TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

assessments

TravelAbility Introduces Bed Height Mapping Pilot Program for Accessible Travel

by

A woman in a wheelchair with her hand on the bed in a hotel room.
Photo Credit: Wheel the World

TravelAbility has announced the launch of a pioneering initiative to map hotel bed heights, addressing the primary concern for wheelchair travelers: the unpredictability of bed heights in hotel accommodations.

Why This Matters: For individuals who use wheelchairs, traveling can often feel like a gamble due to the lack of standardized information on hotel accessibility. While their homes are tailored to their needs, and they are familiar with accessible local businesses, the same cannot be said for hotels they may visit. Images of hotel amenities abound, yet details on ADA-compliant rooms are scarce, leaving wheelchair users without the necessary information to plan their travels.

The Challenge: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets forth certain requirements for hotels, but bed height is not among them. Given the variation in wheelchair sizes, a one-size-fits-all approach does not exist, making this an area of concern for travelers seeking accessible accommodations.

TravelAbility’s Solution: In collaboration with five  Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) that are members of the Destination A11Y Club, TravelAbility is spearheading a pilot program called Heads in Accessible Beds to collect and share essential data on the accessibility of hotel sleeping rooms and bathrooms. This information will be made available on a dedicated, easy-to-find landing page on each DMO’s website, ensuring that wheelchair users—as well as locals hosting visitors with mobility challenges—have access to the information they need to make informed travel decisions. Additionally, hotels can feature this data on their own accessibility pages, further aiding travelers in their planning.

The five destinations that will be participating in the pilot program are Visit Alexandria (VA), Experience Kissimmee (FL), Visit Tampa (FL), Visit Lex (KY) and Visit Myrtle Beach (SC). 

Contact Information: Tricia Roth tricia@travelability.net

About TravelAbility: TravelAbility is committed to making travel more accessible for everyone. By providing crucial information and resources, TravelAbility empowers individuals with mobility challenges to explore the world with confidence.

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

by

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].

Wheel the World Partners with Visit Florida to Scale Accessibility Audits

by

Woman using a wheelchair beside a pool and a fountain along with logos of Visit Florida and Wheel the World

Visit Florida announced at the Florida Governors meeting in October that it is launching an ad co-op program to finance Wheel the World site assessments at 30 hotels, attractions, POI’s or dining locations in each region. Watch a video of the announcement.  

Wheel the World’s deliverables include not only assessments, but also training through their online academy and online marketing through their highly targeted database as well as their social media channels.

Our TakeAway: This initiative was originally one of the four pilot programs that were featured at this year’s Summit in which three Florida DMO’s (Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and The Palm Beaches) participated.  Following the expansion announcement, seven other destinations signed up.  This is another unique example of Visit Florida’s role as an industry thought leader—along with WtW’s growing reputation for excellence in accessibility site assessments. We hope to see other states follow Florida’s lead. Hey, New York and California, are you listening?

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Your name and email will never be sold to third parties.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Your name and email will never be sold to 3rd parties.