Op-ed: Why accessibility must be built into B.C.’s tourism sector—not added later

Written by Todd Hauptman, communications manager at the Vancouver Aquarium.

As we start a fresh year, inclusive and accessible tourism needs to be more than just words or aspirations.

The Vancouver Aquarium, along with many other attractions in B.C., has been working in recent years to become as welcoming and accessible to people as possible.  In addition to the Aquarium, Science World, Capilano Suspension Bridge, FlyOver among others have been working to improve their accessibility.

It is a journey, but as attractions, we should be welcoming to all.

Destination BC says that over 22 percent of Canadians, over the age of 15, have a physical, cognitive, or sensory disability and this number will continue to grow. As a result, this represents a sizable portion of possible visitors to BC attractions. The organization also says the largest barrier to travel for this group is access to information and resources such as the AccessNow app are so important to help address this.

Beyond being the right thing to do, it is good for business. Accessible design expands your audience reach, strengthens guest loyalty and helps future-proof tourism experience in an increasingly diverse market. By being more inclusive, you are helping your guests but ultimately, increasing visitation, increasing your reach and making your workforce more inclusive.

Several tourist organizations and companies are leading the way, and one unique example is Reel North Adventures. Tourism Association of BC awarded the company won the 2025 Inclusive and Accessible Tourism Experience Award.

As part of our ongoing journey, the Vancouver Aquarium has taken several important steps to pursue this goal and was honoured to win the British Columbia (BC) Tourism Industry 2024 award for Inclusive and Accessible Tourism Experience. Inclusive programming is one of the most important elements to us, and we do this by offering monthly sensory-friendly hours, comfort kits for those who are neurodivergent and training staff on sensory-sensitive guests. The Vancouver Aquarium also has long tables in some washrooms for adults to change clothing when needed.

Like Science World, the Vancouver Aquarium hosts Sensory Friendly hours to welcome neurodiverse individuals, their families and caregivers to enjoy the Aquarium. Light and audio levels will be reduced around the aquarium during Sensory Friendly Hours from 9:30 am to 12 pm. Stay tuned for the next one.

We have also worked with the Canucks Autism Network and the Pacific Autism Family Network to assist some of those associations’ neurodivergent members in getting jobs. We recently received feedback from a guest who brought her three-year-old autistic son, who loved his visit. She said, “he particularly liked watching jellyfish and touching starfish at Wet Lab. The staff were all very kind to my son.” She went on to tell us that she appreciated that we offered this experience and to see her son smiling and laughing throughout his visit. Accessibility is not about a program but about impact like this.

The comfort kits that guests can get from our Guest Services Desk include noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, sunglasses and cue cards.  The cards can be held by the parent or attendant for a neurodivergent person who can’t communicate. Mobility accommodation means the aquarium offers wheelchairs and walkers for use. Additionally, we have accessible restrooms along with designated viewing areas for those with mobility issues. We also have accessible seating for wheelchairs in gallery areas, as well as accessible café and theatre seating. Financial support shows accessibility isn’t just about physical needs, and does this by accepting the Access2 card along with offering free entry for attendants. No proof is required for these tickets.

Deaf and low vision supports means we have tactile experiences with our Wet Lab and other experiences. I have lived with a moderate to severe hearing loss since I was four years old.  I would strongly encourage all facilities and tourist experiences to use microphones or be aware of your hard of hearing guests.  If it is a small group situation, please speak with your face in the direction that they can see it.

For attractions and hospitality companies, we would encourage you to consider the following steps:

1. Consider steps that you can take immediately that would improve the accessibility of your facility, whether that is physical adjustments or offering wheelchairs or comfort kits.
2. Connect with important local organizations, such as Pacific Family Autism Network, to create a partnership.  Consider working with an organization to provide valuable training to your staff.
3. Take the time to develop a long-term plan to take the various steps that you can take in the medium and long term to help create a space that is as accessible as possible.

This should be a call for all of us in the tourism sector to push to make our experiences and facilities as accessible as possible for everyone.