The entire city of Mesa understood the value of becoming more inclusive and set to work on getting the required 80 percent of public-facing employees trained to become an official Certified Autism Center (CAC). In November 2019, the city became the first Autism-Certified City in the world, and other tourism bureaus and cities have started to follow suit. Mesa was the first city in the US to adopt the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program in 2021, first introduced in the UK, with the tourism office and other attractions providing free sunflower-themed lanyards and bracelets to visitors. The sunny symbol alerts hospitality employees and other informed members of the community that this person or family might need some extra assistance or patience navigating a destination.
To read more…
Source: BBC