Accessibility is Hospitality

Why Accessibility Matters More Than Ever

Accessibility involves far more than ramps, elevators, and compliance checklists. Manis framed the subject through a different lens—hospitality. “I appreciate this opportunity to explore ADA accessibility and to build greater inclusion for individuals with disabilities through employee training,” she said. Her message to resort leaders was direct: while legal compliance matters, the guest experience should come first. Owners and guests rarely remember regulatory language, but they always remember how they were treated.

The scale of the opportunity is significant. More than 70 million people in the United States—about 28.7 percent of the population, or roughly one in four—live with a disability. About 27 million of them travel despite limited disabilities, and some 20 million families include a member with a disability. Around 30 percent of a resort’s potential customers will visit with someone who has a disability. Far from a niche concern, this is a substantial segment of the traveling public.

It is also a segment with real economic weight. People with disabilities hold an estimated $220 billion in discretionary spending power, and the accessible-travel market exceeds $100 billion annually. More than half of these travelers stay in hotels, motels, or other lodging, and roughly 71 percent dine in restaurants at least once a week. The demographic trend reinforces the point: by 2030, an estimated 71.5 million baby boomers will be over 65, a time when mobility, hearing, vision, and other health-related challenges become more common. Resorts that address accessibility proactively are better positioned to support owner satisfaction, encourage repeat visits, and protect long-term relationships. Welcoming guests with disabilities is, quite simply, good hospitality and good business.

Understanding the ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. Its overarching purpose, as Manis put it, is “To make American society more accessible to people with disabilities.” Under the law, a person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. That definition is deliberately broad, and it shapes everything that follows.

The ADA is a civil rights law organized into five titles. Title I addresses employment, Title II covers state and local government, and Title III governs public accommodations—the title most relevant to resorts. Title IV addresses telecommunications, and Title V contains miscellaneous provisions, including protection from retaliation. For day-today resort operations, Title III is where attention belongs, because it prohibits places of public accommodation from discriminating against people with disabilities.

The law identifies twelve categories of public accommodation, including places of lodging, food service, entertainment, public gatherings, service establishments, public transportation, museums, social-service establishments, and exercise or recreation facilities. Places of lodging include inns, hotels, and motels, with a narrow exception for owner-occupied establishments renting fewer than six rooms. Importantly for this audience, hotel-like accommodations such as timeshares, condominium hotels, and other mixed-use facilities intended for public use generally fall within Title III’s requirements.

The ADA defines disability broadly, both in practice and on paper. While many people picture wheelchairs and mobility impairments, disabilities can also involve hearing loss, vision impairment, PTSD, autism spectrum disorder, neurological conditions, cognitive challenges, and many other circumstances that may not be visible at all. Employees should avoid assumptions, because many disabilities cannot be identified simply by looking at someone, and a misjudgment at the front desk can color an entire stay.

Accessibility Extends Beyond Buildings

Discussions of accessibility often center on physical features—ramps, elevators, pool lifts, accessible parking, and widened doorways. Those remain essential, but they are only part of the picture. Accessibility also encompasses communication, employee awareness, reservation systems, websites, policies and procedures, and the overall quality of guest interactions. Treating it narrowly, as a construction question, leaves a great deal of the experience unaddressed.

A resort can satisfy every physical requirement and still create frustration if its staff is not trained to communicate effectively with guests who have disabilities. The reverse is also true: thoughtful communication and a genuine willingness to assist can transform the guest experience even where physical limitations exist. Accessibility works best when it becomes part of a resort’s culture rather than a box to be checked once a year.

Service Animals — Understanding the Rules

Few topics in hospitality create more confusion than service animals, and the distinction between a service animal and a pet is fundamental. Under the ADA, a service animal is a dog—or, in certain circumstances, a miniature horse—that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Under Titles II and III, businesses generally must permit a service animal to accompany its handler anywhere the public is allowed to go.

A single guest may use more than one service animal. For example, someone might rely on one service dog for wayfinding and a second to alert them when it is time to take medication. The work these animals perform is specific and trained, and the examples are wide-ranging. They include guiding individuals who are blind or have low vision, alerting people who are deaf or hard of hearing, alerting handlers to allergens or the need for medication, retrieving objects, providing balance and mobility support, responding during seizures, and assisting individuals who live with PTSD.

