SOU receives grant to develop accessible tourism

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has received an $89,745 grant from Travel Oregon to develop an accessibility training program for tourism business leaders, with the goal of ensuring that all visitors to the state – including those with disabilities – feel valued and welcome. The initiative is further supported by a $5,000 grant from the SOU Institute for Applied Sustainability Innovation Fund.

The work planned under the new grants will build upon a smaller Travel Oregon-funded project last year that evaluated the accessibility of tourism in Oregon. This year’s project – which will include hosting 12 training workshops across the state of Oregon – aims to create a statewide network of “Accessible Tourism Ambassadors” made up of visitor industry professionals.

“This work is intended to address the lack of training, which is one of the main barriers identified during last year’s accessible tourism research,” said SOU associate professor of business Pavlina McGrady, who is leading the project along with assistant professor of business Rebecca Williams.

“Our goal is to share tools and best practices so that tourism professionals feel empowered to create welcoming, inclusive and accessible experiences where every guest – visitor or community member – feels included and appreciated,” McGrady said.

Last year’s project, which was funded by a $44,270 Travel Oregon grant and another match of $5,000 from the SOU Institute for Applied Sustainability, found funding challenges, a lack of accessibility information and training, gaps in access to products and services, and uneven hospitality for those with disabilities. It determined that existing training often focused too narrowly on specific disabilities, leaving broader needs unmet – but also that many in the tourism industry were eager to learn, and recognized the need for comprehensive training.

That work included audits and surveys of 30 tourism businesses, seven focus groups, and stakeholder meetings in the five counties of the southern Oregon region. The 75-plus tourism professionals who provided input formed the basis for an “Accessible Tourism Network,” and for the accessibility training program that will be the focus of this year’s project.

The training modules that will be developed are expected to include universal design principles, inclusive strategies for customer service and communication, tools such as web accessibility and sensory-friendly experiences, strategic marketing, practical steps and best practices. The focus will be on flexibility, inclusion rather than segregation, and providing information across various formats.

The SOU grant is for one of 65 projects funded throughout the state this year with $6.2 million in Travel Oregon’s Competitive Grants Program, which is intended to increase access and inclusion for historically – and currently – underserved or under-resourced communities. Grant recipients include local governments, port districts, federally recognized Tribes and non-profit entities, and funded projects range from adaptive trails and inclusive outdoor activities to cultural heritage programming and experiences.

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