New accessibility guidelines boon for people with disabilities

The U.S. government’s new accessibility guidelines, to be implemented in March, marks when hotels, airlines, attractions and entertainment venues must increase accessibility to make travelling easier for people with disabilities.

The new guidelines would also allow these companies to penetrate a virtually untapped new market segment in the global accessible and inclusive tourism industry that is worth US$13.6 billion, said TravelinWheels, a U.S. based company that arms travellers with disabilities with the information they need to travel the globe more efficiently and easily.

Under the new guidelines places of lodging must:

• Allow individuals with disabilities to make reservations for accessible guestrooms during the same hours, and in the same manner as other guests

• Identify and describe accessible features in enough detail to reasonably permit individuals with disabilities to independently assess whether a given place meets his/her accessibility needs

• Ensure reserved accessible guest rooms are actually available for disabled guests upon arrival

“According to the 2010 U.S. Census, more than 12% of the population over age five consists of non-institutionalised people with disabilities, including more than 14 million with hearing and sight issues, and more than 19 million with mobility issues,” said Michell Haase, founder of TravelinWheels.

The 12% of the population is virtually untapped by the tourism industry.

“The new laws being put into place will help make accessible tourism not just about the physical accommodations of a venue, but a mindset providing a positive travel experience for all, regardless of their disability,” added Haase.