When it is not obvious that an animal is a service animal, employees may ask only two questions:

• Whether the dog is a service animal required because of a disability
• What work or task the dog has been trained to perform.

They may go no further than that. Employees may not ask about the nature of the disability, request medical records, demand certification or proof of training, or ask the animal to demonstrate its skills. As one widely cited example, Walt Disney World Resort publishes its own policy stating that a service animal is a dog or a miniature horse trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, that cast members cannot take control of service animals, and that service animals are not permitted in the water—including water features and fountains—or closer than four feet to the water on wet decks. Manis suggested that resorts consider adding similar plain-language guidance to their websites, since a clear public statement can prevent many disputes before they begin.

Don’t Forget the Miniature Horses

One detail that often surprises hospitality teams is that dogs are not the only service animals recognized by the ADA. Miniature horses individually trained to work or perform tasks for a person with a disability are also covered, and businesses are expected to modify their policies to permit them where reasonable. These horses typically stand 24 to 34 inches tall and weigh between 70 and 100 pounds. Handlers choose miniature horses for several reasons. Beyond mobility and balance support, the horses can pull or push heavy objects, and they tend to work for many years, living an average of 25 to 30 years. They also shed fewer allergens than many dogs and have remarkable eyesight, including roughly 350-degree peripheral vision and the ability to see at night.

Manis illustrated the point with the story of Ron Chaney, a Purple Heart Vietnam veteran from the Naples, Florida area, and his miniature service horse, Sassy Mae. After a service dog didn’t work out a few years ago, Ron went, in his words, with the next size up. Sassy Mae—certified and, at the time, the only one of her kind in southwest Florida—helps him stay on his feet, and the two even share the same birthday. On a walk down Fifth Avenue, she turned heads from one corner to the next, leaving a trail of smiling strangers in her wake. As one passerby remarked, “Whoever said a dog is a man’s best friend never met this man and his horse.” It is a reminder that behind every service animal is a person whose independence and dignity depend on it.

Common Service Animal Situations

Several practical situations come up regularly at resorts, and a handful of clear principles cover most of them. Service animals are generally permitted anywhere guests are allowed, and establishments that sell or prepare food must allow them; a handler is welcome in a restaurant, though the animal may be repositioned if it is blocking an aisle rather than tucked beside the table. The animal should be harnessed, leashed, or tethered—or carried in a stroller—unless the person’s disability prevents the use of such devices or the device would interfere with the animal’s task.

On the question of money, pet fees and pet deposits must be waived, because service animals are not pets under the ADA. The resort may not charge fees it does not charge other guests. Guests do, however, remain responsible for actual damage their service animals cause, exactly as any guest is responsible for damage they cause. Another guest’s allergies or fear of dogs is not a valid reason to deny access; the right response is to accommodate both parties—for example, by seating or assigning them to different areas—and a service animal may never be isolated from other patrons or treated less favorably than other guests.

Swimming pools generate frequent questions of their own. Service animals may accompany their handlers on pool decks and surrounding areas, but public-health regulations generally prohibit animals from entering the water itself. “The ADA will not override public health rules,” Manis noted. Employees should be prepared to explain this distinction professionally, calmly, and consistently, because it is one of the situations most likely to escalate.

A resort may ask a handler to remove an animal only in narrow circumstances. If the animal is out of control or creating a disturbance and the handler does not take effective action, or if the animal is not housebroken. Even then, staff must offer that guest the opportunity to obtain goods and services without the animal present. Employees are never expected to take control of, supervise, or care for a service animal themselves; those accommodations remain the handler’s responsibility.

How those conversations are handled matters as much as the rule itself. Manis modeled a calm, courteous script for a guest whose dog is in the pool: “Hello, my name is Dolly. I’m sorry, but we have a strict no-pets policy and don’t allow animals in the pool. Only service animals are allowed on pool decks, and we ask that they remain four feet away from the wet deck.” If the guest objects that this is discrimination, the response stays warm but firm: “I understand. However, the ADA doesn’t override public health rules. My apologies for any inconvenience, but we’ll have to ask you to remove your service animal from the water—your service animal may remain on the pool deck.” The goal throughout is to be direct while remaining compassionate and kind.

