The Palm Beaches

Discover the Palm Beaches: Elevating Accessibility Through Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Representation

Social Impact Framework: Accessibility

What was the issue you were trying to solve?

The Palm Beaches have long been committed to welcoming visitors of all abilities. As accessibility continues to become an important consideration in travel planning, we recognized an opportunity to better showcase the accessible experiences available throughout our destination to help travelers plan with confidence.  

Through our partnership with Wheel the World, we sought to elevate authentic stories that demonstrate what accessible travel looks like in The Palm Beaches. Together, we identified an opportunity to highlight the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community through first-person storytelling that would both inspire travelers and provide meaningful representation.

By combining authentic traveler experiences with verified accessibility information, we aimed to help visitors better understand the accessibility resources available across The Palm Beaches while reinforcing our commitment to creating a welcoming, barrier-free destination for everyone.

What were the stated objectives of your initiative?  

The Palm Beaches partnered with Wheel the World to create a strategic accessibility campaign that would bring our commitment to inclusive travel to life through authentic storytelling. A key objective was to highlight authentic, first-person experiences from Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing travelers that demonstrate the joy, independence and confidence that accessible travel can provide.  

Through this work, we also aimed to strengthen The Palm Beaches' position as a leader in accessible tourism through trusted partnerships and community collaboration, while increasing awareness of verified accessibility resources available across hotels, attractions, restaurants and outdoor experiences throughout the destination.  

The centerpiece of this effort was the launch of Deaf Travelers Experience The Palm Beaches, a documentary-style video featuring Deaf content creator and advocate Renca Dunn (@reallyrenca). The project captured authentic reactions and real moments across the destination, highlighting our collection of tourism experiences including beaches, outdoors, arts and culture, and culinary offerings at popular locations such as The Ben, Jupiter Lighthouse, Benny’s On The Beach, The Norton Museum of Art and PopStroke. 

What were the specific metrics you used to measure the success of your efforts?

Accessibility is not a single project, but an ongoing commitment to ensure everyone can experience a destination with confidence, so we wanted to ensure our metrics went beyond one campaign. We measured success through both campaign engagement and broader destination impact. We tracked video views, audience reach, newsletter engagement and referrals to our Wheel the World accessibility portal, where more than 80 hotels, attractions and restaurants have been mapped and verified across the destination.

Beyond campaign performance, we also monitor awareness, desire to visit, intent to visit, visitation data, length of stay and economic impact among travelers with accessibility needs. These measures help us understand how our accessibility efforts influence travel planning and visitation to The Palm Beaches over time. 

What were the specific outcomes and results of your efforts?

The video received 172,000 views and 129,000 Google Ad views. It gained a total paid reach of 257,000 and received 5,800 newsletter-based opens. In addition, the Wheel the World portal drove 25 vacations with an average length of stay of 4.14 nights, and an economic impact of $68,806.  

Perhaps most encouraging was the response from the community itself. The Wheel the World team said that “Deaf Travelers Experience The Palm Beaches” on YouTube is by far the top Deaf-travel video they’ve produced for any destination. The video also received significant engagement on social media directly from Deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers and community members sharing their experiences in The Palm Beaches.  

Feedback from local Deaf/HOH community:

"This is our hometown too and my son (HoH) LOVES loggerhead! Glad you enjoyed yourselves!" — local HoH family, validating the experience from inside.

What other best practices or key lessons can you share?

Accessibility requires continuous collaboration. Success depends on partnerships across the hospitality community, local government, attractions and accessibility advocates who share a commitment to creating welcoming experiences for all visitors.  

Here in The Palm Beaches, accessibility reflects our culture of genuine hospitality. Our partnership with Wheel the World has helped travelers find verified details such as accessible rooms, pathways to mobility, and sensory and hearing-friendly features directly on www.ThePalmBeaches.com.  

Additionally, accessibility for all is essential and not optional. One in four adults in the U.S. lives with a disability, and millions of travelers worldwide benefit from thoughtful planning and inclusive design.

When we remove barriers, we create a more welcoming experience, not just for visitors but for residents, families, seniors and anyone who needs support. Inclusive travel ensures everyone can enjoy the sunshine, our 47 miles of beaches, cultural attractions, and more than 100 parks that make our destination special.

Through ongoing education, training and accessibility enhancements, we continue to build a destination where everyone can fully enjoy everything The Palm Beaches have to offer. Our goal is continuous improvement and commitment.