by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 2:25 PM ET, Fri December 29, 2023
Wheel the World, the travel company dedicated to making travel more accessible for travelers of any disability, recently launched its new Destination Verified program as a way to accelerate accessibility within destinations themselves and promote these destinations to those with disabilities.
What Is Destination Verified?
The Destination Verified program is the next step toward accelerating accessibility for travelers across the globe. While its focus is on increasing awareness about and providing detailed, helpful destination-specific accessibility information for travelers who need it the most, it’s a program that Wheel the World’s COO and Co-Founder, Camilo Navarro, believes should be utilized by everyone — including airports and theme parks.
“The specific problem that Destination Verified is solving is that most destinations don’t have their accessibility information out there: it’s not available or it’s not accurate…” said Navarro in an interview with TravelPulse. “Secondly, even if they have that information, they don’t have the booking solutions, a simple way for people with disabilities to book travel services. Thirdly, [destinations] don’t have enough training and understanding about the different types of disabilities, what are the dos and don’ts, what’s the difference between a cognitive disability and a mobility-related one, a sensorial one.”
“Finally, the combination of these three problems: the lack of information, the lack of booking solutions and the lack of training makes destinations unable to target that specific audience, to attract people with disabilities to visit them. Destination Verified was born to tackle that specific problem.”
Camilo Navarro and Alvaro Silberstein, Founders of Wheel the World in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile (photo via Wheel the World) ((photo via Wheel the World))
Destination Verified begins with a destination’s accessibility audit, in which Wheel the World’s trained Mappers assess a location’s accommodations, tours, restaurants and attractions with over 200 data points marking how accessible they are according to those with physical, cognitive and sensorial disabilities.
For example, when Mappers enter a hotel, they mark and measure any accessible entrances and measure the height of the beds in accessible rooms, among many other things.
The destination marketing organization (DMO) then receives a detailed report with recommendations on how to improve certain aspects of the destination’s accessibility and is encouraged, though not required, to improve them.
Destinations that have received the Destination Verified seal also receive a dedicated page on Wheel the World’s website, complete with all the accessible experiences they offer, available to view and book by people with disabilities and their travel companions.
Travelers who make a Wheel the World account can also input their accessibility needs in their private profile, which is used to filter accommodations and experiences that are accessible just for them.
DMOs and their partners (such as local tour operators) also receive access to the Wheel the World Academy, a training and certification program that improves knowledge on accessible tourism.
In October, Visit Mesa in Arizona became the first city to receive the Destination Verified Seal. Others have followed, including Visit Colorado Springs, Travel Oregon and Visit Lexington, Kentucky.
A couple waits for an accessible bus in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo Credit: Wheel the World)
Mesa, whose motto is “Live Life Limitless,” has made some incredible partnerships and progress towards enhancing the city’s accessibility — and the partnership with Wheel the World should help grow the confidence of travelers with disabilities heading there.
Other partnerships include Aria, Able Vu, Threshold 360, the Hidden Disability Sunflower Program and the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Standards (IBCCES) for its autism certification — all of which are designed to help travelers with disabilities enjoy Mesa.
“Wheel the World is setting a new standard for accessible travel, and are taking a 360-degree approach by not only assessing the physical space but are also elevating the standard of service through their training,” said Alison Brooks, Vice President, Destination Experience and Advocacy, Visit Mesa.
“Partnering with Wheel the World as a Verified Destination was a ‘no brainer’ as we strongly feel that for a great visit, both things must be considered,” continued Brooks. “We wanted our visitors to know that they can trust they will have a positive experience as being a Verified Destination will hopefully remove as many barriers as possible, allowing for the visitor to enjoy all of City Limitless.”
Why Does Destination Verified Matter?
“We are convinced that the world is going to be one hundred percent accessible in the future,” said Navarro. “The reason behind that is because we think that people with disabilities are the largest minority on Earth. There’s no other minority larger than people with disabilities. Sooner or later, every one of us will be part of it as a consequence of aging. So when you look through that perspective, what made us create Destination Verified was that we wanted to accelerate that path. We created the seal of approval with the inspiration of how we can allow more people with disabilities to travel to more destinations in a more confident way.”
Travelers with disabilities take over 40 million annual trips and generate $23 billion annually. This could become a much larger number if there’s accurate and specific accessibility information widely available, as 8 in 10 Americans with a disability reported negative travel experiences due to a lack of information and specialized services.
Accessibility is also becoming top-of-mind for destinations around the world as they consider how to build back their tourism economies in a more sustainable way. The United Kingdom’s official post-pandemic tourism recovery plan aims to make itself the most accessible country in Europe by 2025.
“Because the world is going to become accessible no matter what, those who take action first are going to have an advantage over those who don’t take action first, because there’s a business proposition behind it…” said Navarro. “They're not only going to be able to serve the ones who are already traveling but imagine those who are going to start traveling more because there’s more accessibility and inclusive services in place.”
Destination Verified destinations not only provide better services and experiences for travelers with disabilities but they also enhance accessibility and overall quality of life for the people who live there. In short, it’s better for everyone.
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