November 2024 marks the five-year anniversary of Mesa receiving the designation as the first-ever Autism Certified City in the nation, granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).
The initiative started in 2018 after Visit Mesa’s President and CEO Marc Garcia went on a family vacation with his son who is on the autism spectrum. After an unpleasant experience, Garcia vowed to ensure that Mesa would be a safe and welcoming destination for neurodiverse travelers. In the past five years, 50 businesses and 7,921 community members have completed autism-specific training, demonstrating the community’s strong commitment to inclusion as a shared core value.
“We are incredibly proud of the progress Mesa has made in creating a welcoming environment for all individuals,” Garcia said. “Becoming the first Autism Certified City in the U.S. was just the beginning. Our community’s dedication to accessibility and inclusion continues to grow, and Mesa is setting the standard for what it means to be an accessible destination for all.”
The celebration of the five-year anniversary kicked off with the "Live Life Limitless" event held at The Post on November 7 and will run through April 2025, culminating with Autism Acceptance Month. At the event, Visit Mesa reflected the city’s success over the past five years and announced the launch of its Accessibility Champion Program, the first of its kind initiated by any Destination Marketing Organization. The program empowers businesses to lead in accessibility best practices and supports Visit Mesa’s vision of becoming one of the most accessible cities in the nation. Participating businesses will designate a team member to lead accessibility initiatives, ensuring staff stays informed, trained, and equipped to create an inclusive environment for all guests.
Here is what residents and visitors can expect over the next five months:
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Exclusive Hotel Offers: Autism-certified hotels in Mesa will provide discounts and special packages designed to accommodate the unique needs of families traveling with autistic individuals, ensuring a comfortable and supportive stay.
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Check-in Challenge: Visitors can explore autism-certified attractions and collect virtual check-ins, with a special prize (while supplies last) for participants. This will encourage families to experience Mesa’s many autism-friendly locations.
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"Spec(trum) Ops" Cider and Soda: In partnership with Cider Corps in Downtown Mesa, Visit Mesa will be releasing a custom cider and soda to raise awareness for autism acceptance.
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Sensory Kits: Autism-certified hotels and museums including the Arizona Museum of Natural History, I.D.E.A Museum and Mesa Arts Center will offer sensory kits (while supplies last) to provide comfort for visitors with sensory sensitivities.
Wrapping up in April, Mesa will be “lighting it up blue” for Autism Acceptance Month. The organization will be pairing up with local brewmasters for the fourth-annual release of Spectrum IPA. The limited-edition brew will be sold at select Mesa businesses with a launch party held on World Autism Acceptance Day on April 2. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the brew will benefit the Mesa For All Foundation.
In addition to autism-related programs, Visit Mesa supports a variety of initiatives aimed at improving the travel experience for all individuals with disabilities. These include Aira, a guided visual interpretation service, and Threshold 360 virtual tours and AbleVu, which allow visitors to explore locations online before arriving. Visit Mesa was also the first U.S. destination to adopt the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program, a way for visitors and residents to self-identify that they have a disability that might require a little extra help. Most recently, Mesa became the first city worldwide to receive the Destination Verified Seal from Wheel the World, an inclusive online booking platform for travelers with disabilities.
“Our goal at Visit Mesa is to empower travelers of all abilities to confidently plan their trips to our destination,” said Alison Brooks, Vice President, Marketing & Destination Experience at Visit Mesa. “For Mesa to achieve the Autism Certified City designation, while also becoming the first city in the world to receive the Destination Verified Seal from Wheel the World, shows that we are dedicated to promoting inclusive travel. The ongoing support from our business partners and from the community plays a pivotal role in sustaining these efforts and ensuring our accessibility programs continue to grow and evolve. Mesa is not only a limitless destination with countless rewarding travel experiences, but visitors will also feel limitless knowing that they can navigate our city without barriers.”
Learn more about Visit Mesa’s designation as the nation’s first Autism Certified City and its mission to becoming the most accessible city at visitmesa.com.
