TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Travel

What Would You Do?

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August Scenario: Wheelchair accessible accommodations.

A traveler in a wheelchair is at the hotel where they booked an ADA room thinking the bed height would work out for them. It does not. How would you handle the situation? 

Arturo Gaona, Chief Partnership Partner, Wheel the World:

Hotel staff should be ready to lower or raise beds, either by taking down bed legs (which most cases require, at least in the US) or having available legs or a thinner mattress that can raise the bed. Another great option is to have at least one hoyer lift available; of course, this requires a minimum available space below the bed.

However, this should be addressed by preventing the scenario. How? Providing accurate and verified accessibility information, such as the bed height. Being ADA compliant in this case is not enough; the bed height should adapt to the user, not the user adapting to the law.

If the bed is too high, I would have the box springs removed. But next time I would remember to call Wheel the World to book my accessible room.

Stefan Muhle, Vice President & Regional Managing Director, Noble House Hotels:

Handling this situation requires empathy, understanding, and a proactive approach. Here’s how I’d manage it:

  • Listen, Empathize, and Acknowledge:
  • Listen to the guest’s concerns.
  • Acknowledge the issue and express understanding and empathy for their situation.
  • Immediate Action:
  • Check if our property has any other ADA rooms with different bed heights or adjustable beds that might better suit the guest’s needs.
  • If available, offer to move the guest to another room that better suits their needs.
  • Temporary Solutions:
  • If no other ADA rooms are available, look for temporary solutions such as bed risers or a different mattress (or topper) to adjust the height or providing a platform or step to make it easier for the traveler to get in and out of bed.

Social media responses from disability moms:

Talk to the hotel to see if they can adjust the bed height or change the room.

Ask for a refund.

Move to a different hotel if the beds aren’t adequate for your needs.

Take the box spring out or request a layaway bed.

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 Article Round Up: Articles From Across the Web

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Photo of futuristic accessible hotel room behind the headline "The Future of Accessible Hotel Rooms"

The Future of Accessible Hotel Rooms:

Take 40 seconds to watch this video of universal design applied to the hospitality industry  

The tails of two Air Canada jets

Air Canada:

First airline in North America to adopt the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower

Photo of a hand holding a Google Pixel phone, "A more accessible cell phone"

A More Accessible Cell Phone:

Google’s Pixel 7 introduces Guided Frame feature for the visually impaired

Person with dark glasses and white-tipped cane standing inside a bus: "Better Bus Stops: New Bus Rider Accessibility App"

Better Bus Stops:

Blind Australian software programmer designs See Me app to help ALL bus riders flag down bus drivers 

A railway employee assisting a passenger in a crowded train station

Autism-Friendly Trains:

UK’s Great Western Railway applauded for new autism-friendly features including sound series explaining train noises

Text against blue backdrop: "AMEX GBT’s High Touch travel"

Recruiting Employees and Business Travelers:

AMEX GBT’s High Touch travel service aims to appeal to employees with disabilities as well as clients

Logo of Autism Adventures Abroad

Checking in to Check Out:

Hotel Etico Blue Mountains—Australia’s First Social Enterprise Hotel

Wheel The World Donates $60,000 to TravelAbility Foundation to Support Accessible Travel

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Four men and two women holding an enlarged check made out to TravelAbility for $60,000. L-R. Camilo Navarro, Arturo Gaona, Andres Villagran, Wheel the World. Tricia Roth, Jake Steinman and Becka Gill, Travelability team.

Wheel The World, the leading solution for accessible travel, announced today that it has donated $60,000 to the TravelAbility Foundation in 2023, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes inclusive travel and hospitality for people with diverse needs.

The donation was raised through an agreement whereby Wheel the World would donate a percentage of their income from the Destination Verified assessment program to the TravelAbility Foundation.  

The funds will be used by the TravelAbility Foundation to support its programs and initiatives, such as the Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive guide for destinations, hotels, attractions, and dining to improve their accessibility and attract more travelers with disabilities. The Foundation also hosts the InnovateAble Challenge, an annual assistive pitch fest, held virtually to showcase the best of the best in assistive technology, innovation, and amenities that can ease the travel barriers for people with disabilities.  

