United Spinal Association, the largest membership organization for wheelchair users in the United States, proudly announces a groundbreaking collaboration with Airbnb. Together, they will create an Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy specifically aimed at wheelchair users to increase hosting opportunities and grow the number of Airbnb listings with accessibility features.
“Airbnb shares our commitment to making worldwide travel accessible for wheelchair users, including identifying lodgings with accessibility features at their destinations,” says United Spinal Association CEO & President Vincenzo Piscopo. “We are excited to co-host the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy, as it will provide interested wheelchair users with the tools and knowledge that they need to become hosts. This will create economic opportunities for our community while also providing many more wheelchair-accessible properties at popular tourist destinations worldwide.”
United Spinal has established a fruitful collaboration with Airbnb based on shared values around inclusion and accessibility. Adding the voices and perspectives of wheelchair users to the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy, an entrepreneurship development program that Airbnb launched in 2017 to introduce underserved communities to the economic benefits of hosting, is a natural evolution of this partnership.
“Our partnership with United Spinal is a testament to our shared goal of fostering entrepreneurship within the disability community, as well as making travel more accessible for people of all needs. We are excited to work together and help spread the economic benefits of tourism and hosting on Airbnb to new communities,” says Suzanne Edwards, Head of Accessibility Hosting Standards, Airbnb.
Hosted via webinar, the Academy will provide participants with practical guidance on getting started on and navigating the Airbnb platform. It will highlight accessibility features on listings and lessons from successful Hosts. United Spinal is actively working with Airbnb to shape the Academy’s curriculum to ensure it meets the unique needs of wheelchair users. The first webinars will take place in the summer of 2024, and the series will continue throughout the year.
This partnership follows Airbnb’s series of initiatives to elevate the travel experience for people with disabilities. These include the Accessibility Review, a process for Airbnb agents to review and confirm accessibility features added by Hosts, and the Adapted Category, a collection of homes that feature verified step-free entry to the home and at least one bedroom and bathroom. Each listing in the Adapted Category undergoes a 3D scan conducted by leading spatial data company, Matterport, to confirm its accessibility features. United Spinal contributed to the development of the Adapted Category.
United Spinal and Airbnb believe that joining forces on the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy will revolutionize the hosting landscape and significantly enhance the user experience for wheelchair users. This initiative sets a new standard for what it means to travel with a disability, marking a significant step towards a more inclusive and accessible travel industry.
Interested United Spinal members can visit this website to learn more about the upcoming Academy program. Learn more about the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy.