CHARLOTTE – “At Beaches Resorts, the word ‘inclusive’ has dual meanings—one speaks to our business model, and the other speaks to our mission,” said Joel Ryan, group manager-themed entertainment and children’s activities for Beaches Resorts, and a key player in the curation of the program’s offerings since its inception. “Our enduring commitment to do more in this very important space, and to do it better, has inspired many new programs across our resorts to create a vacation experience that’s safe and comfortable for all. This month, and year-round, we’re proud to see and hear from guests who, time and time again, trust to bring their families to a Beaches Resort.”
Debuting ahead of Autism Acceptance Month, which is celebrated annually during the month of April, Beaches’ Sensory Guides add to the brands’ array of offerings and overarching mission to create an inclusive vacation experience for guests with cognitive disabilities including the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which affects one in every 36 children. Throughout April, all resorts across the Beaches portfolio will offer daily sensory arts and crafts and added activities through the brand’s one-of-a-kind partnership with Sesame Street.
Beaches Resorts also offers one-on-one Beaches Buddies, accredited staff members who can join the family for an hour, a day or for their entire stay at an additional cost. Other programs include Beaches’ dedicated Culinary Concierge, through which families can pre-plan meals according to dietary preferences and allergies.
In 2017, Beaches Resorts evolved its Sesame Street programming to include Julia, a 4-year-old character on the autism spectrum, who introduced an exciting new activity for kids—Amazing Art with Julia. Beaches also offers the Island Routes Fast Track Arrival & Departure Service, for an additional fee, securing a professional airport agent to escort families through immigration, customs and security to ensure a seamless airport experience.
Phil and Barbara Angelo operate Leisure Travel Experts LLC, a full-service travel consulting service here in Mint Hill. They are proud members of the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce and proud to be a Certified Small Business here in Mint Hill.
