KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTS AND AUTISM DOUBLE-CHECKED INTRODUCE THE FIRST-EVER AUTISM PASSPORT
MIAMI, FLA-29 APRIL 2024
Karisma Hotels & Resorts is proud to announce it is the first hotel collection to implement the
Autism Passport in partnership with
Autism Double-Checked (ADC). An extension of the pioneering
Autism Concierge program, the passport serves as a first-of-its-kind comprehensive tool for guests to convey essential information such as communication challenges, sensory sensitivities, special interests, emotional triggers, and calming strategies to staff members who will facilitate their stay. This document, conveniently accessible online, offers visitors a means to communicate their unique needs with Karisma hotels as well as certified airlines and airports. Karisma's commitment to inclusivity shines through this alliance, affirming its dedication to exceeding guests' expectations by adapting to their needs while ensuring that all visitors feel welcome.
"We are incredibly proud to partner with Autism Double-Checked, the foremost leader in autism-friendly travel,” says Esteban Velasquez, Chief Executive Officer at Karisma Hotels & Resorts. “This continued collaboration aligns with Karisma's overarching goal of ensuring every guest feels welcome and supported. We feel that the introduction of the Autism Passport marks a significant step forward in our shared commitment to provide an unparalleled stay for all travelers.”
As part of its Autism Double-Checked certification, Karisma staff members have completed ADC’s comprehensive training courses, enabling them to identify and support specific challenges that guests with autism may face during their stay. Karisma’s certified properties have also developed custom visitor guides that highlight property-specific sensory information for neurodiverse guests to use as a resource before and during their stay. The Autism Passport increases the overall benefit of these programs by giving guests an easy and accessible way to share their individual challenges and any accommodations they may require to help the property and staff provide a positive and comfortable visit to all guests.
“Travel with autism is greatly improved by good planning, and individualized information is key to that planning,” said Alan Day, Co-Founder and CEO of Autism Double-Checked. “The Autism Passport is the know before they show component that provides information to hotel staff that will enhance guest experience from arrival to departure. Karisma continues to show remarkable dedication to welcoming guests with autism, so it’s no surprise that they are the first to deploy this important tool.”
ADC was created to prepare the travel industry to better serve guests with autism through industry-focused, job-specific training for all guest-facing staff. ADC’s comprehensive training includes three stages: general basic training for all staff, specific training per department, and the development of a site-specific visitor guide to assist parents, caregivers, and visitors with autism. ADC also assists the autism community to confidently select the travel opportunities that best fit their needs. The autism community in the U.S. consists of between 25 and 35 million people who are eager to travel and are loyal to companies that understand and accommodate their needs. Once a hotel has completed all three phases, it obtains the "Autism Double-Checked" certification, indicating that it is ready, willing, and able to welcome families and guests impacted by autism.
Karisma's commitment to inclusive travel for those with autism is further exemplified by its status as the first hotel group to introduce the Autism Concierge in partnership with Autism Double-Checked. This program allows guests traveling with individuals on the autism spectrum to receive tailored support through a dedicated contact listed in each resort’s visitor guide. Autism Double-Checked-certified Karisma hotels include Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya, Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, Margaritaville Island Reserve® Cap Cana, Margaritaville Island Reserve® Riviera Cancun, and Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancún. Azul Beach Resort in Negril Jamaica and Margaritaville Island Reserve® Riviera Maya are currently undergoing certification and will be fully certified by the end of 2024.
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About Karisma Hotels & Resorts
Karisma Hotels & Resorts is an industry innovator and award-winning luxury hotel collection renowned for its premier guest experiences. Boasting an impressive portfolio of properties, including Margaritaville Island Reserve® by Karisma; Margaritaville Beach Resort Ambergris Caye, Belize; Azul Beach Resorts by Karisma; and Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts, Karisma Hotels & Resorts continues to lead the industry with groundbreaking hospitality experiences that include the revolutionary Gourmet Inclusive® philosophy and cutting-edge seasonal programming. Karisma’s unwavering commitment to remain an industry innovator has earned the hotel collection a host of top accolades, including Travel Weekly's Best Boutique Hotel Chain, Travvy Award Gold for Best Hotel Chain Overall, Conde Nast Traveler's Top 100 Hotels in the World, and AAA's Five Diamond Award.
About Autism Double-Checked
Autism Double-Checked believes that travel should be available for everyone, including individuals and families impacted by autism. To create this reality, ADC provides online autism awareness training and certification programs that have been specifically designed to make autism inclusion simple and profitable for all segments of the travel industry, including airlines, hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Based in Connecticut, the organization was founded in 2015 by two lifetime travel professionals and leading experts on traveling with autism who are also parents to special needs children. Most families with an autistic child avoid taking family vacations due to concerns about their child's reaction to all the unfamiliar stimuli they will confront outside of their routine 'comfort bubble' at home. Autism Double-Checked works with its travel industry partners to ensure training and resources are in place to give this travel segment confidence that they are included and welcomed as travelers.
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