Afar magazine has presented Visit Myrtle Beach with a 2024 Travel Vanguard award for its initiatives to make travel more inclusive and accessible, particularly for travelers with autism spectrum disorder.
“This is the highest honor Afar can bestow on an organization,” said Greg Sullivan, co-founder of Afar, via a press release. “We thank you for going above and beyond to not only focus on your business success, but also your impact on travelers, destinations, and the world.”
A December article from Afar, in which the nominees were announced, cites a 2019 study that showed 87 percent of families affected by autism spectrum disorder choose to not take vacations, noting that destinations like Myrtle Beach were taking steps to make travel more accessible for the neurodivergent community. The article states that in 2016, Surfside Beach, South Carolina, became the first destination in the world certified by the Champion Autism Network as autism-friendly, which includes training for hospitality staff on how to interact with guests. Additionally, more than 160 Myrtle Beach-area businesses support “The Beach is for everyBODY” pledge which means offering things like sensory-friendly spaces. These experiences can be seen through the eyes of three families traveling to the Myrtle Beach area in the Peacock documentary series “Traveling the Spectrum”.
“Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, and surrounding communities have created a place that’s comfortable for people with autism, mobility issues and visual impairments—who don’t often travel—because we believe that travel is transformative and everyone deserves to experience our 60 miles of beaches plus so much more,” said Stuart Butler, CEO of Visit Myrtle Beach.
Main Image: Visit Myrtle Beach earns a 2024 Travel Vanguard award for its autism-friendly travel efforts, including “Traveling the Spectrum,” a six-part docuseries now streaming on Peacock; Credit: Visit Myrtle Beach
