How the Travel Industry Is Supporting Older Adults With Autism

Hotels, cruise lines and attractions are helping older adults with autism navigate travel

an assortment of luggage with an autism awareness luggage tag

Hotels, cruise lines, attractions and airports are putting support services into place to help older adults with autism navigate travel more easily.

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Jamie Davis Smith,

AARP

Published July 03, 2024

Traveling with autism is becoming easier thanks to new support services offered by many major brands in the travel industry.

It’s estimated that about 2.21 percent of adults 18-plus in the United States, or about 5.4 million adults, have autism spectrum disorder as of 2017.

Hotels, cruise lines, attractions and airports are putting support services into place to help older adults with autism navigate travel more easily and make traveling more enjoyable. Hyatt, Hilton, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, the Grammy Museum and Beaches Resorts are some of the brands adding these services.

The industry’s programs vary widely because many people with autism “want to travel and experience new things,” and “every individual is different,” says Meredith Tekin, president of the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), an independent board that provides training and certification with a focus on cognitive disorders such as autism. Although some people with autism need minimal support when traveling, such as the ability to board an airplane early, some require more intensive support, which may include access to quiet spaces and constant close supervision.

“The question of how many adults over 50 are autistic is complicated” because many adults with autism have never been diagnosed, says Zoe Gross, a woman with autism and director of advocacy for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN). Autism was not recognized as a formal diagnosis until 1980 and the diagnosis was limited to children for many years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not release data related to autism in adults until 2020.

Training is key

“The number one most helpful thing the travel industry can do is educate workers who interact with travelers about different disabilities and how they affect people,” Gross says. That’s because “learning about autistic people’s sensory needs, how we may respond to the stress of traveling and learning that we don’t pose a threat just because we are acting differently, would mean workers are more likely to respond compassionately and helpfully, and less likely to treat autistic travelers as ‘the problem’ if we become overwhelmed,” she explains.

Staff at some hotels, such as Hyatt, Virgin Hotels and Hilton, and attractions, such as amusement parks and the Grammy Museum, undergo in-depth training to support the needs of people with autism and become autism certified.

Autism-certified resorts

For many adults with autism, traveling to an autism-friendly resort can be a good choice because entertainment, restaurants and lodging are all in the same place. This cuts down on the number of times guests need to transition to a new place, which can be hard for some people with autism. It also increases the likelihood that a traveler with autism will be supported throughout every aspect of their trip.

Atlantis Dubai, an autism-certified resort, has a quiet zone where guests who are overwhelmed by the noise can find a quiet space.

Atlantis Dubai

Margaritaville Island Reserve Cap Cana, Beaches Resorts and Atlantis Dubai are all autism certified. Staff training ensures different foods on a dinner plate don’t touch and that the staff is on alert for guests who may wander off.

Creating guides

Getting used to new places can be overwhelming for people with autism. “Providing social stories (plain-language explainers, often with pictures), about what travelers will experience at their destination,” can help, Gross says.

A sensory guide lets guests know they may be exposed to strong smells near a hotel restaurant or loud sounds near the elevator. Beaches Resorts and Atlantis Dubai both rank sensory inputs for touch, sight, smell, sound and taste for different areas of the property on a scale of one to ten. Armed with this information, individuals with autism are “empowered and have the knowledge they need to navigate the experience for their own specific needs,” Tekin says.

Providing sensory aids

Some people with autism are particularly sensitive to loud sounds, bright lights, scents and crowds.

Hotels are starting to pay attention to sensory aids their guests with autism need for a comfortable stay. Hyatt recently launched the “Hyatt Has It” program where guests with autism can request noise-canceling headphones, fidgets and weighted blankets at select locations. Select Marriott hotels have similar items available upon request. For example, JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in California can provide weighted blankets, sound machines, fidgets and other sensory aids.

Caretakers

Some people with autism require higher levels of support. This may include close supervision at all times and help with everyday tasks such as eating. It can be difficult to find assistance for adults with autism who need help while traveling, but some programs provide options.

Beaches Resorts has created sensory guides which let guests know they may be exposed to strong smells or loud sounds. On a scale of one to ten, Beaches ranks sensory inputs for touch, sight, smell, sound and taste for different areas of the property.

Beaches Resorts

At Beaches Resorts adults with autism who need more intensive support can hire a specially trained Beach Buddy to give their regular caregivers a break during the trip. Another option is Autism on the Seas, which can arrange for caretakers for adults with autism on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival and other cruise lines. The organization also arranges private, adult-only activities on select cruises.

Making airports more accessible

Flying can be particularly stressful for people with autism. At the airport, long lines, a bright, noisy environment and unpredictable schedules can be difficult to manage. On an airplane, unfamiliar smells and sounds and the need to deal with other passengers in a small space may cause sensory overload.

Many airports and airlines have implemented programs that can help. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, available in more than 240 airports worldwide, allows travelers with autism to subtly indicate they may need support by wearing a sunflower lanyard or pin. Travelers can purchase these items in advance or pick them up for free at select airports. Some airports, including the Dubai airports, created an autism-friendly route through the airport with specially trained staff and minimal waits from check-in through boarding.

Travelers with autism also can request that airlines add the Disabled Passenger with Intellectual or Developmental Disability Needing Assistance (DPNA) code to their airline ticket. That code would alert staff on almost any airline that the traveler may need additional assistance, such as early boarding. In the United States, travelers can register for TSA Cares. This program helps travelers with autism navigate airport security more easily. Support may look different depending on need, but registered travelers can bypass security lines or wear noise-canceling headphones through security.

Dena Gassner, a 65-year-old grandmother with autism and member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, has used the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program and TSA Cares while traveling. She also regularly asks to preboard when flying. “Preboarding reduces my anxiety tremendously because I can get settled in and get my noise-canceling headphones on,” she says. By boarding early, Gassner also can ensure she won’t have to check her carry-on at the last minute, which can create anxiety.

However, despite programs designed to make travel easier for adults with autism, Gassner still experiences hurdles. At times, she has had difficulty getting through airport security and has felt as though some airline staff did not believe she was disabled. “Finding the personnel at [TSA Cares] at major airports like LGA [LaGuardia Airport] and JFK, even with advanced notice, is difficult,” she says.

To overcome the support systems Gassner finds lacking, she has sought out ways of traveling that work for her. For example, she has a membership with CLEAR, which allows almost any user to get through TSA security faster by enrolling and paying a fee. At hotels, she requests rooms in quiet areas away from ice machines and elevators.

Gassner thinks more needs to be done. She would like to see more training throughout the travel industry on how to better support travelers with autism and other invisible disabilities.

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Jamie Davis Smith is a mother and writer living in Washington. She has written for National Geographic, The Washington Post, Business Insider, Fodor’s Travel and several other outlets She can be reached at byjamiesmith@gmail.com.