Emotional Support Animals Are Different

Confusion between service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs) continues to challenge hospitality operators across the country. Emotional support animals provide comfort and companionship, and they may help relieve loneliness or ease depression, anxiety, and certain phobias. An ESA can be almost any domesticated animal—a dog, rabbit, bird, ferret, rat, mouse, hedgehog, and so on. Therapy animals are a related category that provide therapeutic contact, typically in a clinical setting, to improve a person’s physical, social, emotional, or cognitive functioning.

The key difference is training. Unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not required to perform specific trained tasks. As a result, they generally do not receive the same public-access protections that the ADA grants to service animals. They have no automatic right of access to restaurants, pool decks, or lobbies. Some state or local governments do extend additional access rights to ESAs; however, Manis’s standing advice is to verify the rules locally: “I always suggest that you check with your state and local government agencies.”

Where emotional support animals are clearly protected is in housing. Under the Fair Housing Act, housing providers are generally required to waive pet fees and deposits for a documented emotional support animal. Documentation usually takes the form of a letter from a licensed mental-health or healthcare professional, and HUD guidance describes what counts as reliable documentation. Requirements vary by jurisdiction. In Florida, for example, the supporting letter must be signed and dated on a licensed healthcare provider’s letterhead; it is a crime to misrepresent an emotional support animal, and a crime for a provider to issue a letter without personal knowledge of the individual’s disability—punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Separately, the U.S. Department of Transportation ruled in 2020 that emotional support animals are no longer permitted to fly as service animals.

One question deserves special attention: Does a dog that calms its owner during an anxiety attack count as a service animal? This is a gray area, and the answer depends on training. If the dog has been trained to sense an oncoming anxiety attack and take a specific action to prevent or lessen it, that is a psychiatric service animal protected under the ADA. If the dog provides comfort through its presence, it is an emotional support animal and does not carry the same public-access rights. The behavior-based removal rules track those for service animals. An ESA may be asked to leave if it is out of control and the handler does not respond, or if it is not housebroken, and a landlord may charge for actual property damage. A landlord may not, however, contact a tenant’s therapist directly, and staff are never required to provide care for or supervise an ESA. As Manis modeled it, if a guest brings an ESA into the pool, the courteous response acknowledges the request, explains that the ADA does not recognize emotional support animals as service animals, asks that the animal be returned to the guest’s room, and reiterates that the ADA does not override public health rules.

The Value of Clear Policies

Guests arrive with widely varying assumptions about service animals, emotional support animals, and accessibility generally, and those assumptions frequently collide with the rules. Clearly documented policies help set expectations before misunderstandings occur. Major hospitality organizations already publish accessibility and service-animal information directly on their websites, and resorts can benefit from reviewing their own websites, owner communications, reservation materials, and training manuals to ensure that accessibility information is clear, consistent, and easy to find.

Disability Etiquette Matters

Accessibility is not solely about facilities and policies—it is also about interpersonal communication grounded in respect, dignity, and professionalism. The stakes are concrete. In 2025, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed 93 discrimination lawsuits, and 8,667 ADA Title III public-accommodations lawsuits were filed; at least 70 percent of those Title III cases stemmed from websites that were not ADA-compliant. Etiquette and digital accessibility are not soft topics—they are where much of the legal exposure now lives.

“People with disabilities want to be treated like everyone else and want to be appreciated for their strengths. Focus on individuality, have patience, ask, and don’t always assume, and treat people with respect and dignity.” — Judy Manis

A few practices put that philosophy into action. Speak directly to the individual rather than to a companion, caregiver, or interpreter, and offer assistance rather than assuming it—letting the person guide how that help is given. Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, service animals, and other assistive devices are personal and should never be touched without permission. These may seem like small gestures, yet they often shape how guests perceive their entire stay.

