This Is the First U.S. State to be 'Accessibility Verified'-Here's What That Means

""Earning the distinction of being the first Accessibility Verified state reflects Oregon's deep and ongoing commitment to welcoming all travelers," Kevin Wright, the VP of brand stewardship at Travel Oregon, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. "Through this designation, we're building a tourism landscape where inclusion is meaningful and central to the visitor experience.""

""Traveling with a disability often means facing the unknown," Alvaro Silberstein, the CEO and co-founder of Wheel the World, said in the statement. "Our vision is to remove uncertainty and establish trust by helping every destination verify, improve, and promote accessibility-creating real impact for travelers with disabilities and measurable returns for communities. By becoming the first state to achieve Accessibility Verified status, Oregon is setting a precedent and proving how powerful this cycle can be for travelers and for the communities that welcome them.""

"To become verified, Wheel the World evaluated key accessibility features, including roll-in shower availability, the prevalence of step-free entrances, service animal policies, cognitive-friendly navigation, and hearing accessibility. The company then detailed accessible travel options on its website, which is broken down by specific guaranteed accessible features and includes recommended travel itineraries for each region."

Oregon attained statewide Accessibility Verified status, becoming the first full U.S. state to receive the designation from Wheel the World. The platform conducted a comprehensive review that assessed more than 750 hotels, restaurants, and tourism businesses across 43 communities. Evaluations focused on accessibility features such as roll-in showers, step-free entrances, service animal policies, cognitive-friendly navigation, and hearing accessibility. Wheel the World published detailed, feature-specific accessible travel options and recommended itineraries on its website. State tourism leadership emphasized the designation as evidence of commitment to welcoming all travelers and building a tourism landscape with inclusion central to the visitor experience.

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