TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Travel Industry People

24 Accessibility Champions to Watch in 2024

by

We think of champions as the visionaries and motivators who inspire the rest of us with their commitment to a cause and, often, their eloquence which is always backed up by concrete action. We are kicking off a year-long celebration of 24 Champions of Inclusive Travel.

These are leaders from all parts of our movement who have made inclusion and accessibility a fundamental principle of their work. They are always looking to identify solutions to obstacles and practices that stand in the way of full and equal access for individuals with disabilities and sometimes that involves creating new approaches that can be scaled up in other locations. That’s how the Champions drive systematic change and a more inclusive future.

Each month we will feature interviews with two Champions in this newsletter. We begin the rollout this month with Richard Gray of Visit Lauderdale and Alison Brooks of Visit Mesa. 

Accessibility Champion: Richard Gray

by

Senior Vice President of Inclusion & Accessibility for Visit Lauderdale

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

A: I am deeply passionate about making tourism accessible to ALL. To me, making tourism more accessible is a social responsibility and it is also a human right.

I have been involved in inclusion initiatives since 1991. That’s when I opened a gay-friendly hotel in Fort Lauderdale to provide a safe and fun accommodation for the gay traveler. Not many were reaching that market at that time. That’s when I understood how important it is for a destination to realize the needs of its diverse visitors. 

That same thinking led me to accessible tourism. One day, I realized there were only a handful of destinations catering to a traveler with differing physical and/or cognitive abilities. It didn’t sit well with me that millions of people could not enjoy our destination as I could. So, in 2020, I embarked on my journey to understand as much as I could about accessible tourism. At Visit Lauderdale, it is key that we promote inclusion, diversity, and equal opportunities for ALL individuals. Accessible tourism not only enhances the quality of life for individuals with disabilities, it also benefits the tourism industry economically.

Q: What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization?

A: I am the Senior Vice President of Inclusion & Accessibility for Visit Lauderdale. I have always been a believer in using marketing as a form of education and a firm believer of being gutsy and pushing barriers to market to all travelers. Just like when we became the first destination in the world to launch a transgender campaign to highlight the diversity, edge, and authenticity of the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. The historic initiative was recognized by the United Nations. I intend to make a similar difference in the accessible space and expect Visit Lauderdale to be a loud voice for the accessible traveler. Recently, we have become a part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and at the Broward County Convention Center. I’m very excited as we are the trailblazers here. The program allows people with hidden disabilities–such as learning difficulties, visual or hearing impairments, chronic pain, or any other hidden disability–to request extra time or help when traveling through the airport.

Quote: I have always been a firm believer of being gutsy and pushing barriers to market to all travelers.

Q: 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?

A: The most difficult obstacles for destinations attempting to advance accessibility include inadequate infrastructure and facilities, limited awareness and understanding of the needs of an accessible traveler, lack of government support and funding for accessibility initiatives, and social stigmas about persons with disabilities that can create barriers to inclusion and participation in tourism. Overcoming these challenges requires a collaborative effort involving government, businesses, industry leaders, and communities to prioritize accessibility and implement inclusive practices. At Visit Lauderdale, we are on a massive learning curve. We are committed to creating awareness, education and a warm welcome. We created a landing page with the most incredible accessible destination video. I am so proud of that video. The video highlights some of our fully accessible attractions like the Brightline, a high-speed passenger train that stops at key locations throughout South and Central Florida, Flamingo Gardens–a botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary, the Broward Center for Performing Arts–one of the top 10 most-visited theaters in the world, and adaptive kayaking on the intracoastal, to name a few. 

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

A: Jake Steinman is my inspiration, mentor, and go-to person with anything in regard to accessibility. He is a wealth of knowledge, and the reason Visit Lauderdale is a Titanium sponsor of TravelAbility. I hold him in the highest regard. Others who inspire me include Mayaan Ziv of Access Now and Camilo Navarro and the whole team at Wheel the World.

Q: What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?

A: I will continue to learn much, much more about the accessible platform. Visit Lauderdale is committed to showcasing the beauty and versatility of the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, but to ALL. We are a destination where inclusion truly shines. We welcome “Everyone Under the Sun,” as our tagline says. Last year in June 2023, we were able to host the Deaf Seniors of America Conference at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino & Hotel, with more than 1,000 hearing-impaired seniors from around the world. And in the coming year, we will be hosting a TravelAbility travel agent training session. Visit Lauderdale will continue its journey to becoming a fully accessible destination and a thought leader in the accessible tourism space. I am personally committed to that.

Air Time for Autism Expert Alan Day on “Good Morning America”

by

Two men wearing Autism Flies T-shirts stand at the entrance to an airplane. Alan Day, one of the men, talks on the airplane's phone.

