Opening Doors in Lansing: Inside Their Journey to Accessible Travel for All
Choose Lansing is dedicated to creating a welcoming and accessible experience for all visitors, including individuals with disabilities and sensory sensitivities. The organization has been at the forefront of accessibility, spearheading an extensive array of programs, initiatives, and resources to enrich the travel experience for all visitors.
Observed each year on May 15, Global Accessibility Awareness Day serves as an occasion for reflection, recognition, and celebration. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the experiences of individuals with disabilities and advocating for a more accessible environment. Every year, several activities are organized to promote accessibility and engage stakeholders in taking measures to make the destination a welcoming place for all. According to the World Health Organization, one in six people across the globe lives with a form of disability, representing 16% of the world’s population. This translates to over 66 million Americans, 10.5 million Canadians, and more than 120 million residents across the European Union.
Thus, this represents an unparalleled opportunity for destination organizations to ensure that travel is accessible to all visitors. The Accessibility Playbook, developed by Travel Ability and Destinations International, highlights the undeniable truth that demand for accessible travel is growing and provides destination organizations with a roadmap to create an environment where all travelers can explore and experience the world around them without barriers. In the playbook, four types of disabilities are identified: vision, auditory, mobility, and neurocognitive. Research from the Muma College of Business indicates that disabled travelers represent an estimated $58 billion in untapped revenue, providing the business case for accessible tourism. According to their research, early adopters of accessible travel have seen a 12% year-over-year increase in economic returns.
Recently, Choose Lansing was recognized as the second most accessible destination among the top ten in the United States by Accessible Journey’s Magazine. In addition, the magazine identified Lansing as a top autism friendly destination in the US. Choose Lansing, the destination organization for Lansing, Michigan, has prided itself on being a welcoming community that provides exceptional experiences to all visitors regardless of their background, status, or abilities. A recent Longwoods International 2023 Visit Profile Study indicated that the Lansing region indexed 19% higher in accessibility than the national average, 24% higher than the Michigan average, and 32% higher than the state, excluding the Capital region. Lansing has positioned itself as a leader in accessible tourism and welcoming travelers of all backgrounds through the lens of compassion, kindness, and awareness.
Accessibility in Lansing
Lansing offers a diverse range of accessible activities, attractions, and events, including sensory-friendly attractions, ADA-compliant accommodations, accessible transportation, restaurants with parking accessibility, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Further, mobile-friendly buildings, sensory-inclusive kits, lower check-in desks, and automatic main entrance doors help travelers have a safe and accessible experience in Lansing. Choose Lansing has provided travelers with the Accessible Travel Guide in Lansing, allowing visitors to choose the experience that best suits their needs. Several accessible attractions listed in the guide are available for visitors, including the Breslin Student Events Center, Fenner Nature Center, Abrams Planetarium, and the Impression 5 Science Center.
Recently, Lansing became the first city to be certified in the newly launched AbleVu Accessible Cities Program. Created by local business owner Meegan Winters, the program is designed to provide visitors with a virtual walk-through of the inside of public spaces in Lansing. AbleVu allows visitors of all abilities to explore Lansing before their visit, alleviating anxiety and stress when traveling. Organizations interested in replicating this program are encouraged to engage with local stakeholders such as restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues, and academic institutions to discuss the logistics of developing a similar initiative within their own community. Leading accessibility experts can help destinations broaden their market reach by creating inclusive experiences that ensure travelers of all backgrounds feel valued, and able to fully engage.
Choose Lansing has provided additional resources for visitors, including on-site professionals specializing in travelers with special needs, including Certified Autism Travel Professionals who can assist with specific questions about travel to Lansing. For individuals unable to visit the destination in person, Choose Lansing has compiled a list of attractions designed to provide the visitor with endless inspiration, lifelong learning, and education for their virtual vacation dreams. Several attractions provide visitors with virtual piano lessons, soothing nature sounds, virtual tours of the state’s supreme court, digital access to local libraries, and virtual viewing opportunities at local art museums.
Sensory Inclusive Activities
Beyond its recognition as a welcoming and inclusive community, Choose Lansing has set the ambitious goal of being the most sensory-inclusive city in Michigan. The organization has partnered with regional attractions to provide a supportive and welcoming environment for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental disabilities, sensory processing disorder, and neurodiverse individuals and their families. Over a thousand staff have been trained at Lansing’s accommodations, attractions, and restaurants to accommodate these travelers. In addition, facility-friendly venues are available and can facilitate sensory-inclusive performances, activities, and events. For more specific information, it is recommended that visitors contact the facilities directly for more details on their offerings.
Visitors can choose from an array of sensory events once on site, including Sensory Friendly Jump at Launch Lansing, Art Ability Crafts for Adults, and the Sensory Friendly Spartan Concert at MSU Community Music School. For sensory-friendly attractions, visitors have a range of options, including the Impression 5 Science Center, Play Michigan All Inclusive Playground, and the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts. Moreover, Potter Park Zoo is the first zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in Michigan to become a certified sensory-inclusive zoo and provide visitors with a braille map. Within the zoo, the sensory-friendly program Falconers is designed to give those with unique challenges an enriching experience in a safe, welcoming, and sensory-friendly environment. For visitors who want to see Lansing facilities before arrival, visit the following page for more information.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day allows destinations to showcase their unique offerings to potential visitors, both virtually and in person. Certifications, including Certified Autism Center, ADA site compliance, Hidden Disabilities sunflower program, and Assistive Listening, are available for destinations as they become more inclusive to all travelers. Destinations looking for a roadmap to start their accessibility journey should consider the Accessibility Playbook.
Lansing’s distinction as one of the most accessible destinations in the United States provides a blueprint for destinations to create safe, friendly, and inclusive environments that provide enriching experiences for visitors that last for generations.
Stephanie is a Johnson & Wales University graduate with a Master’s in Global Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development. She interned with Solimar International, aiding Destination Marketing Organizations in the Samtskhe–Javakheti region of Georgia and Sisian in Armenia with Tourism Development strategies. She authored a Tourism Research Proposal on promoting sustainability to consumers for lasting impact. With her background in Tourism Development, Stephanie is well-prepared to help destinations innovate for the future.