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Website accessibility - find out why your hotel website should be ADA-complaint

November 07, 2011 | Hotel Marketing

ADA compliance has long been a concern for hoteliers. Navigating the complex rules and regulations can be cumbersome, but vital for complying with the law and for catering to special needs guests.

A new facet of ADA compliance has been introduced for websites—referred to as “Website Content Accessibility” or “508 Compliance.” And while not mandated by law yet, it is something your hotel needs to be aware of and begin to implement to stay current in providing for special needs guests.

The Details

ADA website accessibility compliance ensures that website visitors with disabilities are able to view and book through your website with the same ease as other guests. The goal is to make content accessible to a wider range of people. There are three levels of compliance, and all guidelines and standards are outlined by the government and tested through accessibility checkers provided by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Advanced accessibility can be made available for a variety of differing disabilities. There are many user groups that can be affected:

- Blind or low vision users
- Deaf or hearing impaired users
- Sighted keyboard users
- Learning disabled users
- Screen reader users
- Specific color users

Why It Matters

Special needs users constitute a good portion of web users visiting your website everyday. Designing a website so they can read content, navigate your site easily, and have the ability to book a room will provide equal access and equal opportunity to all people.

Legislation is currently in development for the aviation industry, and many experts believe that it’s only a matter of time before some level of website accessibility is mandated by law for the hospitality industry.

What This Means for Your Property

Just as there are best practices for optimizing your website for mobile, SEO, or usability, there are best practices to make your website accessible by all. Taking the initiative to ensure your website is accessible means all users can access the content and applications on your site. Case studies show that accessible websites have better search results, reduced maintenance costs, and increased audience reach, among other benefits.

You can check the current level of accessibility of your site through automated, free tools such as those found here. But please note that automated tools detect only some accessibility problems and can sometimes produce false positive results. Another approach is to seek out web experts to audit your site and provide recommendations.

Just like security and privacy, accessibility can be a complex subject, but your property should be aware of guidelines, and take proactive steps to ensure the best user experience for all travel shoppers and guests.

Related Link: Vizergy

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