TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

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Now You Can See What I’m Talking About, Right? Inclusivity!

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two women in t shirts in back of a sewing machine wearing masks they made with clear plastic near the mouth

These masks were made for “For anyone who uses speech reading, lip reading, anybody like that,” Ashley Lawrence a senior studying education for the deaf and hard of hearing said in a Lex18 news report. “Also these are for people who are profoundly deaf who use ASL as their primary mode of communication. She and her mom are now making variations for people with hearing aids and over-the-ear fit concerns. 

OUR TAKE: There are so many ways to be accessible and so much time. Making good use of your ‘pause’ can actually be a pleasure.  

3 WAYS TO ACHIEVE A CLEAN NEW DEAL

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two hands waving with blue rubber gloves on

Ahhh, cleanliness, everyone’s favorite new word. If our industry follows the trends, it will go from a deal-breaker to a deal maker in the future. Start by learning the latest news, below.

  1. New Airline Regulations For COVID-19 and Beyond In a survey of aviation executives by consulting group ICF, 92 percent of respondents said 1. they expect to see enhanced aircraft hygiene requirements post-COVID-19. At least one U.S. airline—Delta—has said it plans to use its new extensive sanitizing procedures for the foreseeable future. Other carriers are likely to follow suit as a response to the crisis, according to CNTRAVELER.

    OUR TAKE: Who knew sanitizing procedures would be the new sexy must-have?  We joke, but we’re also pleased to see the level to which companies have promised to rise for safety’s sake. 

2. New Cleaning Protocols, New Cleanliness Advisory Council 
“We are living in a new age, with COVID-19 front and center for our guests and our associates,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott’s president/CEO. “We are grateful for the trust our guests have shown us through the years. We want our guests to understand what we are doing today and planning for in the near future in the areas of cleanliness, hygiene, and social distancing, he told HotelManagement.net.

OUR TAKE: Trust is what will bring back travelers. That’s why the council is focused on developing global hospitality cleanliness standards, norms, and behaviors that are designed to minimize risk and enhance safety.

3. Learn What Is Level 3 Cleaning Entails  They tossed, bedding, mattresses, kitchen utensils, and hundreds and hundreds of towels. Then they barricaded each area to assure it remained uncontaminated. That’s only part of what a Level 3 cleaning requires, Shelden Yellen of  CEO of BELFOR Property Restoration told Travelpulse.com He was in charge of cleaning the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where 697 passengers tested positive and seven died. (The cruise had 2,666  guests and  1,045 crew on board, according to Reuters.) He spoke about the cleaning process of the ships in a Q&A with Fox News. A full write-up on Yellen from TravelPulse.com appears here.  

OUR TAKE: This particular cleaning job is called a Level 3, the highest standard there is. The company used all  Level 3 protocols to protect themselves and eradicate the virus. Such attention to detail will likely be on the minds of devoted cruise passengers when (not if) these beautiful boats sail again. 

PLUS: Cleanliness Standards All In One Place!
Sector-by-Sector COVID-19 Protocols and How Effective They Were

Covid-19 cleanliness protocols must be at a standard that meets the needs of our most vulnerable travelers: those with a disability or aging baby boomers (who now control over 70% of the discretionary income in the U.S.) At TravelAbility 2020 (virtual) Presenters from each of the following industry sectors will share their post- COVID-19 cleanliness protocols, how they were promoted, and how effective they were in attracting business.

  • Destination Marketing Organizations: State and CVB 
  • Hotels: Guests, staff, F&B and social distancing for meetings
  • Convention Centers: Cleaning and Social distancing protocols 
  • Airports: Cleaning & concessions protocols for disabled
  • Attractions: Cleaning and social distancing
  • Cruise Lines: Cleaning, food preparation, and social distancing
  • Rental Car: Cleaning and social distancing
  • Amtrak: Cleaning and social distancing
  • Airlines: Cleaning, boarding process, and distancing
  • Escorted Tours: Social Distancing

Which of These Videos Inspire You to Travel?

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A video camera faced at a subject with the words fb live

DMO’s are creating more and more 30-60 second videos, offering hope and musings to inspire future visitors. Watch a few of our picks, below, to find the one that resonates most with you. Plus, a tutorial on adding captions to videos.

a. Niagara Falls, NY, “A DESTINATION OF HOPE” 

b. Long Island, NY’, “#HOLDFAST”  

Valley Forge, PA: “We’re #MONTCO Strong” 

c. North Dakota: “BE LEGENDARY”  

d. Virginia Beach, VA: The Magic of Virginia Beach

Note: Not all videos have captions. This important addition is pretty easy to learn on YouTube,

Inside Look at ‘Business Unusual’ Workdays with Neurodiverse Employees During COVID-19

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an infinity sign for neurodiversity in rainbow colors
The rainbow infinity sign is a symbol for the neuro-diversity movement in general.

Overwhelmed, scared, but also relieved—that’s how Zeinab Ali said he felt when he began to work at home during the pandemic. Zeinab, who prefers to be referred to as #actuallyautistic, gave tips and coping strategies to make the transition easier for everyone on the Inclusive Employers blog, here.

OUR TAKE: It’s interesting to note that this company (and hundreds more) has  taken on a new symbol (the infinity symbol) and do not prefer person-first language. A new generation of disability activism, in which people refer to themselves as autistic versus “living with autism” is emerging in the workplace. 

Wondering about the reasoning behind the Infinity symbol? We were too. Fun fact: the rainbow-colored Infinity symbol represents the diversity of the autism spectrum as well as the greater neurodiversity movement. For the travel industry, So what language is best and where? Ask your customers in the autism community—they are the real experts. 

To find more stories about autism and family travel visit our archive.

This Cruise Line Is Totally On Board With Inclusive Travel Needs

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a boy water slides through a red tube on a float
Carnival Horizon is certified sensory-inclusive. ANDY NEWMAN/CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Families that have a child diagnosed with autism or ADHD look for people who ‘get’ what their kids need—and increasingly, they’re finding like minds. Writer Judy Koutsky praises Carnival Cruise lines for prioritizing inclusivity. Find out how Carnival became “certified sensory-inclusive” and why they will appeal to the rising number of families with kids who have autism and ADHD that are interested in future travel, here.

OUR TAKE: There are multiple ways to train your staff to be autism-friendly and to design spaces that offer the best possible experience for children on the spectrum. Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon worked with  KultureCity to become the first ship to be certified “sensory inclusive”.

But with the world on pause, there’s no rush to be the first. More important is the desire to offer the best experience and the willingness to dive in and learn what inclusive means and why it is so helpful.