TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Expert Q&A

Accessibility Champion: Ross Heller

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Publisher USAE News and CustomNEWS Inc.

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

As publisher of USAE Weekly Newspaper, a publication which covers the association and meetings industry, I feel we have a responsibility to cover the issue of accessibility. Understanding of accessibility, in all its aspects, to an association executive is as important as knowledge of food and beverage and/or site selection.

Over the years, disability has always played a role in my life. Among my company’s most successful telemarketers was an employee who had become blind as an adult. His lack of vision did not detract from his ability to talk to clients on the phone. In fact, after my nomination of him, the State of Maryland awarded him its Handicapped Employee of the Year Award.

Q2.  What is the goal of your organization?

USAE’s goal is to thoroughly cover the news of the association and meetings industry including news of CVBs and the hospitality community. We are the only industry trade publication to designate a reporter to regularly cover accessibility. 

Q3. Of what accomplishments are you most proud?

That USAE continues to thrive and bring important news and information to its community of readers 42-years after its founding.

“As a news organization we are continually on the search for knowledge of what others are doing in the field of accessibility so we can pass it along to our community of readers.”

Ross Heller

Q4: Who do you follow? 

As a news organization we are continually on the search for knowledge of what others are doing in the field of accessibility so we can pass it along to our community of readers. Our search is not limited to a specific individual or organization.

What Would You Do to Manage an Autistic Child’s Meltdown?

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© 72soul | Dreamstime.com

We are thrilled to introduce our brand-new monthly series, “What Would You Do?” Each month, we’ll present a unique scenario and invite you to consider how you would handle it.

This Month’s Scenario: Managing an Autistic Child’s Meltdown

Imagine you’re the manager of an attraction, and suddenly, an autistic child experiences a meltdown that disrupts other guests that embarrasses their family. One of the guests asks you, as the manager of the facility: “Aren’t you going to do something about this?”

What Would You Do?

As part of our commitment to fostering understanding and empathy, we encourage you to share your insights and creative solutions. Let’s learn from each other and create a more accessible and supportive environment for all our visitors.

Here are answers from three perspectives:

Talia Salem, Content Strategist, Ritz Carlton division of Marriott

I’ve been in this situation many times with my child. The first thing I do is try to survive the meltdown and keep her and others safe. I ask other people to please give us some space because sometimes during meltdowns there’s a lot of kicking and flailing of limbs. Sometimes at theme parks and other places with lines people are too close and are often in our space, which makes them at striking distance during a meltdown. I try not to place too many demands on my child and work with her to calm her nervous system through rocking, music, compressions or whatever works at the time. Then if needed (as often people make rude comments) I explain that my daughter has autism and struggles with impulse control, waiting in lines or whatever the case is. I’ve been able have some good conversations with people on occasion. Often though people stare like I have 5 heads and honestly I hate that. But I’m getting better at ignoring the stares and focusing on what my child needs to be safe and get calm in the moment and try to meet a need like a quiet space some food a drink a movement break etc.

Bartocz Czajka, Strategist, lecturer, Special Education teacher

Parents usually are able to anticipate a meltdown. So the focus should be on preparation and not on the actual meltdown. If that happens (you obviously cannot think of everything 😉 just communicate to other guests about autism-related circumstances and always have a quiet room available for the person(s) involved to get through the crisis

Jennifer Allen,

I’m going to second Talia from the mom perspective! Please just give us a moment, and a bit of space, to sort ourselves out. Getting involved may only escalate things. For the establishment, it would be a GIFT if employees had a basic understanding of what was happening. That may even give them the ability to field any questions that are coming at us from other guests.

Question of the Month: Where Have You Seen the ROI for Accessibility?

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Robert Kneschke | Stylephotographs

Aside from “The Right Thing to Do,” where have you seen a return on investment (ROI) for accessibility? With the increasing attention on accessibility in the media and the proliferation of assistive technology, innovations, and amenities, disability awareness today is at a similar stage as sustainability was five years ago. We reached out to several members of the Destination A11y Club—a consortium of DMOs committed to proactively promoting accessibility—to learn about the ROI they are experiencing.

