Certified Accessible Travel Advocate Program

Author: Special Needs Group, Inc.
Published: 2012/04/10 - Updated: 2021/09/26
Category Topic: Disability Travel Information - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Online Accessible Travel Advocate course is an eLearning curriculum allowing travel professionals to become conversant with accessible travel market segment. Accessible Travel is broadly defined as any method of transportation and/or accommodation that can be used, entered, reached, etc. by providing easy access, and can be undertaken by a person with disabilities.

Introduction

Accessible Travel is broadly defined as any method of transportation and/or accommodation that can be used, entered, reached, etc. by providing easy access, and can be undertaken by a person with disabilities. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity.

Main Content

Special Needs Group's industry-first certified accessible travel advocate program provides unprecedented success to travel professionals. Through the unparalleled course, over 425 travel professionals have been certified to date, allowing them to tap into the fastest-growing segment in travel - the accessible travel market.

Since Special Needs Group launched its industry-first Accessible Travel Advocate course over 425 travel professionals have achieved the SNG Certified Accessible Travel Advocate designation, giving them a distinct advantage to tap into the accessible travel market - the fastest-growing segment in travel. The powerful online Accessible Travel Advocate course is the travel industry's first eLearning curriculum that allows travel professionals to become conversant with the accessible travel market segment through online study and testing.

This groundbreaking initiative is not only leading to a more accessible world, but also providing increased success for travel professionals. Here's what travel professionals who have achieved the SNG Certified Accessible Travel Advocate designation have to say about the course:

"With its Accessible Travel Advocate course and many other efforts, Special Needs Group is doing a tremendous job of making agents much more aware of the challenges that travelers with special needs face," said Roberta Schwartz, CTC, MCC, and co-owner of Imagine Your Vacations, a Cruise Planners/American Express franchise in Plantation, Fla.

"The timing is right for this course. With Special Needs Group's credibility and promotion of the course, it has put the whole equation of the accessible travel market on travel professionals' radar."

Schwartz is also an associate professor at The Hospitality College of Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, Fla., as well as the past director of education for Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH).

"Special Needs Group's Accessible Travel Advocate course has allowed travel professionals to understand the potential of the accessible travel market, who that market is, and how to serve that market," said Charlie Funk, co-owner and president of Just Cruisin' Plus, who along with his wife Sherrie will be inducted into the "CLIA Hall of Fame" at the upcoming cruise3sixty event in Fort Lauderdale. "Travelers with special needs can now realize that there are go-to companies with accessible travel training that can answer their needs."

Highlights of SNG's Accessible Travel Advocate course are:

• Those who achieve the SNG Certified Accessible Travel Advocate designation qualify for five CLIA Certification Credits.
• It offers exceptional, important information about the buying power of the accessible travel market, as well as the rights and privileges of that market, in its Module 1.
• It gives direction to travel professionals regarding interpersonal and soft skills when dealing with the accessible travel market, aspects that many professionals find daunting when serving travelers with special needs.
• It is designed to provide industry professionals with a basic understanding of the size, scope and basic requirements of the accessible travel market, along with the most frequently used services, aids and products used by the consumers in this market.

The one-hour, three-module program objectives focus on understanding accessible travel, building expertise in accessible travel and demonstrating accessible travel advocacy skills. These are critical subject matter areas for travel professionals if they wish to service the accessible travel market.

Andrew J. Garnett, president and CEO of Special Needs Group, said:

"By introducing this unprecedented course we are not only stimulating understanding among travel professionals of the importance to be conversant with the accessible travel market, but we are providing those professionals with unparalleled, specialized knowledge of how to best service travelers with special needs."

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Special Needs Group, Inc. and published on 2012/04/10, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.