It helps to remember that many disabilities are invisible. A guest may have a hearing loss, a speech difference, vision loss, ADHD, autism, PTSD, or a cognitive disability that is not apparent at a glance. Disability also takes many forms across the population: physical impairment affects roughly one in seven people; visual impairment affects more than 12 million people over the age of 40, with about 81 percent of those who are blind or have moderateto- severe impairment over the age of 50; hearing impairment affects some 48 million people; and intellectual or cognitive impairment affects about 6.5 million. Understanding this range helps employees approach every interaction with patience and flexibility rather than assumptions.

Manis offered several front-desk scenarios that bring etiquette to life. When a guest who uses an interpreter asks about pool hours, the employee should speak clearly, face the guest, avoid covering the mouth, and direct attention to the guest rather than the interpreter—“The pool hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. My name is Dolly. If you need further assistance, let me know.” When a guest using a walking stick asks for directions, specific, descriptive language is far more useful than a vague gesture: “If you walk straight down the long corridor to your left, about a hundred feet, you’ll pass a water fountain that makes a loud humming sound on your right. When you feel the carpet change to tile, the pool door is directly in front of you.”

Some questions touch on physical infrastructure. If a guest asks about a pool lift the resort does not yet have, a constructive reply acknowledges the goal without overpromising: “Our goal is to provide safe and equal access to our swimming pool, spa, and wading pool. We are actively evaluating whether modifications are readily achievable without major difficulty or expense.” It is worth knowing the underlying rule. Pool accessibility requirements, including pool lifts, were added to the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and became mandatory on March 15, 2012. The relevant provisions appear in Sections 242 and 1009 and are enforced under Title III for public accommodations such as hotels, resorts, and timeshares.

Autism Awareness and the Resort Experience

Autism awareness is among the most important topics for hospitality professionals, because many families traveling today include a child or adult on the spectrum. The subject is, in Manis’s words, “near and dear” to her heart; she recalls a family member who was judged by strangers in public—“What’s wrong with him?”—simply because they did not understand his condition. That instinct to judge what we do not understand is precisely what awareness and training are meant to replace with patience.

Autism is a neurological and developmental condition that affects communication, learning, behavior, and social interaction in ways that vary considerably from person to person. The numbers underscore why awareness matters: 2025 statistics indicate that about one in 31 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism, and roughly 25 to 30 percent are non-verbal or have minimal verbal communication. Families also shoulder a real burden, with an estimated $60,000 per year in added costs for specialized services, medical visits, and lost wages.

Understanding Sensory Overload

Many individuals on the autism spectrum experience sensory sensitivities that others may not notice. Bright lights, loud noises, crowded spaces, unexpected schedule changes, and unfamiliar environments can quickly become overwhelming. Sensory overload occurs when a person receives more environmental input than they can comfortably process, and the trigger can be remarkably small. “Maybe a fan is running super fast, and yesterday it was running super slow,” Manis offered as an example—a change that subtle can be enough to prompt a meltdown.

For hospitality professionals, this matters because it affects guest behavior. A guest who appears frustrated, withdrawn, or overwhelmed may be responding to environmental conditions rather than intentionally creating a problem. A crowded check-in area, a noisy recreation space, or an unexpected operational change can create real anxiety for some individuals. Staff who anticipate that possibility are far better equipped to de-escalate the moment and provide meaningful assistance.

Supporting Families Through Understanding

Families traveling with autistic children often invest significant time planning a vacation— researching destinations, identifying potential challenges, and preparing for situations other travelers rarely consider. The way employees respond during a stressful moment can leave a lasting impression. The guidance is to lead with patience and empathy, because families remember kindness, flexibility, and understanding long after they forget the details of a trip. Creating an autism-aware environment does not require employees to become experts; it requires awareness, compassion, and a willingness to listen.

A Safety Note: Water and Wandering

One point deserves particular urgency given how many resorts feature pools, hot tubs, and waterfronts: drowning is a leading cause of death among children with autism, who are often drawn to water—“it’s calming, it’s quiet,” as Manis explained. If staff ever hear that a child with autism is missing, the recommended response is to radio the entire team immediately with specific locations and check the water areas first—pools, hot tubs, the beach, ponds, and fountains. Acting on that instinct quickly can be the difference that matters most.

