Making Accessible Travel & Tourism a Reality in Georgia

A new frontier in the quest for social inclusion for persons with disabilities is the dynamic travel and tourism market, and Georgia is uniquely positioned to be a leader in accessibility in this world industry.  “It’s time for every person regardless of age and ability to be able to travel and enjoy themselves when and where they want without obstacles and there is good reason it can happen right here in Georgia, where tourism is the state’s number two revenue generator,” said Tom Seegmueller Chair of the Georgia Council On Developmental Disabilities (GCDD).

Whether for business or pleasure, travel should not be an obstacle. This is why national, state and local industry experts will gather at the 9th Annual Making A Difference Discovery Day Executive Briefing—Making Accessibility A Reality In Georgia, Wednesday, December 16, 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM at the Renaissance Concourse Hotel Atlanta Airport, One Hartsfield Centre Parkway, presented by GCDD in collaboration with G3ict, The Global Initiative for Inclusive Information Communication Technologies, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (HJAIA) and the aforementioned Renaissance Hotel.

Georgia’s key business, government and non-profit decision-makers will learn about community perspectives, industry best practices and prospects for economic development.  G3ict-GAAT (Georgia Alliance for Accessible Technologies) co-chairs Bill Curtis-Davidson of IBM Worldwide Human Ability and Accessibility Center and Arthur Murphy of Aeolian Solutions will make news with the release of the organization’s inaugural concept paper, “Georgia Inclusive Travel & Tourism.”

The GAAT working group’s vision is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ guidance.  “It adopts a broad categorization of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Chicago-based Open Doors Organization (ODO) founder and executive director, Eric Lipp will deliver the keynote address. Lipp established ODO in 2000 with a mission of making all consumer goods and services accessible for people with disabilities. ODO conducts corporate educational programs in travel, hospitality and entertainment industries, with the goal of creating awareness and, more importantly, facilitating change.

“Travelers with disabilities face barriers all the time – physical barriers like cramped seating areas and long distances between gates at airports; service-related obstacles such as a lack of accessible accommodations at hotels and restaurants, communication-related impediments such as announcements that are difficult to hear at airports, and airline, airport, hotel, and restaurant personnel who lack adequate customer service training.  Travelers with disabilities also experience inaccessible exhibit content and communication technologies,” Eric Jacobson, GCDD Executive Director said.  “Discovery Day is an information-packed experience that will expose executives to the win-win benefits of creating a culture of inclusion.”

Jacobson will be one of  a steady stream of Discovery Day speakers.  John D. Kemp, Executive Director and General Counsel of the US Business Leadership Network, Commissioner Kenneth Steward of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Robert Kennedy, Assistant General Manager of HJAIA, Axel Leblois, Executive Director of G3ict and Delta Air Lines Director of Office of Disability and Outreach Programs. David Martin will be among the headliners.

Georgia has an opportunity to be a leader in disability advocacy by focusing on state of the art accessibility in travel and tourism.  According to the Open Door Organization Harris Polling Market Study on Travelers with Disabilities, 11 out of 54 million persons with disabilities, in the U.S., travel each year spending $13.6 Billion.  And, 38 % of travelers with disabilities say they have traveled to Atlanta, making it the 8th-ranked destination city in the country.  HJAIA is the world’s busiest airport and traveling parties that include persons with disabilities go where they remember they received accessible services to spend their money.

Richard Warner, Host of GPB-TV Georgia’s Business and CEO of What’s Up Interactive will guide the half-day seminar to help pave the way toward accessible travel in Georgia.

Other presentations include:  Aeolian Solutions, LLC; Center for the Visually Impaired (CVI); Delta Airlines; G3ict, The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (UN); Georgia Council On Developmental Disabilities (GCDD); Georgia Department of Economic Development; Georgia Institute of Technology; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; IBM Research; InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG); Shepherd Center; USBLN-US Business Leadership Network.

Additional 2009 Discovery Day partners are AIRSERV; Delta Airlines and IBM

GCDD is a Federally-funded state agency that promotes independence, inclusion, integration, self-determination and productivity for Georgians with developmental disabilities so they can live, learn, work, play and worship where and how they choose.  A Developmental Disability is a chronic mental and/or physical disability that occurs before age 22 and is expected to last a lifetime.  It may require supports in three or more of the following life activities: self- care, language, learning, mobility, self-direction, independent living and economic self-sufficiency.