Tourism

Josh Loebner Shares How Accessibility Marketing Has Gone Mainstream

August 2, 2025 by lkarl

Accessibility isn’t a niche – it’s the new standard. At last year’s TravelAbility Summit, Josh Loebner gave a talk on how what was once seen as a compliance checkbox is now a creative frontier. From fast food to fine dining, Super Bowl ads to global travel, accessibility is shaping the way the world connects.

Clients like Coca-Cola and Ford are proving that inclusive design is central to modern branding. This session dives into why accessibility matters to everyone—and how it’s becoming the gold standard across industries.

Watch the video and dive into the summary below! For more insights like this, join us in Central Oregon for the 2025 TravelAbility Summit from October 13th to October 15th at the Sunriver Resort. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from industry leaders, meet accessible travel influencers, and stay up to date on new innovations in assistive technology for the travel industry.

Summary

🎙️ Introduction and Personal Background
Josh Loebner shares his 20-year journey in advertising, his PhD focus on disability inclusion, and his leadership at VML as the Global Head of Inclusive Design.
Watch here
🏆 Creative Accessibility in Advertising
Accessibility is shifting from compliance to creativity. VML’s initiatives, like winning the Grand Prix Lion, illustrate how design can be both imaginative and inclusive.
Watch here
🌍 VML’s Global Reach and Clients
VML is a vast global agency with 30,000 employees and notable clients such as Ford, Coca-Cola, and Unilever, all integrating accessibility into diverse brand strategies.
Watch here
📈 Accessibility Goes Mainstream
Search trends and public interest in accessibility are on the rise. It’s now seen as relevant to everyone, not just those with disabilities.
Watch here
🧏 Captioning for All
Captioning is widely used, even by those without hearing loss, enriching media experiences through creative and nuanced text.
Watch here
🍔 Accessible Advertising Examples
Wendy’s global campaigns are cited as inclusive. Accessibility is considered at all touchpoints, including fast food and fine dining experiences.
Watch here
🚗 Accessibility in Travel and Public Spaces
The video explores how accessibility is integrated across travel experiences—from airports to local venues—highlighting thoughtful design.
Watch here
🏪 Retail Accessibility
Retail giants like Walmart and Target now have accessibility centers and leads, showing industry-wide commitment to inclusion.
Watch here
📱 Innovative Scenic Audio App
A powerful example involving a Scenic audio app for blind users uses AI and generative tools to create immersive travel experiences.
Watch here
🔮 Future of AI and Accessibility
VML aims to make all ads accessible by 2025 using AI for audio descriptions and captions—blending tech and inclusion.
Watch here

Insights Based on Numbers

🌐 30,000 Employees at VML: Emphasizes the scale and global capability of the agency.
📊 Rising Google Trends: The year-over-year growth in accessibility-related searches shows societal shifts.

August News from the TravelAbility Community

July 31, 2025 by lkarl

This summer is HOT with TravelAbility community action! From camping to flying, this community is shaking up the very foundations of travel. Check out the latest achievements and well-earned accolades from your fellow changemakers.

Jan Bonnville | Recapturing that Special Outdoor Feeling

A smiling woman reclines on a three-wheeled adaptive recumbent bike on a beachside trail, wearing sunglasses, a gray beanie, green vest, and black pants. Next to her sits a large Bernese Mountain Dog with its tongue out, also appearing to smile. An orange safety flag extends from the back of the bike. The dry, sandy terrain and open sky evoke a sense of freedom, adventure, and companionship in the outdoors.

For me, the saddest part of living with multiple sclerosis and losing mobility was no longer being able to go for walks. I loved strolling in the park, marveling at the stunning diversity of foliage…

Illustrated book cover for “The Smart Marketer’s Guide to Digital Accessibility” by Sassy Wyatt, featuring a red-haired woman and a blind man with a white cane working together at a table, with a guide dog sitting nearby.

I lost my sight at 22. That changed everything. But what made life harder wasn’t the blindness itself, it was trying to live in a world, especially a digital one, that wasn’t designed with disabled people in mind.

Suddenly I couldn’t finish my degree because the platforms weren’t accessible. I couldn’t apply for jobs because the forms weren’t usable. I couldn’t even use social media in the same way as everyone else, not because I didn’t want to, but because the tools weren’t built to include me.

