Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences has proudly become the first resort in the world to receive IncluCare verification. The UK-based company, IncluCare, provides the travel industry with inclusive and accessible travel training, evaluation, and accreditation.
Amilla Maldives' title as the first disability-friendly resort was announced at a special event hosted at London's Great Scotland Yard Hotel on November 28, 2022. The evening's high point was a panel discussion on how tourism and hospitality professionals can bring accessibility and inclusiveness to the forefront of the agenda for the travel and media industries. IncluCare founder Richard Thompson, Ed Warner, founder of award-winning accessible design specialists, Motionspot, and representatives of the Amilla Maldives Resort and Great Scotland Yard Hotel participated in the discussion, which was moderated by Condé Nast Traveler's sustainability editor Juliet Kinsman.
A serious mental or physical handicap affects one in five persons, and the disability industry has an estimated annual spending power of USD 10 trillion, according to IncluCare. The panel heard how most hotels globally still do not accommodate persons with disabilities, despite the fact that they spend more money, stay longer, and frequently travel with support. It can be done anywhere, as evidenced by the verification of the Amilla Maldives, a remote island in the Maldives, and the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, a historic listed building in one of the oldest cities.
“In a world awash with certifications, and hundreds in the travel sector alone, IncluCare stands for a really significant seal of approval — verified accessibility and inclusivity. We still have a long way to go when it comes to the hotel industry offering experiences that everyone can book, whatever their abilities, and this sets a really important benchmark in terms of sustainability and responsibility which I hope will inspire more hotels to do the right thing when it comes to considering all the needs of every potential guest,” said Juliet Kinsman, Sustainability Editor, Condé Nast Traveller.
Owed to its certification by IncluCare, Amilla Maldives, has garnered the attention of the Maldivian government. Minister of Gender and Family, Aishath Mohamed Didi, even paid a visit to the resort. She is currently advocating for legislative change to improve accessibility and inclusivity for Maldivians since she is in charge of disability rights. There are currently thought to be at least 2,000 disabled individuals living in the island nation who will likely have difficulty finding employment. Amilla Maldives is looking into how to make adjustments to the Heart of House (staff area) to create a welcoming workplace that can provide employment possibilities for people with disabilities.
