Program Summary
The Accessible Travel Program, a pilot program in partnership with Wheel The World, aims to amplify accessible spaces in destinations across Colorado. This innovative program aligns with the CTO Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan, demonstrating Colorado’s commitment to providing welcoming, inclusive and accessible experiences for everyone.
Wheel The World is an accessible travel booking platform that provides detailed, verified accessibility information with a user-friendly experience focused on accessibility. Through their Destination Verified program, Wheel the World helps destinations assess, improve, and promote their accessibility to reach the market of travelers with disabilities and their companions.
Register here to join an informational webinar on August 27, 2024 to learn more about the program.
Program outcomes include:
- Wheel The World on-site assessments and reports for selected sites
- Online course to train hospitality professionals about accessible travel
- Booking solution at wheeltheworld.com for all verified sites
- Accessible travel core team
- Recommendations on continued work once the program is complete
Up to three destination organizations will be selected to participate. Selected destinations will be paired with a tourism consultant that will serve as their lead point of contact throughout the duration of the program. Program elements include:
- Education and stakeholder engagement
- Core team meetings with key stakeholders to ensure program goals and outcomes
- Informational webinar for all interested stakeholders
- Free online access to Wheel The World’s e-Learning Accessibility training platform
- Wheel The World site assessments
- Up to 23 site assessments (accommodations and/or attractions) in the destination that includes pictures, measurements, and data for an accessibility map according to Wheel The World standards
- Each assessed site will receive a report that includes accessibility status and recommended improvements
- Marketing and promotion
- Free listing on Wheel The World for all Wheel The World Verified sites
- Consultant support to develop marketing assets for Wheel The World Verified sites
- Final program summary report and recommended next steps
Overview
| August 27, 2024 | Applications open |
| October 10, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. MDT | Applications close |
| October 24, 2024 | Award notifications |
| November 2024 | Program kick-off |
| June 2025 | Program ends |
Eligible Colorado destination organizations include:
- Recipients of jurisdictional lodging taxes, such as:
- Destination marketing organizations
- Lodging tax boards, committees, or panels
- Other tourism leadership organizations that are responsible for developing, promoting, and managing tourism on behalf of a destination that does not have a lodging tax, such as:
- Chambers of commerce or chamber resort associations
- Government entities in Colorado (federally recognized tribes and local governments) engaged in tourism development, promotion, and management
- Applicant lead will act as the community champion and expect to commit to at least 50 hours of work throughout the duration of the program
- Coordinating core team meetings
- Communicating program opportunities and results to stakeholders
- Marketing program results on the destination’s website
- Community champion will develop a core team of stakeholders that will provide input and support to ensure program success
- Core team members will be responsible for meeting virtually three times throughout the duration of the program
- Only one application can be submitted for an individual destination
- Multiple organizations within a single destination should collaborate on a single program application
- Participation in previous Colorado Tourism Office programming does not impact eligibility or competitiveness
- Existing community partnerships with local disability inclusion organizations
Interested applicants are required to submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) and complete a call with the Colorado Tourism Office before applying to ensure the program is best suited for your destination.
Once the LOI process is complete, the CTO will provide an application link.
A panel of industry partners and representatives from both Colorado Tourism Office and Wheel The World reviews applications and recommends awards based on demonstrated need, capacity to participate, and demonstrated support from appropriate governing bodies. A representative from the Colorado Tourism Office will respond to your application within one month of the application deadline.
Program Manager
