility, I’m always working on something. OCVA’s primary responsibilities revolve around inspiring travel and fostering collaboration on the Oregon Coast to cultivate a sustainable coastal economy. Regarding Travelability, we have the privilege of bringing together partners along all 363 miles of Oregon Coast to amplify regional accessibility projects throughout our entire destination.

Q3. Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers that you face regarding the advancement of accessibility in your destination? 

Beyond budgetary constraints, some of the most challenging obstacles for our accessibility initiatives involve securing city or county support for permitting and managing liability in physical infrastructure projects. Additionally, the inherent challenge lies in the rural and under-resourced nature of our communities, often lacking the immediate capacity or funding to initiate projects promptly.

Q4. What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility in your destination, and which are you most proud of?

Several noteworthy initiatives have propelled accessibility improvements on the Oregon Coast over the past year. First, 12 of our local destination partners have completed, or are in the process of completing, assessments with Wheel the World to provide detailed and accurate information directly to disabled travelers. Additionally, the increased availability of mobi mats has expanded beach access for more visitors and residents. Our team has created a Mobi Mat toolkit to help communities understand what’s needed to successfully support a Mobi Mat, and we currently have a grant program open to fund communities without them. Lastly, I have the honor of regularly facilitating our Oregon Coast Travelability group, which is my favorite group to partner with on opportunities and navigate accessibility challenges together.

Q5. Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.

I draw inspiration and learn from various influencers and brands, including Kelcie Miller Anderson, @thechronicexplorer; Disabled Hikers, @disabledhikers; and Liv Stone, @livstone.

Q5. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?

Looking ahead, our focus involves highlighting the intersection of travelability and climate action. Recognizing a gap in stories within this space, we believe the Oregon Coast can play a pivotal role, with disabled travelers leading the way in sustainable travel initiatives.

Accessibility Champion: Julie Pingston, President & CEO, Choose Lansing

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

As a destination, we had a very specific starting point in 2017 when we partnered with our performing arts center. The goal was to fill a 2,400-seat theater for a 100% Sensory Friendly Broadway Performance of Disney’s The Lion King, debuting in 2018. What started as a marketing campaign, evolved into a multi-dimensional strategy that has altered our community and how we welcome visitors of all abilities. 

We worked to create sensory inclusive programming in all of our attractions and provided sensory toolkits in many more locations. We created training for understanding of neurodiversities for our front-line staff throughout the community and created an accessibility web page detailing sensory events and opportunities as well as the “know before you go” information for all to access. 

We filled that theater in 2018, and it was an amazing opportunity for all to experience a Broadway show in their own way. This work was the first step, leading us to focus on accessibility as a destination and continue the journey to truly be welcoming to all.

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

I serve Choose Lansing as President & CEO and lead our amazing team in developing the Lansing, Michigan region as a visitor destination. I spend a lot of time on advocacy, community relations and board relations while remaining highly engaged in our accessibility efforts.

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?

The main obstacle we have faced is creating the time to keep advancing our efforts throughout the destination. We want to do it all immediately. The work that goes into accessibility is important because it creates opportunities to have experiences that many take for granted. Watching families participating in a sensory inclusive event as a complete family, without having to leave someone out, is so inspiring. I want that for everyone. That has been my drive to create strategies and to have those “what can we do next” conversations about accessibility and inclusivity. 

“Watching families participating in a sensory inclusive event as a complete family, without having to leave someone out, is so inspiring. I want that for everyone. That has been my drive to create strategies and to have those “what can we do next” conversations about accessibility and inclusivity.”

Julie Pingston

I’m proud that our partners have truly embraced the accessibility efforts throughout our destination and that we were able to host our first Tourism Accessibility Summit this past fall.  I’m equally proud that I have been able to share our story with other destinations to continue to grow the work. 

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

I look to my colleagues in destination marketing organizations around the world who are leaders in innovation and avenues to spread accessibility efforts throughout the travel industry. 

For the past seven years, my main source of inspiration and partnership has been Cathy Blatnik from the Mid-Michigan Autism Association, and her son Dominic. I also love brainstorming with Meegan and Evan Winters from AbleVu and Kristy Durso from Incredible Memories Travel. 

Q5. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?I’ve got a long list of next steps to increase accessibility initiatives for our community.  We recently hosted Lansing’s inaugural Tourism Accessibility Summit and we keep building from there. We have engaged with Wheel the World and are looking forward to completing an assessment and providing even more detailed accessibility information and training about our destination. 

Accessibility Champion: Lynn Smith

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Chief Marketing Officer, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program

She may not be a magician, but Lynn Smith is making the invisible seen around the world.

Q1. What motivated you to become involved in accessibility and do you have a personal connection to disability?

I firmly believe that everyone, at one time in their lives, will experience a non-visible disability. We all have friends and family who are affected by disabilities and conditions that are not immediately apparent to others, and I want all of them to feel supported and able to thrive to the best of their potential.

Removing the stigma around non-visible disabilities is crucial. It’s about making it easier for people to get the help they need and ensuring they feel valued and included. My passion for equity and social justice drives me to contribute to efforts aimed at creating a world where everyone, regardless of their abilities, feels empowered to participate fully in all aspects of life. 

“I firmly believe that everyone, at one time in their lives, will experience a non-visible disability.”

Lynn Smith

Q2.  What is the goal of your organization?

Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone with a non-visible condition genuinely needs support. You may be questioned on if you have a disability because you don’t “look like you have a disability.”

That is why we created the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower – to encourage inclusivity, acceptance and understanding.

It is a simple tool for you to share that you have a non-visible disability voluntarily. By wearing the Sunflower, you’re letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time.

Our goal is simply to improve everyday experiences for people with non-visible disabilities. We do this through the Sunflower symbol which helps make the invisible, visible.  

Q3: Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers you face around accessibility and what actions/initiatives are you taking to address them?

Aside from budget limitations, the most challenging obstacles to accessibility include the lack of awareness about disabilities that are not immediately apparent, stigma and discrimination, inflexible policies, and limited resources. To overcome these barriers, initiatives include educational campaigns to raise awareness, advocacy for policy changes, training programs to sensitize businesses and communities, promotion of inclusivity in all sectors, and fostering collaborations with other organizations and advocacy groups. By implementing these strategies, initiatives like the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program aim to create a more accessible and inclusive environment for individuals with hidden disabilities.

Q4. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

One of my proudest accomplishments is being part of an organization that shares my values and is dedicated to making a difference globally. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program operates in 34 countries, with seven offices. I am proud to contribute to its impactful mission. Working alongside such a dedicated team of individuals and being able to play a role in making the world more inclusive and understanding is incredibly rewarding.

Q5: Who do you follow?  

In addition to Jake and the TravelAbility team, I look to the following for ideas and inspiration:

The amazing HD Sunflower team

Melody Olander of But You Don’t Look Sick.

Richard Gray from Visit Lauderdale

DFAWG – The Dementia Friendly Airport Workers Group

Meegan Winters of AbleVU