Answers from Destination A11y Club Members:

Courtney Cacatian, Executive Director, Visit Charlottesville/Albemarle:

  • “Designing and promoting accessible experiences allows communities to access new audiences. These audiences may already be aware of your destination and want to travel there but may be unaware of how. By answering how, you’re addressing that demand and growing word-of-mouth through an often-close-knit community.”

“Designing and promoting accessible experiences allows communities to access new audiences. These audiences may already be aware of your destination and want to travel there but may be unaware of how.”

Ed Harris, President and CEO, Visit Lancaster:

  • Top 5 Reasons for Accessibility ROI:
    1. More respect from internal staff members and community stakeholders.
    2. Positive feedback and relationships with elected officials.
    3. Compliance with ADA regulations.
    4. Positive PR and media placements.
    5. Attracting a more diverse population.

Patrick Harrison, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Tampa Bay:

  • “At the end of the day, this is a money business, so hotel bookings are the ROI. The number of travelers with accessible needs is enormous, and they want to travel and spend their money.”

Brett Laiken, VP Marketing, Visit Florida:

  • “Seeing people comment on social media about accessibility in Florida is what I look for. And obviously, bookings through Wheel the World.”

Jason Holic, Sr. VP, Operations and Community Engagement, Experience Kissimmee:

  • “Ultimately, we’d like to measure ROI in incremental room nights. Until we can achieve that through co-ops and partner booking data, ROI comes from additional partner engagement opportunities, co-op campaign matching funds, and destination marketing thought leadership.”

Stuart Butler, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Myrtle Beach:

  • For stakeholders (hotels and attractions):
  • A massive reduction in the risk of costly lawsuits.
  • A significant untapped market of people with disabilities who represent potential customers and employees. Accessibility opens the door to serving this segment and boosting market share.
  • Consumers with disabilities offer high value due to their strong ties to their community and increased likelihood of repeat visits.
  • Investing in accessibility demonstrates commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility, enhancing brand image and fostering customer loyalty.

Julie Pingston, President and CEO, Visit Lansing:

  • “I spoke twice at the Michigan Tourism Conference this week on accessibility, sharing our ‘why’ for developing and promoting accessibility:
    1. It connects to our organizational goal of being welcoming to all.
    2. We’re addressing the needs of an emerging market for travel to our destination.”

Patrick Lennon, VP Marketing, Visit Fairfax:

  • “As part of our accessibility involvement with the DAC, we reached out to various county and city manager departments to learn about the features and services they’ve developed for people with disabilities. This has resulted in new relationships with city staff, where their accessible features are now being promoted through us.”

Accessibility Champion: Kathleen Harvey

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Kathleen Harvey - Destination British Columbia | LinkedIn

Manager, Visitor Services Destination BC

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

Accessibility has been an important consideration in British Columbia for many years, including during the lead up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted in Vancouver and Whistler, BC. Destination BC began focusing on accessible tourism in earnest in 2018 when we launched our three year Accessible Tourism Framework and Action Plan, followed by our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategy. This focus continues now in support of the BC Accessibility Act in 2021. We believe that everyone, regardless of their abilities, should be able to participate in BC’s tourism experiences.

I’m personally driven to help create a more accessible destination because of a young family member with complex cognitive and physical disabilities. Traveling with my nephew has underscored the significance of establishing a destination that embraces inclusivity and hospitality for all individuals, regardless of their abilities. Fostering an environment where everyone feels welcomed and secure while traveling and experiencing tourism offerings is a goal I’m passionate about.

“I’m personally driven to help create a more accessible destination because of a young family member with complex cognitive and physical disabilities. Traveling with my nephew has underscored the significance of establishing a destination that embraces inclusivity and hospitality for all individuals, regardless of their abilities.”

