A West Michigan tour company wants to ensure its trips are accessible for all guests. The group, Tours Around Michigan, has become the first of its kind in the United States to be endorsed by Europe’s Accessible Travel Press.
Today 1-in-4 Americans have a disability, physical or invisible, according to the World Health Organization. For those looking to travel, it can often create obstacles.
“In the past when people needed accessibility they couldn’t travel much…there were lots of stairs lots of loud places. There just weren’t the accommodations for it," Candace Smith said.
Smith is the owner of Tours Around Michigan. She told WGVU her group welcomes guests seeking barrier free fun, whether they’re rocking life on wheels, using sign language interpreters, using guide dogs or see life through a neurodivergence or a mental disability.
“ I try to look at it as how would they enjoy it most," she explained. "So I might do a city tour where I cut down the volume of information I share and instead what I share and we focus on visuals, so what's fascinating visually that they can see? What can they hear? What can they feel? So we try to make it so they enjoy it, so it’s about them.”
Smith’s efforts have been recognized internationally. Tours Around Michigan recently became the first tour company in the United States to receive an endorsement from Europe’s Accessible Travel Press Online. It’s also the first tour company to partner with U.S. - based group AbleVu, which gives detailed previews of buildings and businesses to ensure guest comfort and accessibility in spaces.
Smith said her team still has a lot to learn on how to better serve people with disabilities, but adds they continue to move forward every day. She’s quick to note, the accessibility travel industry generates around $16 billion worldwide, something she hopes will encourage more businesses to take part.
“On top of it’s just the right thing to do, this is from a business stand point, money out there that people want to spend, and Michigan is such a great place to do it.”
