Three hotels—a SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott and DoubleTree by Hilton—have become the first Orlando, Fla., hotels to earn the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards’ Certified Autism Center designation.
To achieve the certification, the hotels completed a program from the IBCCES to ensure staff had the training, tools and skills needed to work with guests with autism or other sensory needs.
“All of us at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Orlando at SeaWorld are committed to creating a brilliant and memorable experience for each and every one of our guests every day. We are excited to be in the first group of hotels in Orlando, Florida, to become autism-certified and be able to best serve individual guests with autism,” said Michael Wilke, GM of the two hotels. “This effort hits close to home for me as two of my family members have autism. I am proud to bring light and dedicate my time to serving those with special needs.”
“DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld is pleased to be among the first Orlando resorts to operate as a Certified Autism Center,” said GM Harold Bassler. “With the completion of the [IBCCES] training program, our property is now in compliance with all certification requirements, and our associates are trained to provide even more memorable experiences for all of our guests, including those with autism and other special needs. This notable achievement allows us to continue in our mission to offer service exceeding every guest’s expectation.”
IBCCES provides a series of certification programs specifically for the hospitality and travel industry. Its training and certification programs are endorsed by The Autism Society of America.