Two people in separate boats navigate a misty, tree-lined river at dawn; the scene is quiet and atmospheric, with dense fog obscuring the background and creating a sense of mystery and solitude.

As the demand for inclusive travel continues to grow, TripAdvisor has unveiled a new initiative aimed at providing accessible travel experiences for all. In collaboration with Visit Lauderdale, the site has introduced a dedicated landing page that focuses on accessible destinations and…

Children explore a brightly lit, interactive museum space featuring a large circular color mixing machine, colorful light installations, and various hands-on exhibits designed to engage sensory play and learning.

California’s attractions are designed for everyone to enjoy, including neurodivergent travelers and individuals with autism or sensory-processing sensitivities…

Graphic showing a desert landscape with tall cacti in the foreground and a hazy city in the distance. Centered in the image is the official IBCCES Certified Autism Center (CAC) seal. A yellow ribbon below the seal reads “Certified Autism Center.” Curved text above and below the seal reads: “Congratulations Grant Recipients!”

We’re excited to announce the inaugural recipients of the Mesa For All Autism Certification Grant Program!

The Mesa For All Foundation received 10 applications from Mesa-based businesses eager to become Autism Certified. After careful review, the board selected three outstanding recipients. The grant application opened in April 2025 in recognition of World Autism Acceptance Month and closed on June 16…..

In 2020, filmmaker Taylor Leigh Aguilar suddenly and unexpectedly lost her sight. She took a leave of absence from film school at Loyola Marymount University to attend the Colorado Center for The Blind…

An older man in a power wheelchair rolls along a beach access path, holding a large black umbrella for shade and carrying plastic bags on the chair’s handles, with a crowded beach scene in the background.

Travelers looking to plan an accessible getaway may have a new first stop at TripAdvisor. The site, in partnership with Visit Lauderdale, introduced a landing page for accessible destinations and experiences, where reviews from fellow…

Years ago, Lee and his wife, Ginny, were planning the trip of a lifetime: a safari in South Africa. But just weeks before, everything changed — Lee got sick, and ended up losing all four of his limbs. The trip never happened. Until now.

Watch Here

Sunflower Lanyard Program | Wings of Wonder: Accessibility for all Who Want to Travel

A box filled with green sunflower lanyards, symbolizing hidden disabilities, sits on a table with the words “Hidden Disabilities” printed on the front, alongside a sunflower graphic and a QR code.

The Rapid City Regional Airport partnered with local organizations for Wings of Wonder. The event’s goal is to help people with disabilities easily navigate the airport from the moment they park their car until they find their seat on the plane…

Two yellow-orange tents are set up in a peaceful forest clearing, with tall pine trees casting long shadows as golden sunlight filters through the trees.

The rising costs of accommodations can be one of the biggest barriers to taking more trips. One way to keep travel more affordable is to consider the many campsites available across the U.S….

A sunlit forest trail winds through towering sequoia trees, with a few visitors visible in the distance, and wooden fences guide the accessible path through the dense, majestic landscape.

The sense of peace is palpable along the Big Trees Trail in California’s Sequoia National Park. All around my family, 2,000-year-old giant sequoia trees—some of the world’s oldest and largest—stand in quiet solitude in a mountain landscape suited….

A panoramic view of downtown Richmond, Virginia, featuring a mix of modern and historic buildings, a long freight train crossing a trestle bridge over the James River, and autumn-colored trees lining the riverbanks.

Incorporated in 1742, Richmond is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of the oldest cities in the United States. Located along the James River, the city has been at the center of…

A group of older adults strolls along a tropical garden pathway lined with vibrant flowers and palm trees, with mountains and the ocean visible in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

Winter often brings a desire for cozy escapes and relaxing getaways, but as people grow older, their travel preferences and habits often shift. International trips may lose their appeal due to challenges like mobility issues, health concerns, and the complexities of travel logistics….

Travel Oregon is awarding nearly $6.2 million to 65 groundbreaking projects that it says will transform visitor access across the state while also strengthening local economies.

The 2024-25 Travel Oregon Competitive Grants Program was designed to increase access…

Travel Oregon Accessibility Grants

Travel Oregon is seeing the fruit of their awarded accessibility grants. Check out these grant-funded projects.