Once the child is found, notify the team, stay with the child, and offer reassurance that you are there to help. A few simple techniques make a real difference: ask only one question at a time and allow a processing delay of roughly 20 seconds before expecting a response; consider alternative ways to communicate, such as a phone, tablet, or writing on paper; and avoid touching the child, since unexpected contact can trigger sensory overload. Instead, gently motion and model the behavior you would like to see.

Employee Training Remains the Best Investment

More than anything else, employee training is what prepares staff for real-world situations. Policies alone do not; training helps employees apply those policies while preserving a positive guest experience. Manis highlighted role-playing exercises as especially valuable. Practicing realistic scenarios—service animals, emotional support animals, autism awareness, accessibility requests, and communication challenges—helps -9- employees build confidence before the moment arrives in real life and creates consistency across the organization.

One simple, practical tool is a card Manis calls a “feeling thermometer.” Small enough to keep in a pocket, the card lets a guest point to how they would like to be greeted—a high-five or just a wave, for instance—and indicate how they are feeling, whether happy or overwhelmed and in need of space. Tools like these help employees connect with guests who have communication challenges. If renovations or other physical changes are not currently possible, the same principle applies: consider how to offer the best guest experience within the resort’s means.

Digital Accessibility Deserves Attention

Accessibility is no longer confined to physical facilities. Guests increasingly interact with resorts through websites, reservation systems, mobile applications, owner portals, and digital communications long before they arrive on property. As the 2025 litigation figures make clear—where the majority of Title III public-accommodations lawsuits trace back to noncompliant websites—digital accessibility is now an area of focus in its own right. Boards and managers should periodically review their websites and digital systems to ensure they remain accessible and userfriendly, because overlooking either the physical or the digital environment can create unnecessary challenges for owners and guests alike.

Questions Every Board Should Consider

Several practical questions naturally follow for boards and managers:
• Do employees understand the difference between service animals and emotional support animals?
• Have staff members received disability etiquette training?
• Is autism awareness included in employee education programs?
• Are accessibility policies clearly documented and consistently applied?
• Has the board reviewed website accessibility?
• Do guest-service standards reflect accessibility goals?

Working through these questions does more than surface gaps. It strengthens compliance efforts, improves guest satisfaction, and builds the kind of employee confidence that shows up in every guest interaction. A board that revisits them periodically signals that accessibility is a standing priority rather than a one-time review.

Accessibility Is Hospitality

The strongest message is also the simplest. Accessibility is not merely about avoiding complaints, satisfying regulations, or reducing liability. It is about creating an environment where every owner, guest, and family member feels welcomed, respected, and valued. It is best understood as an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time project— woven through facilities, policies, websites, training programs, and everyday guest service. When accessibility becomes part of how a resort operates, compliance becomes easier, communication improves, and guest experiences strengthen.

“True hospitality requires compassion, and compassion relies on awareness. Employee training is your best resource.” — Judy Manis

Resorts that combine awareness, training, communication, and compassion are better positioned to serve owners and guests well. That combination does more than reduce risk; it strengthens loyalty, encourages repeat visits, and protects the longterm value of the resort experience. Approached this way, accessibility becomes a durable advantage rather than an obligation, and it reflects the kind of hospitality that keeps owners coming back.

Where to Learn More

For boards, managers, and staff who want to go deeper, several trusted resources stand out:
• The ADA National Network (adata.org) — guidance and answers to common questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act
• The U.S. Department of Justice ADA site (ada. gov) — including its FAQ page on service animals
• HUD guidance on emotional support animals (hud.gov) — for questions about reliable documentation and Fair Housing Act protections
• Autism Speaks (autismspeaks.org) and the Autism Society of America (autismsociety.org) — education and resources on autism awareness.

Because requirements vary from one jurisdiction to the next, resorts should also confirm the specific rules that apply in their own state and locality. State and local provisions can extend beyond the federal baseline—particularly for emotional support animals and documentation—so local verification is an essential final step rather than an optional one. When in doubt, checking directly with state and local government agencies, as Manis recommends, is the safest course.