One of the goals of the Park City Chamber’s sustainable tourism plan is to make it simpler for those with disabilities to navigate local businesses and events.
Chamber CEO Jennifer Wesselfhooff says their vision is to be the most sustainable destination in the world. Partnering with Wheel the World is a big step in that direction.
“And truly, you can't claim that while leaving out a huge portion of travelers,” Wesselhoff said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour,” July 20. “People with mobility challenges, sensory disabilities, chronic conditions, and those travelers consistently tell us that they struggle to find good information about whether a place, whether it's a hotel, a restaurant, an activity, an attraction, if those places really work for people with disabilities. This program, Wheel the World, it helps us close that gap.”
So far, 30 local businesses are participating in the program with the help of the National Ability Center and Wheel the World which verifies hotels, restaurants and attractions, with on-site accessibility assessments.
“It's a verified third party that comes in with their measuring tape, and they actually measure how wide the windows are, how high the steps are, how accessible your business is,” she said. “We're launching this year with 30 businesses. Our goal is to add 30 businesses every year. So, by the time 2034 and beyond comes around, we have over 250 businesses that are verified, Wheel the World verified.”
Thursday the 30 founding businesses will celebrate the launch of the program in Park City.
“We're really proud to have a panel of folks with disabilities to talk to us about the challenges that they have in traveling, so that our community can better understand the importance of having a welcoming and inclusive and accessible destination,” she said.
Wheel the World was created to provide accessible, stress-free group tours around the world designed specifically for those who are mobility challenged.
