Travel Marquette to add virtual accessibility tours

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – An online accessibility tourist guidebook will soon offer even better guidance to Marquette visitors.

Three Upper Michigan travel organizations were awarded funding from the Accessible Traveler Grant of The Michigan Strategic Fund Board. Among the recipients is Travel Marquette, which will use its $28,950 to add 360-degree videos to its online guidebook.

Travel Marquette CEO Susan Estler said the organization regularly works to ensure travelers of all abilities can plan their visit to the area.

“We started the program because there was a need for people to understand how businesses are,” Estler said. “Are they accessible? Where are the places? What might be the challenges?”

The Guide to Access is available on mobile devices. It tells users how accessible Marquette County businesses are for people with wheelchairs and other mobility needs.

Thanks to the grant, users will soon be able to interact with the locations and look for accessibility barriers digitally.

“We’re trying to give an experience to someone who’s thinking about coming to the area and might have some issues with mobility or things like that,” Estler said.

The organization collaborated with Superior Alliance for Independent Living (SAIL) to provide accessibility feedback on locations. SAIL Accessibility Advocate Jamie Glenn believed funding accessible websites enhances the work already done.

“There’s so many cool things to see and enjoy, and these site reviews and these virtual tours are an opportunity to ensure that more spaces are accessible and inclusive,” Glenn said.

Glenn hoped to work with more websites to add virtual tourist locations.

“It allows people with disabilities to just get out and enjoy the great communities we have here in the U.P.,” Glenn said.

Travel Marquette will add 27 more spots to the online guide. The website enhancements are underway.

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