TBEX 2016 North America; Accessing Your Destination, Cory Lee & Kay Maghan

Accessing Your Destination:Marketing to Travelers

with Special Needs

Which of these people had a disability?

https://youtu.be/n6UeFj6ceR8

1 billion people have a disability

15% of the world’s

population

IN THE USA

Not disabledDisabled

What does "accessible"

mean?

How do disabled people travel?

- They seek comfort

- The majority drive or cruise, but many fly as

well.

People with disabilities

spend about 4 billion per year on air

travel

How can destinations be

more accommodating?

Be specific!

Work with hotels to provide

accessible rooms with roll-in

showers and even hoists.

If you're a beach destination, have

beach wheelchairs and ramps to the

sand.

What to think about for your property or destination

- Talk to disabled travelers – bloggers

and writers

- Do more than the minimum that is legally required

32 miles of sugar-white sand beaches lead to the turquoise waters located in the southern-most tip of Alabama along the Gulf of Mexico

Accessible areas in Gulf Shores & Orange

Beach

Attractions

Beaches

City facilities

Nature

What I have learned - When you don’t have a family member or friend who is disabled,

travel needs for this demographic are not on your radar

- Not just wheelchair … Slow walkers (elderly, stroke victims, etc.)

- Saying your property is “handicap accessible” because you have wide doorways and a handrail in the tubs in the bathroom is NOT

acceptable

Accessible needs to = Able to enjoy like all other guests

Where Gulf Shores & Orange Beach can

improve accessibility

Our lodging mix

- 85% vacation rentals (condos and beach houses)

- Very few have units that are truly “accessible” with roll-in showers

- Adding national hotel chains

- More properties with a pool lift

Lodging

- “Hard” paths

for the elderly

and slow

mobility

Beach Access

Why become accessible?

Adults with disabilities spend 13.6 billion on travel every year.

About 25% of today's 20 year olds will become disabled before they

retire.

People travel to make memories…

People with disabilities

deserve those memories, too.