Prineville Golf Course Unveils Cart for People in Wheelchairs

A man drives an accessible single-rider golf cart across a scenic golf course in Prineville, Oregon, surrounded by grassy hills and clear blue skies.

Derek Shike is a 31-year-old medical coder in Portland. Golf wasn’t always his cup of tea.

“For me, golfing, I always thought it was…

Three cyclists, including one using an adaptive handcycle, ride along a dirt trail through a pine forest on a sunny day, showcasing accessible outdoor recreation.

Oregon Adaptive Sports, a Bend-based nonprofit, has received $60,000 from Travel Oregon to expand the adaptive mountain biking program and introduce an adaptive paddling program for locals and visitors with disabilities…

A cyclist rides along a gravel trail in a scenic, dry landscape surrounded by shrubs and trees, while an inset image of the "Western Oregon All Access Gravel Guide" cover shows a rider on a similar trail through golden fields with Mount Hood in the background.

Dirty Freehub, a Bend-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting gravel cycling adventures, is launching a new statewide campaign to empower and inspire people with visible and non-visible disabilities to explore Oregon by gravel bike…

A lake with a mountain in the background

Six projects and programs in Northeastern Oregon have received big state tourism grants.

Travel Oregon announced Monday, June 30, it has awarded $6.2 million….

We’re only at the beginning of TravelAbility’s lineup of events to celebrate ADA’s 35th anniversary. Here’s what’s on the schedule!

Rethinking Accessibility Survey Highlights How Travel Industry Partners Can Better Share Accessibility Features Already in Place

July 30, 2025 by lkarl

In celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), TravelAbility has released a new nationwide survey to spark a shift in how accessibility is presented across the U.S. tourism sector.

The Uncovering Accessibility survey, part of TravelAbility’s ongoing “Rethinking Accessibility” campaign collected responses from 143 tourism businesses, including hotels, attractions, restaurants, museums, and outdoor recreation providers. The goal: to better understand the accessibility features already in place and how they are (or aren’t) being communicated to travelers.

What the results revealed is encouraging: many businesses already offer inclusive features—but aren’t promoting them.

“Travelers with disabilities aren’t just looking for compliance—they’re looking for clarity. The ADA mandates certain physical features, but there’s no ADA for information. People with disabilities often have to guess what will or won’t work for them. That’s why Accessibility Landing Pages are so important—they help travelers discover what they can do, not what they can’t.”
– Jake Steinman, founder of TravelAbility

Key Findings from 143 Respondents

85% offer step-free entry
81% have accessible restrooms
81% offer ramps or elevators
68% provide accommodations for blind or low-vision guests, such as braille signage or audio guides
60% offer features for deaf or hard of hearing travelers, including hearing loops or text transcripts
44% offer sensory-friendly features such as calm spaces, sensory bags, or quiet hours
Yet 78% do not have a dedicated accessibility page on their website

In other words: accessibility is happening—it’s just not being shared.

This Isn’t About Perfection, It’s About Visibility

From large print menus and calm rooms to free pet stays for service dogs, many businesses already offer helpful features. An Accessibility Landing Page brings that information together in one place—helping guests plan confidently while showcasing the efforts of local businesses.

Simple, Scalable Steps for Progress

The report also highlights accessible features that businesses can easily promote—many of which are low-cost or already in place:

Sensory-friendly hours and quiet spaces
Tactile exhibits, large print menus, and guided tours
Use of visual or assistive apps (e.g., Aira, Be My Eyes)
Staff training or service dog-friendly policies
Accurate details about physical access, parking, and signage

“This survey gave us a whole new outlook on how we could be more accessible,” shared one respondent. “Our buildings were constructed in the 1960s, and as a small business, meeting some ADA compliance standards has felt cost-prohibitive. That said, many guests in wheelchairs still come and enjoy the property—and they find ways to navigate the shortcomings. This survey showed us how we can still be supportive. We already offer free pet stays for service dogs, and we’re looking forward to tackling more from the list.”

The Role of the Destination A11Y Club

Ten leading DMOs in TravelAbility’s Destination A11Y Club are already paving the way. Each maintains an Accessibility Landing Page highlighting inclusive local experiences for travelers with disabilities and older adults.