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

As the Manager of Visitor Services, my role involves overseeing a program that assists more than 130 community Visitor Centres across British Columbia. Additionally, I take charge of project managing Destination BC’s accessibility initiatives, lending a hand in executing our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategy, and facilitating our Accessibility and Inclusion Committee. 

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?

Raising awareness and providing education are crucial steps in making the tourism industry more accessible. We need to spread the word about the importance of accessibility and equip businesses with the knowledge and resources they need to make meaningful changes. By fostering understanding and sharing best practices, we can create a more inclusive tourism experience for everyone.

Providing educational resources for our tourism industry and incorporating accessible tourism information on our consumer-facing website are essential steps towards inclusivity. Together, these efforts contribute to a more welcoming and inclusive tourism experience for everyone and I am very proud to have been part of the team at Destination BC to make this happen.

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

The Rick Hanson Foundation, Spinal Cord Injury BC, Destination A11y members and the passionate members of our Accessibility and Inclusion Committee.

Q5. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?

We are committed to further strengthening the capacity of the tourism industry by equipping stakeholders with additional tools and resources to foster inclusion. Through collaboration with partners across the tourism ecosystem, government agencies, and our Accessibility and Inclusion Committee, we aim to identify, eliminate, and prevent barriers that hinder accessibility. Moreover, we strive to showcase the commendable accessibility initiatives undertaken by tourism businesses and individuals throughout British Columbia. Together, we can create a more welcoming and inclusive tourism landscape for all.

Accessibility Champion: Alan Fyall

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Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Head shot of Dr. Alan Fyall

“The experience enables our students to really come to grips with the opportunities and challenges of accessible travel in their workplace.”

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

My first engagement with accessibility in travel was through work with colleagues in the U.K. exploring ways in which destinations could/should become more dementia-friendly. This experience inspired me ask many questions here in the U.S. about what is being done and with what level of success. In many ways, I was pleasantly surprised at the energy driving the accessibility agenda in travel, with most people driven by a personal connection to disability–including me. My teenage years were heavily shaped by severe scoliosis and the need to wear a “Boston Brace” 23 hours a day. Although not classified as disabled, my restricted movement caused by the brace opened my eyes to what other people less fortunate than me were experiencing. That generated in me a deep empathy for people with disabilities and the need to create an environment as supportive as possible so that they could lead meaningful and productive lives.

Q2.  What is the goal of your organization?

As a college, our goal is to “educate and develop future generations of global hospitality leaders through innovative programs, knowledge creation through research, and dynamic worldwide industry and community partnerships”. Through our extensive internship program, every student on campus is obliged to complete a module on travel accessibility. This module builds on their classroom knowledge and introduces them to the core lessons of the TravelAbility Playbook in their in-person, industry internship environment! Rather than being a textbook exercise, the experience enables our students to really come to grips with the opportunities and challenges of accessible travel in their workplace. Our students have also started to complete accessibility assessments with Wheel The World. They are getting an inside look at the work that underpins their success of one of the most comprehensive providers of accessible travel experiences in the world.

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?

The biggest obstacle is the size of the travel industry itself and the sheer number of stakeholders to engage and educate! TravelAbility is doing an amazing job in spreading the word with the Federal Government pushing the need for the industry to address the three pillars of accessible travel, namely: accessible facilities; accessible customer service; accessibility information. From a place perspective, Destinations International are leading the charge with accessibility as a key component of their social impact agenda while Visit Florida have set a laudable goal for Florida to be the most accessible state by 2030!

Q4. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Although we remain at the beginning of our journey of introducing our students to accessible travel, to date more than 1,000 have completed their accessible travel module and so have the necessary foundational knowledge to be accessible changemakers of the future.

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

For 100% inspiration I follow Cory Lee, “curbfreecorylee”. His incredible journeys around the world just prove what can be achieved with single-minded determination to enjoy life to the full, no matter what the challenge or impairment. This also holds true for Alvaro Silberstein who out of personal adversity formed Wheel The World, which is changing lives in the space of accessible travel!