TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Travel Industry People

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.

Undiscovered America TV Features Episode on Accessibility

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Celebrating Accessibility Champions in Travel!

TravelAbility is thrilled to have contributed to the curation of destinations and experts featured in the Accessibility episode of Undiscovered America. This exciting episode will be broadcasted to 107 million households this week and will also be available for streaming on platforms like Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku.

A big congratulations to the following champions who have made inclusion and accessibility a fundamental principle of their work:

Stuart Butler, Chief Marketing Officer Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce:Your dedication to creating a more inclusive future is truly inspiring!

Kevin Wright, VP Brand Stewardship Travel Oregon: Thank you for your commitment to breaking down barriers and ensuring equal access for all.

Alison Brooks,VP Destination Experience & Advocacy Visit Mesa : Your innovative approach to accessibility has made a significant impact.

Kristy Durso, Founder Incredible Memories Travel: Your advocacy for accessible travel is making a difference!

Learn More about Undiscovered America

News from the TravelAbility Community

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Triumphs of our own – How the TravelAbility Community is leading Accessibility Innovators in Transforming Travel and Tourism Worldwide.

Wheel the World founder Wins Entrepreneur of the Year at annual EDDY Awards in Atlanta.

Winners of the second annual EDDIE awards, short for Entrepreneurs Dedicated to Diverse and Inclusive Excellence, are “not scared of breaking down doors, actually, demolishing doors.” Read about Silberstein and the other nominees, here.

IBCCES Announces Certifications of Dubai and Orlando Airports.

Our partners at IBCCES, the only credentialing organization in the autism field, have had a very busy quarter.  Recently, they’ve announced certifications including Dubai Airport, Orlando airport authority, our first Certified attractions in Korea and Macau, just to name a few.  You can read about more of their partners, here.

Ed Harris, Lancaster’s Tourism Maestro, Turns Crisis into Triumph.

Discover Lancaster’s CEO took tourism to the next level, driving record growth and setting a new standard for marketing innovation, even in the midst of a pandemic. Read how, here.

Jupiter Rebuilds Beach Walkovers to Help People in Wheelchairs.

Palm Beaches is making waves and redefining shorelines with their inclusivity movement. Find out how, here.

National Parks Becoming More Autism Friendly.

Customized Itineraries, visual schedules, sensory guides, quiet rooms, and sensory-friendly days are a great starting place for welcoming the neurodiverse into the great outdoors. Read how national parks are embracing inclusivity, here.

Accessibility at Vancouver Airport.

YVR is the first airport to receive an ‘Accessibility Certified Gold’ rating under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program. Read about their commitment to exceeding standards, here.

Wheel The World, Easy Access Travel and Tapooz Recommended by AARP as Top Tour Companies for Travelers with Physical Challenges.

AARP knows what travelers with mobility issues need to explore the world, and the TravelAbility community is bridging the gap. Learn how, here.

New on Accessible DMO Landing Pages:

San Francisco Travel has organized their accessibility feature in a unique and creative way. See it here.

Introducing TravelAbility Fellows Lauren Badolato and Ellie Satkin

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Please welcome Lauren Badolato and Ellie Satkin, the newest additions to the TravelAbility team!

The TravelAbility fellowship provides the opportunity to meet university internship requirements, while making a real difference in the world of inclusion through marketing. The interns are already working behind the scenes on all things TravelAbility – from event planning for the Emerging Markets Summit to designing this newsletter.

Lauren Badolato

Lauren Badolato

Lauren is a single mom to two children, ages six and eight, with disabilities. Originally from Brooklyn, she now lives in Orlando as a graduate of Valencia College. She’s been around the hospitality industry since she was a child, but the merge of hospitality and inclusion became a priority when her second son was born with a rare genetic disorder. Having a son who may never walk has changed the way she experiences travel, and has fueled a passion for creating a barrier-free travel experience.

As part of a college internship course, she was able to observe a mock interview of a Rosen Hospitality student with Wheel the World. She connected to the cause immediately because of her own struggles in hotels with her son. As a constant advocate, working to raise awareness for a variety of her son’s 42 diagnoses, TravelAbility made the perfect next step for linking passion, purpose, and profession.

Ellie Satkin

Ellie is a business student at San Diego State University, entering her junior year. As a business major and Hot Yoga instructor, her goal is to work with people in health and wellness. She was looking for virtual internships for location flexibility when family ties uncovered the perfect marketing internship through TravelAbility. 

