Wheel the World, a travel company, is all set to enhance travel accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The company has introduced its new Destination Verified program.
This initiative aims to expedite accessibility within destinations and promote them to individuals with disabilities. The program focuses on increasing awareness and delivering comprehensive destination-specific accessibility information. Camilo Navarro, COO and Co-Founder of Wheel the World, envisions this program as valuable for everyone, including airports and theme parks.
Navarro highlighted the issues that Destination Verified addresses, including the lack of accessible information, booking solutions, and understanding of various disabilities by destinations. The program seeks to overcome these challenges, enabling destinations to effectively target and attract individuals with disabilities.
The process begins with an accessibility audit, where Wheel the World's trained Mappers assess accommodations, tours, restaurants, and attractions at a destination. They evaluate over 200 data points related to accessibility for individuals with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities. For instance, in hotels, Mappers assess accessible entrances and measure features like bed height in accessible rooms. The destination marketing organization (DMO) then receives a comprehensive report with suggestions for enhancing accessibility, providing an opportunity for improvement.