Designing accessible travel programmes:
5 key takeaways from GBTA Convention, Denver
Accessible business travel isn’t just a trend; it’s a necessity.
In late 2023, Shell had their sights firmly on accessibility and collaborated with the FCM Consulting team to bring the Shell Accessibility Desk to life. An initiative that underscores the significance of accommodating diverse traveller needs and sheds light on actionable strategies for travel professionals managing corporate travel programmes of all sizes and scopes.
If you’re ready to follow in Shell’s footsteps and build accessibility into your travel programme’s foundation, here are the five takeaways to implement an accessibility policy within enterprise organisations, straight from the GBTA Convention stage.
1. Start now
The rewarding journey towards an accessible travel programme starts with a simple step: beginning where you are with what you currently have available.
Waiting for the 'perfect' time or resources can delay the benefits accessible travel policies bring to your organisation. Even if initiating this project means breaking it into smaller, manageable segments, it's important to start now. Early implementation meets immediate and urgent traveller needs while also paving the way for continuous improvement and expansion for more diverse segments.
Accessibility isn’t a checklist and it’s not always known in advance.
Kyra van Egmond, Travel Manager EMEA, Shell International B.V.
2. Establishing what ‘good’ looks like
Want to create a lasting impact? Have a clear understanding of your organisation's accessibility goals.
Defining what your minimum viable product (MVP) looks like can help streamline efforts and align your focus from the beginning. Outline your long-term objectives and establish metrics to gauge your progress, all while considering the end experience for travellers.
For example, will you focus first on improving the experience for travellers with physical accessibility needs, and how will you measure success? Surveys? Enquiries during booking?
3. Fully commit to the vision
Launching an accessibility initiative requires a high-touch approach that will not survive a half-in/half-out approach.
Gather the full commitment from your stakeholders, suppliers, and travel management company (TMC) from the get-go, and create champions of your vision for accessibility. Collaborating with all the key players to not only launch an accessibility policy but also fully integrate it into your corporate travel programme will keep you on the right track and ensure seamless communication throughout the process.
Having the right support in place ahead of time can make all the difference.
Jo Lloyd, Global Head of Customer Management & Consulting
4. Navigate challenges with the right tech
Ensuring accessibility doesn't end with policy creation; it extends to utilising technology and tools that facilitate the process. One of Shell’s goals was to create a self-serve database that allows travellers to look up information about the accessibility of airlines, accommodations, and destinations before their trips.
Since implementing the database, Shell has seen over 2,500 visits to the site. The team considers this to be the foundation of the entire programme. It operates as a resource for travellers, meeting planners, and travel agents.
Bringing information to [their] fingertips is extremely important.
Charlene Leiss, President, Flight Centre Travel Group Americas
5. Build it with community support
Creating an environment where the programme is developed in collaboration with those it aims to serve is critical.
Engage with diverse traveller groups from the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) community within your organisation to gain a genuine understanding of their needs on the road and in the air. Coupled with buy-in from senior leadership, community engagement ensures that intentions are clear and that potential limitations are openly acknowledged and addressed.
If you’re nervous about encountering gaps in your accessibility services, consider phased soft launches that incorporate live feedback, allowing you to improve the accessibility programme as you build it.
It’s never too late to get started
FCM and Shell’s collaboration gives corporate travel professionals a detailed view of how to launch a successful accessibility policy within a travel programme. For everyone eager to embark on this journey, remember that the initial step is action—combined with vision and collaboration, it becomes transformative.
If you aspire to make accessibility a core and impactful component of your travel programme, FCM Consulting would be honoured to support you. Let’s make travel inclusive, one journey at a time, together.