Mobility
Heads in Accessible Beds Preliminary Results
The numbers are coming in! Brace yourself – results are both surprisingly positive and challenging.
A few months ago, TravelAbility spearheaded a pilot program called Heads in Accessible Beds to collect and share essential data on the accessibility of hotel sleeping rooms and bathrooms. These details on ADA compliant rooms address the primary concerns for wheelchair users and exchange the gamble of finding a room that meets their needs with a guarantee.
“We appreciate the leadership of TravelAbility which is helping push our industry forward and educating destination marketing organizations about how to be more welcoming and inclusive to travelers with disabilities. Improving accessibility is not only about physical spaces but includes access to information and increasing the knowledge of staff.
The Heads in Accessible Beds program has been a great entry point for us to engage our hotel partners. I’m really pleased that the compelling context and straightforward action steps have resulted in eight of our hotels taking part in this initial pilot. We’re excited to promote the results and take a step further in making a meaningful improvement to the traveler planning process.”
Claire Mouledoux, SVP of Communications, Visit Alexandria
Thanks to a collaboration with four Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) that are members of the Destination A11Y Club, we’re excited to share preliminary results. Here’s what we’ve found so far:
- Bed heights ranged from 7”- 38” inches.
- None of the bed heights were adjustable.
- Only one out of the 25 hotels offered bed raisers (Westin Alexandria Old Town).
- The distance from the floor to the bottom of the bed frame ranged from 0”-18” inches.
- 21 out of 25 hotels had carpeted rooms.
- Number of grab bars ranged from 0-3.
- The height of the grab bars from the floor ranged from 12”- 36.5” inches.
- 13 hotels had a raised toilet seat available.
- Two hotels didn’t have a roll in shower.
- Width of the doorway into the bathroom ranged from 28.55”- 42”
- One hotel didn’t have a pool.
- All hotels that had a pool also had a pool lift, except for one.
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TravelAbility Introduces Bed Height Mapping Pilot Program for Accessible Travel
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.
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