The Opportunity to Increase Accessibility within the Tourism Industry

As we turn towards the warmer months of the year, tourism will be at its peak within the Northeast. While travelers take time out of their busy lives to plan a summer vacation, it becomes even more time consuming when tourists need to factor in special needs such as making accommodations for a family member on the Autism spectrum. There is a growing need within the tourism industry to focus on accessibility, as according to the World Health Organization, 16% of the population currently experience significant disability.

Accessible tourism is defined as making tourism destinations more accessible to all populations. Accessible tourism attracts people from all backgrounds, ages and abilities to participate in and enjoy a range of tourism activities. This growing focus area within the tourism industry improves human rights and positions a new business opportunity for destinations to embrace all visitors while also growing their tourism revenue.

Our Director of Sales, Ed Seiders, recently attended an industry event where Meredith Tekin of IBCCES spoke to the growing area of opportunity within the tourism industry. Ed reflected on his experience at the event, “For so many people, the thought of traveling is a daunting one because they don't know if there are accommodations for them based upon their abilities. The thought of an accessible bathroom or sensory-friendly experience is the first thing some tourists think about when and deciding if a destination is worth booking. While many destinations have worked over the last several years to be more inclusive of different types of businesses, offerings and travelers - accessibility has been a little bit slower to be implemented in campaigns and offerings.”

The 20/20 Visual Media team has been able to partner with several local Destination Management Operations and Chambers of Commerce to push for more accessible options for their visitors. The team will continue to look for ways to partner with trusted professionals and connections to help increase visibility for opportunities of accessibility within the tourism industry.

Videos are essential in connecting audiences with emerging topics within the tourism industry. Leave a lasting impression with a new tourist by showing them what to expect when traveling to your destination. We are a full-service video marketing agency and would love to help you craft your message to the tourism market.