Working with TravelAbility has been an eye opening experience that is impacting every area of Ellie’s life. During her training as a yoga instructor she learned about adapting experiences for the different abilities of students she would encounter – from pregnant women to diabetics, but she had no idea just how wide and diverse that range was. She says she’s growing in awareness in a way that she can bring into other circles of life – from adaptive yoga to recognizing accessibility barriers on her own college campus. Inclusion has taken on new meaning as she works to make it a reality.

Accessibility Champion: Patrick Harrison

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Visit Tampa Bay Names Chief Operating, Marketing Officers

Marketing Director, Visit Tampa Bay

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

Visit Tampa Bay began intensifying its focus on accessibility as part of a broader inclusivity initiative, which recognized the growing need and ethical imperative to serve all travelers, regardless of their physical abilities. This commitment was further motivated by the understanding that improving accessibility not only benefits travelers with disabilities but also enhances the overall visitor experience, which makes  the destination more welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.

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

Working with a dedicated internal team and external representatives and agencies, I direct all marketing and communications channels including advertising, public relations, branding, activations, targeted niche campaigns and creative out-of-the-box ideas.  Additionally, I oversee our leisure sales team and work closely with our partnership and convention sales team to ensure brand integrity and consistency.

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?

One of the primary challenges in advancing accessibility in Tampa Bay is transforming the mindset of local stakeholders and partners. Too often, accessibility is seen merely as an ADA compliance issue rather than a broader commitment to inclusivity and enhancing the guest experience. At Visit Tampa Bay, we aim to lead by example, demonstrating successful accessible initiatives and sharing findings and best practices with our partners.

A critical early step was the appointment of Jamie Santillo as an accessibility ambassador to Visit Tampa Bay. As a local travel agent with a disability, Jaime brought a valuable perspective, ensuring that our accessibility efforts were not only well-informed but also genuinely reflective of the needs of travelers with disabilities. Her appearance in an accessibility video, along with her Tampa Bay itineraries, underscores the importance of getting input from the community on the initiatives aimed to serve. We are proud to showcase her as an expert in creating inclusive travel experiences. In the past few years, Jamie’s own travel agency, Adventures by Jamie, has been voted a top travel agency in Florida and the Southeast. 

We showcase the value and impact of accessible tourism through pilot programs and strategic partnerships, demonstrating that thoughtful accessibility improvements lead to increased guest satisfaction and repeat visitation. We are particularly proud of our recent initiatives that collectively aim to position Tampa Bay as a leader in accessible tourism. 

Recent initiatives include:

  • EnChroma: We’ve introduced EnChroma glasses at key cultural venues like the Tampa Museum of Art and The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts. These glasses allow visitors with red-green color blindness to see a broader spectrum of colors, enhancing their experience of the visual arts.
  • Wheel the World: Visit Tampa Bay was the first DMO in Florida to highlight accessible trips with Wheel the World. We are expanding this partnership to enhance accessibility at more hotels and tourist attractions.
  • AbleVu: We’re working to make Tampa Bay the first “AbleVu Accessible City” in Florida by enhancing accessibility at a variety of partner businesses, including attractions, hotels, and dining establishments.

By sharing the successes of these initiatives, we position ourselves as a model for others in the hospitality and tourism industry, advocating for a more inclusive approach that benefits all visitors.

“Too often, accessibility is seen merely as an ADA compliance issue rather than a broader commitment to inclusivity and enhancing the guest experience.”

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

Visit Tampa Bay often looks to Destinations International, specifically their Social Inclusion program, for ideas and inspiration. Destinations International has established itself as a leader in advancing equity and inclusion within the tourism industry, providing a framework that helps destinations like Tampa Bay develop more inclusive practices. By aligning with forward-thinking frameworks and incorporating their recommendations, Visit Tampa Bay continues to reinforce its commitment to being a leader in accessible travel and tourism.  

Q5. What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?

In 2024, Visit Tampa Bay plans to further enhance accessibility through several strategic initiatives:

  • Expansion: Extending accessibility training to improve service delivery across the board. We are also expanding our listings on sites such as Wheel the World, showing off the destination’s accessible offerings.
  • Technology Integration: We are leveraging technology to create more accessible online resources, including virtual tours and interactive guides that are ADA-compliant. We continue to elevate our landing page.

Enhanced Community Engagement: Increasing engagement with local disability advocacy groups to ensure their input and feedback are integral to accessibility initiatives in development. Working closely with county and city officials to be sure that we are highlighting all of the work done in our community.