With help from the Uncovering Accessibility survey, they’re now expanding those listings—often uncovering accessibility assets they didn’t know they had. It’s a win-win for both visitors and the local businesses they rely on.

What’s Next

The survey findings are just the beginning. Here’s what TravelAbility and participating destinations are doing next:

Creating a best practice guide to help businesses build or improve accessibility pages tailored to the types of organizations surveyed.
Connecting interested businesses with training opportunities through TravelAbility’s partner network.

As destinations take these next steps, the goal is simple: empower travelers with better information and create more welcoming travel experiences for all.

Participating DMO’s

Media Contacts

Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau
Anna Whitlow, Director of Marketing & PR
awhitlow@albemarle.org

Discover Lancaster
Olivia Novak, Senior Marketing Manager
onovak@discoverlancaster.com

Experience Kissimmee
Deirdre Shaw, Destination Stewardship Manager
dshaw@experiencekissimmee.com

The Palm Beaches
Christine DeMichael, Director of Integrated Marketing
CDeMichael@ThePalmBeaches.com

Visit Lauderdale
Attiyya Atkins, Senior Manager, Global Integrated Marketing
aatkins@broward.org

Visit Loudoun
Jennifer Christie, Director of Marketing
christie@visitloudoun.org

VisitLEX
Arin Arnold‑Davis, Director of Destination Stewardship and Community Engagement
aarnold@visitlex.com

Visit Mesa
Zoey Shircel, CATP, Communications Manager
zoey@visitmesa.com

Visit Myrtle Beach
Stuart Butler, President
stuart.butler@visitmyrtlebeach.com

Visit Richmond
Toni Bastian, Director of Accessibility & Tourism Sales
tbastian@visitrichmondva.com

New Pop Up Masterclass Workshop Series Launch: Cultivating Accessibility Leaders

July 30, 2025 by lkarl

We’re excited to introduce the Cultivating Accessibility Leaders Masterclass Series, a new, in-person workshop series from TravelAbility taking place in three regions across the U.S. — the South, East, and Midwest.

Ideal for DMOs, DMCs, airports, hotels, museums, attractions, event venues, this series delivers hands-on training to empower teams and leaders to assess, improve, and promote accessibility initiatives within their organizations.

What You’ll Learn:

· How to evaluate current offerings and identify gaps
· Tools and training methods that work
· Best practices for marketing accessibility and inclusive storytelling
· Low-cost adaptive solutions across mobility, sensory, hearing, and vision access
· Lived insights from disabled travelers and influencers

You’ll also have the opportunity to earn the Accessibility Leader Certificate of Completion, recognizing you as a leader in the field with the requisite knowledge to fulfill that role. The program has been developed in partnership with Rosen College of Hospitality Management to recognize inclusive leadership in travel.

Learn More

The first stop? Orlando!

A One-Day Masterclass for Accessible Travel Leadership

Date: Friday, September 19, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Orlando, FL
Price: Early Bird – $595 through August 2nd | Regular – $795 through September 1 | Late/Onsite $995

All registered attendees of The Cultivating Accessibility Leaders Masterclas get a special $500 discount off their registration for the 2025 TravelAbility Summit.

Be part of a growing movement to make accessible travel standard, not special. We hope to see you in Orlando.

Save the Date! The second stop will be Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on December 9th, 2025!

Thank you to our host, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, and to our major sponsor, Experience Kissimmee, as well as Visit Orlando, for their generous support in making this initiative possible.

Advice Line: Lessons with Kristy Durso Part Three

July 30, 2025 by lkarl

Lesson 3: Minimal Budget, Maximal Impact

Between 2019 and 2020, travelers with disabilities spent $58.7 billion on accessible travel in the U.S. alone, according to a market study by Open Doors Organization.”

How can a destination make the greatest impact on accessibility with a limited budget?

Start by telling a real story.

If I had just $10,000 left in a budget, I wouldn’t spend it on checklists or audits. I would spend it on bringing in a family with accessibility needs and letting them explore your destination. Film them, not doing “disability-specific” things, but simply doing what they love. Let them be a family, and then show how your destination either supports or hinders their experience.

