In today’s global business landscape, creating events that are truly accessible isn’t just a matter of checking a box. It’s a fundamental business imperative. By intentionally designing experiences that welcome everyone, organizations can unlock new opportunities, drive deeper engagement, and build a reputation as an industry leader. For event planners, this means shifting from a mindset of basic compliance to one of proactive inclusion.
The GBTA Foundation’s Accessibility program is designed to help the travel industry make this shift and today we’d like to explore the 2025 GBTA Convention in Denver, Colorado as a real-life case study on what commitment to accessibility means when planning a major industry event.
Designing an Inclusive Experience: An Event Planner’s Reflections
As an event planner, my mission is to create spaces where every attendee feels welcomed, supported, and empowered. Nicole Seely, GBTA Director of Event Operations, in the days after the 2025 GBTA Convention in Denver, Colorado
Planning a premier global event is no easy feat. It’s a logistical puzzle involving multi-day sessions, a wealth of educational content, and a massive tradeshow. But the most impactful events are the ones that prioritize accessibility from the ground up. By focusing on inclusive features, planners can supercharge the impact of their events, turning first-time attendees into powerful advocates for progress
Prioritizing Mobility & Physical Access
From the start, Nicole and the team selected the Colorado Convention Center as the host venue based on its full ADA compliance. Everything from wheelchair lifts and wider doorways to accessible restrooms is thoughtfully provided. For attendees needing mobility aids, scooter and wheelchair rentals were readily available through the venue.
Bridging Language & Hearing Gaps
Inclusivity isn’t just about physical access; it’s about meaningful participation. That’s why we wrapped real-time translation and captioning into our convention fabric using Wordly AI. Attendees could use their smartphones or computers to listen to audio translations or read captions in 50+ languages. Whether you’re multilingual or hearing-impaired, this tech ensures nobody misses a moment.
Catering to Dietary Needs
Catering to diverse dietary needs is a critical component of inclusive event design. At the Convention, all main meals were planned with the chef to ensure all launch options were prepared to be Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Nut Free. This not only provided greater range for those with dietary restrictions but also reduced the number of special meal requests we would have had to create separate plates for. We also ensured that kosher and halal meals were provided, adhering to those practices.
Creating Safe & Soothing Spaces
We understand the power of quiet. That’s why we set up a Mothers Lounge and a Sensory Room. These spaces offer a retreat, whether for nursing, calming sensory overload, or a moment of quiet reflection.
Championing Speaker Diversity
Our stages reflect the rich tapestry of our industry. We are proud to elevate voices from underrepresented groups, ensuring the content resonates broadly and inclusively.
What This Means in Practice
From planning committees to on-site coordination, every team member has internalized one guiding question: How do we make this accessible to everyone?
That lens shapes session formats, hospitality logistics, communications, and even how we welcome attendees when the doors open.
Taking Steps Toward Inclusive Events
The GBTA Convention is an example of actioning accessibility principles to ensure the industry event caters to attendees with various needs, offering a truly inclusive experience for all. And it’s just a single use case for accessibility in business travel. To deep dive into other aspects, download the full Accessibility Toolkit from the GBTA Foundation.
Created in collaboration with the Inclusion & Culture Committee and the Accessibility Task Force, the Toolkit is a guide to help travel managers and buyers get started on creating more accessible policies and practices in their business travel programs. It includes recommendations based on industry best practices around travel policy, traveler communication, supplier engagement, and point-of-sale. Travel buyers, TMCs, consultants, TMCs/OBTs, and suppliers should use this toolkit as a guide to inspire action, both in improving accessibility in individual programs but also in the collective effort to create a seamless travel landscape for all business travelers.
About GBTA
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premiere business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area and serving stakeholders across six continents. GBTA and its 8,000+ members represent and advocate for the $1.48 trillion global travel business and meetings industry. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. For more information visit gbta.org.
About the GBTA Foundation
The mission of the GBTA Foundation, the US 501c3 charitable arm of the Global Business Travel Association, is to help the global business travel industry create a positive impact and better future for people and the planet. The GBTA Foundation focuses on the strategy and execution of GBTA’s global sustainability programs, supporting initiatives related to climate action; diversity, equity and inclusion; and other talent-related topics via education, research and advocacy. For more information visit gbtafoundation.org.
