Photo: Concord California
With roughly 1 in 36 children on the autism spectrum in the US in 2020, the travel industry is working to help families with autistic children -- from hotels offering free "practice stays" and registering as autism-friendly destinations, and airports offering check-in and boarding "rehearsals" and sunflower lanyards to visitors who might need additional help. Funded by a $50,000 American Rescue Plan grant, the 'practice stay' program gives hotels insight into the best ways to provide inclusive, accessible hospitality. In 2020, San Francisco airport partnered with MagnusCards to create the Ready Set Fly app, providing step-by-step directions for checking in and navigating the airport. Alan Day's 'Autism Double-Checked' trains hospitality staff and certifies hotels, resorts and airlines at levels ranging from "autism aware" to "autism ready."
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