Capture the moments that work, and just as importantly, the moments where they struggle. That’s how you find the gaps. And that’s how you move hearts and minds.

Accessibility is not linear. There is no single checklist or seminar that can tell you whether your city is accessible. What’s accessible for me, as a wheelchair user, isn’t the same as what’s accessible for my friend who’s quadriplegic. Or for my daughter, who is cognitively disabled. Or for a traveler who is level three autistic. We all interact with places differently.

So the goal isn’t to declare, “This is accessible.” The goal is to tell your city’s story in a way that lets the traveler decide for themselves if it works for them.

And you do that by offering real, honest, visual access to what their experience might look like.

A great example is Lansing, Michigan. They partnered with a company called AbleVu, which I’ve worked with as well. AbleVu creates visual walk-throughs of attractions—not to judge or check boxes, but to tell the story of accessibility. A traveler can see what an entrance looks like, how the seating is arranged, or whether sensory-friendly spaces are available. That helps them make informed, safe choices.

One of their most surprising and inspiring features is an accessible indoor go-kart track. The owner, who was temporarily paralyzed after an accident, didn’t want to give up racing. So he designed a go-kart with hand controls and added a Hoyer lift. Now, anyone can join. Just reading “accessible go-kart” doesn’t quite capture it. But when you watch the video and see someone using it, you think, “Maybe I could do that too.”

That’s the ripple effect.

When you showcase real stories, you inspire people and not just inform them. You let families imagine themselves there. Suddenly, they aren’t just passing through. They’re planning full days, extended stays and return visits.

Information is the key. Many people with disabilities choose not to travel because they don’t know what to expect. But when that information is made visible, honest and welcoming, uncertainty becomes excitement.

It’s not about being perfect.

It’s about being prepared and transparent.

And that is something any destination can do, even on a limited budget.

Check back next month for Part Four! Noble Studios conducted a thorough interview with Kristy Durso going over the many facets of creating a destination that is truly for everyone. This series is pulled directly from the interview. Check out the archives for part 1 & 2. Click here for the full interview.

Kristy Durso is sitting in her wheelchair on the beach, smiling over her shoulder with the beautiful turquoise ocean in the background.

Featured public speaker, accessibilities advocate, entrepreneur, Army veteran, and military wife Kristy Durso is Travelability’s Ambassedor and owns and operates Incredible Memories Travel, a full-service travel agency that assists everyone, including those with accessibility needs. She has three children, one who has autoimmune issues and food allergies, another on the spectrum, and another with cognitive and intellectual disabilities.

Tourism

Josh Loebner Shares How Accessibility Marketing Has Gone Mainstream

Summary

Insights Based on Numbers

August News from the TravelAbility Community

Jan Bonnville | Recapturing that Special Outdoor Feeling

Sassy Wyatt | Guide to Digital Accessibility

Visit Lauderdale | Destinations Moving in the Right (Accessible) Direction

Visit California | Autism Certified Cities and Sensory Friendly Destinations

Visit Mesa | MFA Announces First Grant Recipients

Taylor Aguilar | The Blind Movement TV Show

Visit Lauderdale | Planning an Accessible Trip Just Got Easier with TripAdvisor’s New Tool

Wheel the World | Survival to SafariNew Tool

Sunflower Lanyard Program | Wings of Wonder: Accessibility for all Who Want to Travel

AARP | Accessible Campgrounds

National Parks | How U.S. National Parks are Becoming More Autism Friendly

Visit Richmond and John Morris | Richmond, VA, Wheelchair Accessible Travel Guide

Visit Florida | Best Destinations for Senior Travel

Travel Oregon | Travel Oregon Awards Nearly $6.2M to Dozens of Groundbreaking Projects Across the State

Travel Oregon Accessibility Grants

Prineville Golf Course Unveils Cart for People in Wheelchairs

Oregon Adaptive Sports Receives $60,000 to Implement Adaptive Paddling Program

Dirty Freehub’s Inclusive Gravel Cycling Campaign Empowers Riders with Disabilities

NE Oregon Projects Receive State Tourism Grants

ADA 35 Lineup

Rethinking Accessibility Survey Highlights How Travel Industry Partners Can Better Share Accessibility Features Already in Place

Key Findings from 143 Respondents