Amilla Maldives to become world's most accessible resort for disabled travellers

Amilla Maldives Resort is on track to becoming the world's first Inclucare-certified resort. Photo / Supplied

For able-bodied travellers, the accessibility of a hotel, restaurant or airport would never cross their mind. They step over doorway ledges, walk along beaches and prefer top-level hotel rooms without a second thought.

However, for people with additional mobility, sensory or cognitive requirements (about 24 per cent of Kiwis), these seemingly little things can make the experience extremely difficult, if not impossible.

This is why it's important to acknowledge the wins; places that make the world of travel just a little easier for people of every ability. Places like Amilla Maldives Resort.

Between the seaside jetties, sandy beaches, traditional villas and jungle paths, the Maldives may be one of the world's most beautiful destinations, but it isn't exactly disability-friendly.

Amilla Maldives Resort hopes to change that by becoming the world's first Inclucare-certified resort.

How does a company become Inclucare-certified?

Getting certified isn't as easy as whacking in a disabled toilet, setting up some ramps and calling it a day. First, Inclucare officials audit the entire resort island and identify any physical adjustments or adaptations that must be made. Then, every single member of the team must go through training to ensure they know how to make guests feel comfortable and welcome.

While Amilla already had many accessible features like ground-floor villas, a beach wheelchair and light-up phones for hearing impaired, they have a dozen new innovations planned.

Deaf-alert systems, adaptive yoga and snorkelling, and sensory experiences for vision-impaired guests are on the cards. Another exciting addition will be "calming spaces" designed to reduce anxiety and stress for guests who are sensitive to high sensory experiences.

Achieving certification involves a lot of mahi, but resort director Gahthan Halleem said it was worth it.

"This is something close to our hearts; differences are welcome and we aim to make everyone feel at home here, " he said.

The Inclucare inauguration ceremony will be held today, hosted by British TV personality and disability advocate Sophie Morgan. Fittingly, July 26 is also Maldives' Independence Day.

Morgan said she was excited to be a part of something that furthered the inclusive travel movement.

"Knowing that disabled people are, for the first time, going to be able to
experience the paradise that is the Maldives, and that our needs will be taken care of
throughout our stay, is beyond transformative," she said.

Founded by Richard Thompson, who is himself spinal cord injured, Inclucare works to remove barriers to travel and achieve equity for disabled people across the globe.

CHECKLIST: AMILLA MALDIVES
GETTING THEREFly to the Maldives with Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines, via Singapore.
DETAILS
Amilla Maldives Resort is set in the Unesco World Biosphere Reserve of Baa
Atoll. amilla.com