“We are grateful for the support we received from Wheel the World and its community. This donation will help us continue our mission of connecting and educating the travel industry and the disability community to create more inclusive travel experiences for everyone,” said Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of the TravelAbility Foundation.

Wheel The World is a social startup with the purpose of making the world accessible for travelers with disabilities. The platform of the company allows users to book accessible hotels and experiences with all the accessibility details they need, such as wheelchair accessibility, hearing and visual aids, dietary options, and more. Wheel The World also offers multi-day trips and group tours to more than 250 destinations around the world, featuring accessible activities such as hiking, kayaking, scuba diving, and zip-lining.

In 2023, the foundation sponsored an end-to-end accessible adventure to Costa Rica for four disabled travelers, organized by Wheel the World. Additionally, it funded tuition for a blind documentary filmmaker who participated as a panelist at the TravelAbility Summit in Savannah’s accelerated film program, enabling them to take a film course in Los Angeles.

“Travel is a human right, and we believe that everyone should be able to explore the world without limits. We are proud to partner with the TravelAbility Foundation, an organization that shares our vision and values, and to support their work in making the travel industry more accessible and inclusive,” said Alvaro Silberstein, co-founder and CEO of Wheel The World. 

For more information about Wheel The World, visit wheeltheworld.com or follow them on [Facebook], [Instagram], [Twitter], and [YouTube].

For more information about the TravelAbility Foundation, visit travelability.org or follow them on [Facebook], [Instagram], [Twitter], and [LinkedIn].

Accessibility Champion: Ivor Ambrose

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Managing Director, European Network for Accessible Travel (ENAT)

Head shot of Ivor Ambrose

Note: This interview is part of an ongoing series featuring interviews with 24 Champions of Accessibility for 2024 selected and celebrated by TravelAbility.

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

A: It only dawned on me when I was asked this question about 10 years ago, when I was in my fifties, that my interest in accessibility most likely came from growing up with my little brother who had sustained serious leg injuries when he was about 6 years old. He got hit by a truck on a pedestrian crosswalk and it took many months and several operations and skin grafts before he could walk and run again—and eventually swim, cycle and even play rugby—well bandaged up. We did everything together, so it was “second nature” for us—family and friends—to set things up so he could always be part of everything. So I did have a personal connection to disability but I did not think about this until many years later. That was just our family’s normal life and part of my childhood. Thanks to my parents and my older brother and sister, we all pretty much learned to make things work for everyone. And we had great times.           

Q: .  What is the goal of your organization?

A: ENAT—the European Network for Accessible Tourism—has a “mission statement” like many non-profits do. It is this:: “To make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all visitors and to promote accessible tourism around the world”. Our tagline is: “Working together to make Tourism Accessible for All”.   

Q:  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?

A: One of the main difficulties I see is that the need for accessibility comes mainly from a “reactive” point of view. Oh! Here’s a problem, how do we fix it? In all areas of life, for people, places and products, we need to think more pro-actively about accessibility, to anticipate what is needed, whether tackling existing barriers or designing something from afresh. Think beyond the immediate problem and take access requirements fully onboard. Achieving accessibility for everyone is part of a process which takes forethought, while learning from good practices as well as past mistakes.

Q:  What accomplishments are you most proud of?

A: I am most proud when I see the happiness of people achieving great things that I have played a small part in. It can be small or big things and might be something quite unexpected. Twenty two years ago I helped a young, disabled software engineer in India to establish a training course on Information Technology for disabled students. It was a great success, creating jobs for over 40 young trainees. Since then this young guy has achieved a Ph.D. in data security and he now runs a software company, Kerckhoffs Ltd. with his wife in England and has also established Kerckhoffs Inc. in the USA and has a swath of accolades to his credit. I am really proud of his life choices and his achievements.      

Q: Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.  (Other than TravelAbility or Jake Steinman)

A: I am not one for regularly following certain people or organizations. Inspiration can come from many directions. I keep my antennae out for all kinds of news in the accessible tourism field and try to pick out useful information which I can pass on to ENAT members and colleagues, whether it is “trending” or not.

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