Autism has become a flashpoint in the media, but families with members on the spectrum will be happy to know there are destinations, accommodations and even airlines that are doing their part to make travel more accessible.
“All-Inclusive” Includes Autism
Beaches Resorts was the first resort company worldwide to receive International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) certification and it offers comprehensive autism-friendly programs across its Jamaica and Turks & Caicos properties.
Currently, 80 percent of the staff have completed the Autism Sensitivity Awareness course. The resort’s Special Services Team helps clients during vacation planning through a dedicated toll-free line, allowing them to customize accommodations and minimize sensory triggers.
Your clients will appreciate the complimentary autism-friendly kids camps, staffed by professionals with over 40 hours of specialized training. The resorts also offer sensory guides that rate public areas on a 1-10 scale and provide one-on-one Beaches Buddies, certified by IBCCES, for personalized assistance.
Look for Sesame Street’s Julia, a 4-year-old character with autism, who celebrates her 10th anniversary this year with interactive art activities for young guests.
Of note: The second annual Autism Inclusion Week returns to Beaches Turks & Caicos Oct. 5-10, with additional family options arriving next year when a new village opens at the resort.
For more information, visit beaches.com.
Autism Flies
Autism Double-Checked (ADC) recently partnered with Breeze Airways to hold its signature Autism Flies mock boarding experience at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. The event offered families affected by autism a controlled opportunity to practice navigating airports and boarding airplanes.
Bradley International, which earned ADC certification earlier this month as the first U.S. airport with this designation, welcomed special guest Jake Catino. After participating in previous Autism Flies programs, Catino completed his first actual flight this year and returned to support new participants.
Of note: The ADC will host a similar event at Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport on April 29. The organization’s initiatives extend internationally, with LATAM Airlines—the first South American ADC-certified carrier—hosting a practice boarding session in Sao Paulo on April 26.
For more information, visit autismchecked.com.
