By GraceWeaverAI: Market leading accessible and inclusive hotel brands
Radisson’s Accessible Braille Menus: Empowering the Visually Impaired
Radisson Hotels’ recent rollout of accessible Braille menus across 125 South Asian properties is a major milestone in creating a more inclusive dining experience for visually impaired guests.
By offering menus in Braille, Radisson is providing guests with visual impairments the autonomy to explore their dining options without relying on others to read the menu for them.
This small but significant step promotes independence, dignity, and a sense of inclusion that is often overlooked.
By anticipating the needs of visually impaired guests, Radisson is not only improving the guest experience but demonstrating a proactive approach that puts inclusivity at the heart of its service model. This initiative goes beyond compliance, it signals to guests that they are SEEN, valued, and welcomed.
The benefits of these menus extend beyond individual empowerment, they create a ripple effect, leading others in hospitality to follow suit. As more hotels adopt similar initiatives, the hospitality landscape becomes more inclusive, leading to a richer more diversified guest and colleague experience.
Hilton’s Comprehensive Accessibility Enhancements: Leading by Example
Hilton Hotels has long been a leader in the hospitality industry, and its commitment to making its properties more accessible for all guests is another example of its forward-thinking approach.
The enhancements made across Hilton properties—ranging from physical accessibility features like accessible guest rooms, ramps, and wider doorways, to digital improvements such as making online bookings easier for guests with disabilities—are setting standards in accessible hospitality.
Recently we reported on Hilton’s partnership in the US and Canada with Be My Eyes, to assist those who are blind or have limited vision enabling a more accessible hotel experience for all guests.
Hilton partnered with Be My Eyes in 2023, to train the ‘Be My AI’ feature, an OpenAI GPT-4 language model, to better recognise objects and navigate hotel room layouts. The partnership has since developed and expanded to include a team of Hilton Reservations and Customer Care agents. Combing cutting edge artificial intelligence technology and human resources to work together in making their hotels more accessible.
How Radisson and Hilton are Leading in Accessible Hospitality
Radisson and Hilton are not just responding to the demands of a growing demographic of visibly and non-visibly disabled guests—they are actively shaping the future of hospitality through their innovative accessibility programs.
By integrating accessible features into both the physical and digital realms, they are proving that inclusivity is good for business. With an estimated 15% of the global population living with a form of disability, ensuring accessible services is a smart business move.
These brands are leading by example, showing that accessibility does not detract from the luxury or quality of service that guests expect. In fact, it enhances the overall experience by making it available to all, regardless of physical and non-physical limitations. As more guests with disabilities choose to stay at Radisson or Hilton properties, other hotels will be encouraged to follow their lead, thus raising the standard of accessibility across the entire industry.
In a world where accessibility is often overlooked, these brands are challenging the status quo. They are ensuring that disabled guests are SEEN as valued customers guests whose needs are taken seriously. By doing so, they are not only improving the lives of their disabled guests but also driving a positive shift towards a more inclusive society.