It was an experience on a family vacation in California in 2018 that made Marc Garcia see his very own industry differently.

“Our son—who is autistic—was having a really bad week,” said Garcia, the president and CEO of Visit Mesa, the destination marketing organization for the Arizona city. “He had meltdown after meltdown. We were getting awkward stares and muffled whispers from hotel staff, restaurant staff, and attractions staff. And I said, ‘You know, I'm in the hospitality industry and this is wrong.’”

Garcia’s experience is hardly unique. Although the autism spectrum is broad, autistic individuals and their families face myriad challenges while traveling. And in the last few years, travel and tourism companies have begun to take note, pushing forward with improvements meant to better serve those on the autism spectrum and advance the industry toward greater inclusivity.

The need for training and resources

After that trip, Garcia began searching for a comprehensive program that would educate tourism companies how a person on the autism spectrum may experience the world, how they may display signs of sensory sensitivities, and how to best support them as customers. He soon partnered with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), a credentialing organization in autism and other cognitive disorders. The goal: create long-term relationships that go beyond initial training to include ongoing education and recertification requirements for management and guest-facing staff—at all levels.

But for Garcia, any approach needed to go beyond marketing buzzwords.

“It was important to me that when the autism community would look at what we were trying to do, that it was substantive,” he said. “That it wasn't just sticking an ‘autism friendly’ sticker in a window.”

According to Meredith Tekin, the president of IBCCES, for a travel company to be certified and listed on AutismTravel.com, the organization’s database of certified attractions and destinations, at least 80 percent of guest-facing staff must undergo training. Additionally, IBCCES conducts onsite reviews of its certified businesses; it also creates guides that outline the sensory impacts of a theme park ride or tourist attraction, for example, should an autistic person want to prepare for a visit in advance.

“The travel industry knows this is something that really needs to be focused on,” said Tekin. “The question is not why, but how.”

Travel brands hop aboard

What started as Visit Mesa’s plan to achieve certification as an autism-friendly tourist destination grew to nearly 60 certified businesses and more than 5,000 trained workers, including those in the police and fire departments. In November 2019, Mesa became the world’s first—and, still to this day, only—Autism Certified City. Since then, destination marketing organizations like Visit Visalia, in California, and the Arizona Office of Tourism have completed their IBCCES certifications, and several others are currently mid-process.

“We created these programs for the travel space because everybody deserves to make memories and have fun and feel welcomed,” Tekin said.

But that’s not always been the case.

A 2018 survey by IBCCES found that 87 percent of more than 1,000 parents of children on the spectrum didn’t take family vacations. When asked if they were satisfied with current travel options for families with autism, 97 percent of these parents said “no.”

For Garcia, creating a skilled and empathetic hospitality industry welcoming of autistic travelers is not only the responsible thing to do; it’s also good business. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 44 children has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a number that has risen in the last few years.

By most accounts, the travel industry is improving, albeit slowly. Today, many destination marketing websites include accessibility guides or specifically feature autism-friendly attractions.

Several New York City museums, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, have developed special programs for visitors with autism. The Visit Florida website features Miami activities for children with special needs, including autism. Beaches Resorts, a large all-inclusive brand, has launched the Caribbean’s first Autism-Friendly Kid Camps. And Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium, the first aquarium in the country to be named a Certified Autism Center, has developed a series of accommodations for visitors on the spectrum.

Beyond dry land, Autism on the Seas has partnered with cruise companies like Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line to enhance on-ship experiences for children, adults, and families with unique needs, including autism. Its Staff Assisted Cruises, which take place on select sailings throughout the year, offer these passengers professional assistance and private activities and accommodations. CarnivalCruises has partnered with the nonprofit KultureCity on “sensory inclusive” cruises on their entire fleet, training guest-facing staff and providing autistic passengers with sensory bags that include noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, and more.

Autism inclusivity inches toward the skies

Kerry Magro, a New Jersey resident who holds a doctorate in education and travels the country as a professional speaker and autism advocate, was non-verbal for the first few years of his life and knows firsthand how difficult travel can be for autistic individuals. Among the biggest culprits from a sensory-sensitivity standpoint: airports.

“I can’t tell you—as a 34-year-old autistic adult—how many experiences I’ve had at airports where people have just brushed off my sensory challenges completely,” Magro said. “I am considered to have an invisible disability, so most people say ‘Kerry, you have autism but you don’t look like you have autism,’ and it can be very frustrating to the travel experience.”

For Dina Farmer, a travel adviser, an IBCCES Certified Autism Travel Professional, and a mother of an autistic son, planning is key. When working with clients with autism, she often recommends that parents consult their child’s occupational therapist or support team to map out the specific steps of the air-travel process, from check-in through boarding.

Farmer also pointed to other resources, including TSA Cares, which supports travelers needing additional assistance during the security screening process, and the Sunflower lanyard, a global symbol for non-visible disabilities that’s recognized at 130 airports around the world. She also recommends an unofficial step: simply talking to the cabin crew, which can go a long way in easing the flight experience for an autistic passenger.

Little by little, “sensory rooms” have started popping up in airports, from Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland to Pittsburgh International Airport.

“We want to make flying accessible to everyone. This room is an opportunity for special needs travelers from children to adults to have a place to decompress and get prepared to fly,” said Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport.

In the past, JetBlue and Southwest have partnered with the nonprofit Autism Speaks to develop air travel “rehearsals,” and collaborated on a series of tools meant to improve the flying experience, including resources for planning a trip and taking a flight. But most programs have been paused due to the pandemic.

“While we’ve come a long way in autism awareness, understanding how to provide that inclusive customer service and promoting acceptance and inclusion during travel is still really critical,'' said Arianna Esposito, the VP of Services, Supports and Lifespan Programs for Autism Speaks. “More options for training and understanding would be a huge benefit for both the airlines and the travelers.”

Ivan Quintanilla is an actor, freelance travel writer, and the founder of TravelingIQ.com. Follow him @TravelingIQ.