Stamford, CT – Jan. 27, 2021 – Autism Double-Checked (ADC), the leading on-line Autism training company for the hospitality industry, has announced that all Mexico-based properties in the Karisma Hotels & Resortsportfolio are now certified as Autism Aware, adding confidence to travel advisors in addressing lodging options for the Autism community when they travel.
“Karisma is strongly committed towards responsibility as we have established in our company’s Sustainability Policy, where inclusion and acceptance of differences directly contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 10,” explained Beat Muller, ADC Sr. Director of Operations for Mexico. “We also constantly work to exceed our guests expectations by adapting ourselves to their needs. This is the main reason why we decided to prepare our staff members to welcome our guests with autism, because we want all of our guests to feel at home.”
“Inclusion is only possible if you understand the population that you wish to include,” said ADC Co-Founder and CEO, Alan Day. “It takes specialized training to understand autism, in general, and the difficulties of travel with autism, in particular. Karisma Hotels & Resorts have been tremendous with their dedication to undertaking this training, especially when done in the face of all of the challenges of 2020. Hats off to Karisma for pursuing their vision of diversity and inclusion!”
Every member of staff at every resort who interacts with the public has completed the Autism Double-Checked Foundation Course in “Assisting Guests with Autism.” Karisma properties that completed the training include Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Cancún, Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancún, Generations Riviera Maya, El Dorado Royale & El Dorado Casitas Royale, El Dorado Maroma & Palafitos Overwater Bungalows and El Dorado Seaside Suites & Hidden Beach Resort.
John Mason of Bedford, Mass, and father of a young autistic adult said: “Thank you. The work that you are doing is so important. Travel with our son can be difficult but it is not impossible. Some of our requests may sound strange to those who don’t understand autism but are perfectly normal to people who do know even a little about it. Your training will help travel and hospitality with that important knowledge. Lots of people with a basic understanding of autism would make travel easier for us and we would be able to travel more frequently.”
Karisma Hotels will take a further, even bigger, step forward in 2021. All staff that have completed the Foundation Course training will progress on to the second Core Course phase. This training is job-specific and is the only training available to the travel industry that drills down to potential situations that may arise in a job-specific situation.
The Autism community in the U.S. is approximately 10 million people who, according to Autism Double Checked, are eager to travel and are brand loyal to companies that understand their needs. The online training is offered in English and Spanish and accessible 24/7 to accommodate work schedules. Hospitality staff who have received the training report they feel enriched by their newly acquired knowledge to provide an extra level of service to travelers with special needs, and appreciation for the opportunity to increase their job training.
About Autism Double-Checked (ADC):
Stamford CT-based ADC was founded in 2014 by two travel industry veterans: CEO Alan Day has over 20 years of experience in retail travel and – as the father of an autistic son – he recognized the lack of special needs training in the travel industry. Co-founder is David Tait OBE, a career airline executive and author, who among other things started Virgin Atlantic Airways with Richard Branson in 1984 and ran the airline in the USA for 20 years. Together Day and Tait formed ADC with the mission of better preparing travel entities to receive autistic guests while simultaneously readying the autistic guest for what to expect at their destination – the latter is done by way of a customized Visitor’s Guide.
About Karisma Hotels & Resorts
Karisma Hotels & Resorts is an award-winning luxury hotel collection that owns and manages an impressive portfolio of properties in Latin America and the Caribbean. Property brands include El Dorado Spa Resorts by Karisma; Margaritaville Island Reserve by Karisma; Azul Beach Resorts by Karisma; Generations Resorts by Karisma; Karisma Villas; Allure Hotels by Karisma; Hidden Beach Resort by Karisma; Sensatori Resorts; and Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts. Properties have been honored with the industry’s top accolades includingConde Nast Traveler’s “Top 100 Hotels in the World,” Conde Nast Traveler’s “Top 30 Hotels in Cancun,” TripAdvisor® Traveler’s Choice “Best Hotels for Romance,” and AAA’s “Five Diamond Award” and “Four Diamond Award.” Karisma Hotels & Resorts is committed to employee and community support while delivering authentic experiences to guests, receiving worldwide recognition for its compassionate and creative approach to hospitality management and product innovations. At Karisma Hotels & Resorts, your paradise awaits. Whether you are looking for an unforgettable honeymoon destination or a spectacular destination to create new memories, our world-class resorts offer extraordinary experiences for every style of travel.