Expedia Group Continues To Cultivate an Inclusive Workplace While Reimagining Travel in a Way That Welcomes All Recognized as a Disability Equality Index® Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion, Expedia Group shares new research showing consumer’s increasing preference for inclusive options and representation throughout the travel experience

News release by Expedia Group

Northampton, MA | July 20, 2022 04:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

SEATTLE, July 20, 2022 /3BL Media/ - Expedia Group is committed to making the travel industry more inclusive, equitable and accessible to all, starting with its workplace experience. Receiving a 90 percent score on the Disability Equality Index Expedia Group earned the designation of being named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion in recognition of its journey to create a workplace where every person is empowered and valued.

“Expedia Group’s mission is to power global travel for everyone, everywhere. This starts internally with our work to remove barriers experienced by employees with disabilities,” said Michael Davis Velasco, Chief People, Inclusion & Diversity Officer, Expedia Group. “Looking outward, we’re challenging ourselves and our industry to reimagine travel. Aligning our research with our capabilities, Expedia Group recently shared a Lodging Accessibility Guide with our partners with best practices for serving travelers with various accessibility needs. A better understanding of the diversity of our travelers’ needs helps us power more equitable experiences for our travelers and communities.”

The company’s internal discovery process began with a voluntary and anonymous employee survey which revealed that approximately eight percent of those who responded identified as having evident and non-evident disabilities. Expedia Group is continuing to develop its disability inclusion strategy starting with ensuring employees with disabilities have access to the tools and the accommodations they need to succeed and thrive in their jobs and enhancing the experience of its travelers.

The DEI is the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool for the Fortune 1000 and Am Law 2001 to measure disability workplace inclusion against competitors. The DEI was launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and is acknowledged today as the most robust disability inclusion assessment tool in business. Now in its eighth year, the DEI exists to help businesses make a positive impact on the unemployment/underemployment of people with disabilities.

“Disability inclusion is a rapidly expanding aspect of corporate culture, and it’s gratifying to partner with 415 companies on the 2022 Disability Equality Index,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN. “These top-scoring companies not only excel in disability inclusion, many are also adopting emerging trends and pioneering measures that can move the disability agenda from accommodation to inclusion and ultimately, genuine belonging."

Expedia Group’s worldview is travel serves as a force for good. Travel strengthens connections and broadens horizons, yet historic, physical and societal barriers often limit equitable access to travel. People with disabilities encompass one billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s population. Disability crosses all demographics including age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and religion. Yet this community is the most underserved in travel. With a platform that includes more than 20+ brands, Expedia Group is setting out to make travel more accessible to all by increasing its own capabilities.

Expedia Group™ Media Solutions Inclusive Travel Insights Report

New research released today by Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, the global travel advertising platform connecting marketers with millions of travelers across the Expedia Group brands, shows that consumers are paying attention to how inclusive current travel offerings are when searching and booking. While the travel industry has made strides, there is a need for continued improvement across the industry – only 54 percent of consumers said they have seen options that are accessible to all abilities.

A travel brand’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, and accessibility is influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions, with seven in 10 consumers saying they are willing to pay more when making a travel choice that is more inclusive to all types of travelers.

Additional insights from the Inclusive Travel Insights Report:

Accessibility in travel

92% of consumers agree it’s important for travel providers to meet accessibility needs for all travelers.
54% of Baby Boomers and Generation X believe that accessibility is very important when making travel decisions, compared to 49% of the general population.

Diversity in Travel

7 in 10 consumers would choose a destination, lodging, or transportation option that is more inclusive to all types of travelers, even if it’s more expensive.

Key Takeaways

Travel brands should be thoughtful in representing a variety of perspectives, recognizing that diversity includes race, gender identity, age, abilities, activities, and more.
Travel brands need to better highlight amenities and accessibility options for travelers of all backgrounds and all abilities.

For additional global insights on how consumers feel about inclusive travel, download the full Inclusive Travel Insights Report.

Expedia Group also recently released its annual Inclusion & Diversity Report and Global Impact Report outlining the company’s efforts and progress towards a more accessible, inclusive and equitable future.

Additionally, Expedia Group is putting the power of its platform behind its efforts to ensure a more inclusive industry by sharing resources including its new Lodging Accessibility Guide with its vast network of partners, including mobility, sight, and hearing accessibility best practices.

Research Methodology

The research for the Inclusive Travel Insights Report was conducted in collaboration with Wakefield Research, which included an online survey of 11,000 representative, general population adults ages 18+ in 11 global markets – Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the UK and U.S. – fielded between February 11 and March 6, 2022.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. companies power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, we help people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. We provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers. Our organization is made up of four pillars: Expedia Services, focused on the group’s platform and technical strategy; Expedia Marketplace, centered on product and technology offerings across the organization; Expedia Brands, housing all our consumer brands; and Expedia for Business, consisting of business-to-business solutions and relationships throughout the travel ecosystem. The Expedia Group family of brands includes Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, trivago®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™.

About Expedia Group Media Solutions

Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, the advertising organization of Expedia Group, offers industry expertise and digital marketing solutions that allow brands to reach, engage, and influence its qualified audience of travelers around the world. Through its vast network of leading travel brands and global points of sale, Expedia Group Media Solutions provides marketing partners with proprietary data-driven insights about traveler behaviors during every stage of the purchase journey, along with dynamic advertising solutions, to deliver strategic campaigns and measurable results. For more information, visit www.advertising.expedia.com.

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