The travel and tourism industry is full of opportunity: providing travelers around the world with access to new destinations and cultural experiences that have the power to change how they see the world around them. But there’s one problem: these experiences aren’t accessible to everyone, especially travelers with physical disabilities or neurological conditions like autism. However, there’s a growing movement across all industries to create more inclusive experiences that open new travel opportunities and doors for affected populations.
World Tourism Day could not be a better time to foster an open dialogue about what accessibility and inclusivity mean in the travel and tourism industry. Celebrated every year on September 27 since 1980, World Tourism Day aims to raise awareness about tourism and how it impacts different parts of the planet: environmental, social, political and economic. With only a few months until World Tourism Day and summer travel just around the corner, now is your opportunity to make a difference in the lives of travelers and make powerful and beautiful experiences more accessible in a world rife with conflict and inequality.
Destinations and organizations like TravelAbility are leading the way and, most importantly, making a difference. Discover how destinations around the world are creating more accessible and inclusive travel experiences.
What do travelers want?
Consumers generally tend to purchase products and services that align with their values, and travel is no exception. Travelers want to visit destinations where they feel safe and welcome, and a recent Accenture survey revealed that nearly three in five travelers want travel companies to share similar diversity and inclusion values. Diversity, equity and inclusion in travel often means creating an inclusive experience for people of all races, genders or members of the LGBTQ+ community. But creating an inclusive experience can take many years. Accessible
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Think about it this way: Currently, 87% of households with a member on the autism spectrum don’t travel due to a lack of sensory-friendly options. Considering that roughly 1% of the world’s population is people with autism spectrum disorder, that’s roughly 75 million people excluded from travel. This is not only a huge opportunity for the travel and tourism industry to offer new experiences to underserved markets, but also an opportunity to close the gap so autistic travelers can experience the joys of travel.
Creating accessible experiences
There is a growing movement to raise awareness about making travel more accessible. A recent report found that 45% of European destination marketing organizations prioritize travelers with disabilities. This is a great start, but it’s not enough.
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Stuart Butler, Chief Marketing Officer of the Myrtle Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, who also serves on the Sojern Advisory Board and TravelAbility Committee, is an advocate for autistic families and is always looking for ways to make Myrtle Beach a more accessible destination for people with different sensory needs. To that end, Stuart founded Traveling the Spectrum, an organization that empowers autistic families to experience travel. Traveling the Spectrum recently filmed a six-part series that offers a glimpse into the lives of three families living with autism. The series showcases the families’ heartfelt journey toward understanding, acceptance, and the joy of making memories and discovering the world together. “This show is more than destination marketing. It’s a series about human nature. We need your help to get this series noticed. This is the beginning of a ripple effect that could change the way the world sees people with autism,” said Stuart.
Accessible Destinations Checklist
So how can destinations follow Stuart’s lead and provide experiences that are accessible and engaging for travelers with a variety of physical and mental needs? We’ve created a checklist to help destinations provide the accessible experiences travelers want.
- Start making your destination more accessible throughout your trip by ensuring wheelchair accessibility at your destination’s hotels, attractions, and activities, offering services like braille or subtitles for blind or hearing impaired travelers, and quiet zones for autistic travelers, so travelers don’t panic because they don’t have the resources they need.
- Change your data strategy: By adjusting your data strategy to better understand and target accessibility-conscious demographics, destinations can reach people planning trips who require specific types of experiences and give them the reassurance they need to book with confidence.
- Communicate your values: Do you offer special services, activities, or accommodations for travelers with physical or mental disabilities? Say so. Some groups may hesitate to travel if they’re unsure if a destination will safely accommodate them. Being upfront about the services you offer will reassure travelers and provide a smoother, safer experience.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to have a safe, accessible and inclusive travel experience. By shifting their strategies to ensure accessible travel, destinations can open up new opportunities to welcome new guests and, more importantly, give people around the world the opportunity to travel without fear or anxiety.
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