Adding Accessibility to DEI: Making Travel & Events Inclusive for All
10 July 2024
In the evolving landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), a new and crucial dimension is gaining attention: accessibility. As the travel industry continues to strive for inclusivity, adding the "A" to DEI underscores the importance of creating travel and event experiences that are accessible to all, including individuals with disabilities.
DMCs have an important role to play in this initiative. Travel and event accessibility goes far beyond providing wheelchair ramps or accessible restrooms. True accessibility efforts ensure that every aspect of the experience is inclusive, from registration systems and accommodations to transportation and activity options. By prioritizing accessibility, DMCs can create meaningful experiences for a broader audience, enhancing customer satisfaction and bringing repeat guests who feel cared for at every step.
The Importance of Adding Accessibility to DEI
Those of us in the travel and event industry want everyone to be able to enjoy the benefits of experiencing new places, being immersed in new cultures, and finding fun, education, inspiration, motivation, and relaxation all at once. In order to achieve this goal, we must be aware of the prevalence of disability so that we can learn how to accommodate everyone.
According to the World Health Organization. an estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population or 1 in 6 of us. In the EU and US, that percentage rises to 24%, and 27% respectively. This means that as many as 1 in every 4 people you encounter could be facing a disability, even if it’s not known to you. Not all disabilities are visible, but everyone with a disability deserves to enjoy travel and events without added difficulty.
Many countries have passed laws and regulations that help to achieve widespread accessibility, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the European Accessibility Act. DMCs should become familiar with the laws in their area that mandate accessibility in public spaces. They can serve as important guidebooks for planning trips, events, and conferences.
3 Practical Ways to Facilitate Inclusive Travel
Many people with disabilities deal with inaccessible accommodations, transportation, and attractions when they travel, which diminishes their ability to enjoy the experience. DMCs can create a better environment for everyone by addressing accessibility in these three major aspects.
1. Ask your guests what they need.
In the beginning stages of planning a trip or event, make sure to ask the client or event organizer if there are any special accommodations you should prioritize in your planning. For example, your trip might require activities that are wheelchair accessible, or you might need to provide a sign language interpreter or closed captioning for a deaf attendee. Once guests arrive, be sure to have a help desk or point of contact for anyone who needs additional assistance.
2. Choose venues and attractions that promote accessibility.
You can mitigate countless potential issues by partnering with trusted venues, hotels, transportation companies, and attractions. When you trust your trip partners to follow local regulations — and even to go beyond the rules to ensure that every participant is able to enjoy the trip — you can rest assured that DEIA is a priority, even when you aren’t present for every moment or detail.
3. Consider all three types of accessibility.
True accessibility encompasses three categories: physical access, sensory access, and communication access. Physical accessibility helps individuals who use wheelchairs, canes, or other assistive devices, as well as those who need handrails and elevators to access certain spaces. Sensory accessibility considers the needs of individuals with sight impairments, hearing loss, or neurodivergence. Communication accessibility is essential for those with vision and hearing impairments — but it’s also important when traveling to locales with a different native language than your own.
The Future of Inclusion in the Travel Industry
As the travel industry continues to innovate and evolve, DMCs must be at the forefront of championing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). ADMEI believes strongly in these values, and our member DMCs are always striving to improve DEIA efforts for all.
When it comes to creating excellent travel andevent experiences for all, Destination Philly AC, a DMC Network Member, truly shines — which is why they were 2024’s ADMEI Award Winner for Best DEI Initiative.
Their client, an association that serves disabled veterans, selected Atlantic City for their 2023 convention location, an event that, for many attendees, is the only time they travel each year. Destination Philly AC ensured every guest was cared for from start to finish. From a dedicated registration phone line for those who didn’t feel comfortable navigating online registration to barrier-free transportation services for more than 600 guests, Destination Philly AC created an inclusive environment for all attendees demonstrating that a day at the beach can be easily and readily accessible to all.
In the award submission, Larry Huttinger, DMCP, CMP, Destination Philly AC’s owner shared, “We saw plenty of bright smiles and no ruffled feathers (literally, in the case of one attendee’s support bird!) throughout the program. Our team was proud of the inclusive environment we created and enjoyed this opportunity to continue growing our own accessible transportation knowledge. We provided our client with a successful transfer blueprint they can also now use for future events, widening the destinations they can consider.”
In the award submission, Larry Huttinger, DMCP, CMP, Destination Philly AC’s owner shared, “We saw plenty of bright smiles and no ruffled feathers (literally, in the case of one attendee’s support bird!) throughout the program. Our team was proud of the inclusive environment we created and enjoyed this opportunity to continue growing our own accessible transportation knowledge. We provided our client with a successful transfer blueprint they can also now use for future events, widening the destinations they can consider.”
The Future of Accessibility
The definition of accessibility is “the quality of being easy to approach, reach, enter, speak with, use, or understand.” The ADA was only passed in 1990 in the United States, and the EAA was enacted in 2019. The world has taken recent steps toward accessibility in travel and everyday life alike, but there is still more to do.
DMCs can be at the forefront of this mission, advocating for better and more widespread accessibility as they design trips and events in the future. By championing accessibility, DMCs can ensure that gathering together for retreats, conferences, and getaways is truly possible for everyone.