OpenTravel Publishes 2011B Version for Disability Accommodation Requirements

OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel), the travel industry’s leading distribution specification and standards development organization, announces the publication of the 2011B version of its schema.

Included in this version were some changes to hotel schema that focused on a subset of the 2010 ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act) legislation that specifically applies to electronic hotel reservations and includes:

• Identifying and describing accessible features
• Reserving, upon request, accessible guest rooms or specific types of guest rooms and ensuring that the guest rooms requested are blocked and removed from all reservations system inventory
• Guaranteeing the specific accessible guest room

"OpenTravel's work on hotel accessibility information is historic, marking the first time disability has been formally addressed by the travel distribution industry and I am proud to have played a part," said Jonathan Kaye, a London, United Kingdom based disability consultant and quadriplegic, who has been working with the hotel and travel distribution industries to improve the booking process for travelers with disabilities for over 15 years, and played a leading role in instigating OpenTravel's hotel accessibility information work. "I wish to congratulate and thank Valyn Perini and her colleagues for this act of industry leadership.

"However, we all know that for this work to be truly effective and successful, it is fundamental that the travel distribution industry now implement it as fast as possible and hotels and other providers of accessible accommodation then ensure accurate and reliable information is provided to travelers with disabilities worldwide."

The 2011B version also contains updates to hotel, airline, tours/activities and golf messages, along with new messages for railways and ground transportation companies. To download the 2011B version free of charge, visit www.opentravel.org.