Working with Wheel the World (WTW), Travel Oregon has become
the first US state to earn ‘Accessibility Verified’ status.
The milestone follows a coordinated effort to evaluate,
promote and improve the accessibility of tourism businesses across all seven of
Oregon’s tourism regions, from hotels and outdoor adventure experiences to
cultural attractions and culinary experiences – the first state to offer visitors
with disabilities and/or mobility challenges the opportunity to plan travel
itineraries through an online resource.
WTW assessed more than 750 hotels, restaurants and tourism
businesses in 43 communities across the state and all Travel Oregon Welcome
Centers, evaluating mobility, visual, hearing, and cognitive features to ensure
travelers with diverse needs can plan with confidence.
Through WTW’s Accessibility Verified program, accessibility
features of local hotels, experiences and attractions are made available on
Travel Oregon and Wheel the World’s websites, providing access to detailed,
reliable information in trip planning for travelers with disabilities.
“Earning the distinction of being the first Accessibility
Verified state reflects Oregon’s deep and ongoing commitment to welcoming all
travelers,” said Kevin Wright, VP of Brand Stewardship at Travel Oregon.
“Through this designation, we’re building a tourism landscape where inclusion
is meaningful and central to the visitor experience.”
Travel Oregon and Wheel the World also partnered with
accessibility advocate Kaylee Bays, and the first wheelchair user to compete on
So You Think You Can Dance. Kaylee shares her journey on Instagram, helping
inspire a wide audience with her experiences. She explored Oregon’s accessible
offerings firsthand, experiencing the dramatic landscapes of Smith Rock and
kayaking surrounded by stunning mountains on Hosmer Lake in Central Oregon.
“I used to assume nature wasn’t something I could really be
part of. Oregon showed me that I was wrong,” said Kaylee, who has Ehlers-Danlos
Syndrome (EDS), a degenerative condition she was diagnosed with at age 21. “It
opened a whole new world for me. Kayaking and experiencing places like Smith
Rock showed me that people are taking real steps to make outdoor adventures
inclusive and accessible.”
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