Inclusivity is Sustainability: How to Incorporate Meaningful Travel that is Beneficial and Accessible for All
I had the fortune of moderating a panel at the International Inbound Travel Association Summit in Memphis in February. The organization’s CEO & Executive Director Lisa Simon and I wanted to do something unique and impactful for attendees and the customers and communities that they serve. Upon reflection, I think we managed to do so.
The purpose of our program entitled, “Inclusivity is Sustainability: Building Meaningful Travel that Benefits All,” was to exemplify how sustainability can go beyond its “green” side to also encompass social and economic goals. With DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in much of our industry’s sight, we sought to bring truly meaningful voices to the stage and present a diverse visual for our audience. The panelists included:
Karin Aaron, Green Book Experience
Kristy Durso, Incredible Memories Travel/Spectrum of Accessibility
Sherry Rupert, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association
Roni Weiss, Travel Unity
(Left to right): Kristy Durso, Greg Takehara, Karin Aaron, Sherry Rupert and Roni Weiss.
Interestingly, the first thing our group did was put context around our plan and define the terminology we intended to use. We quickly agreed that all DEI references would be DEI&A, to be inclusive of accessibility. This reminded me of Tourism Cares’ own DEI journey, which started a few years back when we labeled our effort EBDI, to include belonging. I hope everyone on this journey takes the time to specifically define their focus and ensure their effort is reflective of their true intentions. It demonstrates intentionality and makes it your own.
Our panelists brought a wealth of experience to the stage. Many had decades of travel industry experience, and all reflected on challenges for their organizations and themselves personally. It is hard to extract just one lesson from each panelist but for me, the highlight was found in the blend of lessons learned from these individuals. Karin’s message was that cultural heritage should underlie each experience and be a common thread. Sherry and Roni explained how they unite parties in different ways; in Roni’s case, through formal education, and in Sherry’s case, by bringing her communities’ needs and considerations to light and giving them a voice within our industry.
Perhaps most striking were Kristy’s revelations on her present challenges navigating her wheelchair and service dog through the city of Memphis, the host hotel, and the convention center. It had us all thinking twice about things we take for granted. How often do we think about our own accessibility each day beyond getting a WiFi connection? Kristy’s lessons were real and discouraging in terms of the work that our industry needs to undertake to be truly welcoming and inclusive.
Kristy educated us that the United States remains less accessible than other parts of the world, such as Europe, which is incorrectly believed to be inaccessible due to its historic nature. It’s nice to have plants in a hotel lobby, but not when they block the elevator buttons for wheelchair users. We need to question how properly vetted so-called “accessible” rooms are. She gave us examples from the three rooms she had moved to and from during her stay. We faced these problems in real-time through Kristy’s eyes and voice and felt her frustration. In spite of it all, she remains “glass half full” with an offer to help our industry learn more and do better.
Our audience did not disappoint. They asked some tough questions and were not afraid of showing vulnerability. We believe this to be the true and best path to making progress and creating solutions. One audience member expressed her discomfort in not knowing the right words to use and the panelists all empathized and encouraged her to simply ask. A question can often be prefaced with a conditional statement of not knowing and wanting to learn. This becomes an excellent starting point for bridging differences.
My takeaway? We are in the business of creating meaningful experiences, ones that are uniquely positive and even life-changing. We know that we have a medium in travel that is truly transformative. I believe in our community’s ability to effectuate positive change and our panel reinforced that belief. It was rewarding to be part of this group and to help with everyone’s DEI&A journey with tangible tools and offerings. As shared earlier, a simple question goes a long way to creating a welcoming and inclusive travel industry. Please reach out to any of us and let’s get started!
#WhenTourismCares