TraveAbility Advisory Board Member Alan Day, a former travel agent who has an autistic son, continues to raise awareness of the challenges facing travelers on the spectrum. Day co-founded Autism Double-Checked to educate airlines, hotels and other travel businesses on ways to remove  or reduce the obstacles confronting autistic travelers. 

In addition to identifying the obstacles, Autism Double-Checked is creating innovative solutions, such as a practice run for getting through security at Bradley Airport in Connecticut as featured in a recent spot on ABC News and Good Morning America. The program is designed to help young flyers on the spectrum get more accustomed to the protocols at their own pace.

“They’re going to come in. They’re going to check in. They will get a gate pass just like a boarding pass for a real flight that will go through an actual TSA line. They will have to be screened, go through the metal detector, then they’ll come to the gate, they’ll wait at the gate and they will be called,” Day said. Read more

Related Video:  Easterseals launched a campaign in December calling for improvements in air travel for individuals with disabilities. The story includes a good video interview with Easterseals President and CEO, Kendra Davenport (scroll down the page to the extended interview; it’s about 11 minutes long.)

TravelAbility TakeAway: Alan Day and Autism Double-Check are doing an amazing job drawing attention to the challenges facing travelers with autism and to innovative solutions. The TSA practice run isn’t just good TV, it’s an excellent resource for families with children on the spectrum.

Partnership Between TravelAbility and Destinations International Off to a Fast Start

by

As we reported in last month’s Insider, Destinations International has named TravelAbility as its official accessibility advisor, providing guidance on how to make destinations more welcoming for people with disabilities. In turn, Destinations International will market TravelAbility’s Accessibility Playbook to its 700+ DMOS. 

“The Playbook is like accessibility in a box and  contains everything we’ve learned over the past five years that can help destinations and travel businesses  improve their accessibility and inclusion initiatives for travelers with disabilities,” said Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of TravelAbility. “It includes more than 100 videos, PowerPoint decks, and contacts for a range of vendors in the accessibility space.”

TravelAbility will also advise Destinations International on prospective speakers and assistive technology entrepreneurs who can showcase their solutions for improving accessibility in the travel industry at their InnovateAble pitch event.

TravelAbility has already started planning its involvement in DI’s events for 2024, including several US meetings this spring and summer:

Marketing & Communications Summit
February 27-29, 2024 | Salt Lake City, UT

CEO Summit
April 2-4, 2024 | Boston, MA

Convention Sales & Services Summit
April 8-9, 2024 | Washington, D.C.

Showcase
April 10, 2024 | Washington, D.C.

Visitor Services Summit
July 16, 2024 | Tampa, FL

Annual Convention
July 16-18, 2024 | Tampa, FL

Read more

TravelAbility TakeAway: “Both partners have hit the ground running and we’re finding multiple opportunities for collaboration and crossover,” said Jake Steinman, TravelAbility founder and CEO. “It’s an exciting time. Sleep is overrated!”

Accessibility Champion: Alison Brooks

by

Vice President, Destination Experience & Advocacy, Visit Mesa

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

A: Mesa became the first-ever Autism Certified City (IBCCES) in 2019. The response was so very positive, that we soon realized that inclusion through accessibility was a community shared value and we knew that we wanted to further expand accessibility through technologies, programs and education that would make a better experience for our visitors and residents alike.

Q: What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization?

A: I oversee our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility efforts, our partnership program and assist our CEO with governmental affairs.

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

A: In a city so large (over 500K population), along with over 4 million visitors, the most challenging thing is bringing awareness to the many offerings we have in Mesa. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, Aira, Wheel the World partnership, autism certification, and Threshold 360 virtual tours from the accessibility perspective, are all fantastic ways that help people prepare for and enjoy their experience while in Mesa.  We do advertise these programs regularly through many platforms, as well as share them on our website and social media, but it still can be difficult to get the word out!

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

Quote: Drip learning will be a huge focus for us in 2024.

A: The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, Threshold 360 virtual tours, Aira, Wheel the World and Able Vu partnerships, and autism certification are all programs we’ve put into place for our destination. It’s hard to choose one that I’m most proud of, but I would say that I’m proud that Visit Mesa was the first to partner with many of these programs and work side-by-side to help implement their product into a destination. Becoming the first Verified Destination through Wheel the World was definitely icing on the cake.

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

A: Visit Tampa Bay does an amazing job with their accessibility and storytelling of inclusion overall! Of course, I have to give a “shout-out” to Travelability, as Jake Steinman and his team continue to make a profound impact on destinations becoming more accessible.

Q: What are your plans around accessibility in 2024?

A: We will continue to measure engagement with the programs we have in place now. Additionally, drip- learning will be a huge focus for us, as I strongly feel that education creates confidence for our partners to better serve guests with disabilities. I cannot share yet, but I can say we are working on something that could positively impact a lot of visitors and residents in the very near future.