The story begins on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. What should have been a moment of escape and leisure turned into an exercise in frustration and disbelief for Mike Clapper. As a traveler with a disability, he found himself stranded by a ship that had checked the box on compliance but failed to deliver true accessibility. That moment crystallized a truth he already knew too well. In the world of hospitality, accessibility is often treated as an afterthought, and the cost of neglect is borne not only by guests but also by the businesses that serve them.
Today, Clapper is no longer just a guest. He is a strategist, consultant, and founder of Able2Global, an advisory firm dedicated to helping hotels, cruise lines, and resorts turn overlooked guest experiences into lasting revenue, loyalty, and competitive edge. His mission is clear: accessibility is not charity, and it is not merely a matter of regulatory compliance. It is a $100 billion market opportunity waiting to be unlocked.
Clapper’s insight comes from lived experience. For much of his life, travel has been defined by negotiation and disappointment. He recalls arriving at hotels that promised ADA accessibility only to discover that the room featured a flashing light for hearing-impaired guests but no roll-in shower for mobility needs. He remembers booking accessible accommodations and being placed in rooms with two small beds, despite traveling with his wife. These details may appear minor to a front-desk clerk, but they shape the entire arc of a guest’s experience.
“The problem isn’t empathy,” Clapper says. “It’s systems that were never built with all travelers in mind. Staff are often untrained, booking platforms are inconsistent, and leadership teams see accessibility as a line item rather than a strategy.”
Those frustrations did more than shape his worldview; they also profoundly influenced his life. They gave him a roadmap for change.
Clapper’s professional career, before founding Able2Global, spanned two decades in healthcare and technology. The work sharpened his skills in operations, branding, and customer experience. He learned to systematize improvements, track results, and integrate innovation into everyday operations.
That background gave him a different lens on accessibility. Where others saw compliance checklists, Clapper saw inefficiencies, wasted revenue, and missed loyalty. He understood that hospitality brands were not only losing guests but also damaging their reputations in an era when a single negative review could spread across social media in mere seconds.
Able2Global was founded to bridge the gap between compliance and competitive advantage. Clapper recognized that hotels, cruise lines, and event venues had an urgent need for a partner who could align inclusive design with measurable business outcomes. His three-pillar model: Inclusive Design, Elevated Guest Experience, and Tech Integration is designed to help brands elevate satisfaction while future-proofing their operations.
Unlike traditional DEI consultants or advocacy-driven influencers, Clapper positions accessibility as both a human imperative and a growth strategy. “Accessibility doesn’t dilute your brand,” he explains. “Done right, it elevates the brand and strengthens your bottom line.”
The industry’s shortcomings are visible everywhere. ADA-compliant rooms often sit underutilized because guests cannot trust that their needs will be met. Staff are rarely trained to support guests with mobility, sensory, or neurodiverse requirements. Even in luxury environments, decision-makers worry that accessibility updates will compromise aesthetics, leaving them paralyzed by inaction.
These blind spots are costly. Missed bookings, inconsistent experiences, and reputational damage erode revenue far more than the investments required to improve accessibility.
Clapper argues that inclusive design is not only about social good but also about ROI. The market of disabled travelers and older guests with accessibility needs represents more than $100 billion in annual spending. Add their travel companions and the number swells even further.
Equally important is loyalty. “When disabled travelers find a brand they trust, they return again and again,” Clapper notes. “The hospitality industry thrives on repeat business. Accessibility creates that loyalty.”
In other words, accessible rooms are not cost centers. They are engines of revenue.
Clapper’s work goes beyond physical design. He is focused on how brands treat people. He emphasizes training that instills staff with confidence and empathy when interacting with guests of all abilities. He consults on operations to streamline check-in systems, reduce inefficiencies, and improve the way properties deliver service.
“In too many places, hospitality has become purely transactional,” Clapper says. “Guests deserve more than a credit card swipe at the front desk. They deserve to feel recognized, valued, and welcomed. Accessibility is the path to that kind of experience.”
With Able2Global, Clapper is building more than a consulting firm. He’s laying the groundwork for a future where inclusive hospitality isn’t the exception but the industry standard. To help shape that future, he launched The Inclusioneer Lab, a thought leadership platform featuring educational tools, frameworks, and commentary on universal design, innovation, and guest experience. The goal is to provide a blueprint for change, not just within individual brands, but shape a broader cultural shift across the entire industry.
The timing could not be more urgent. Travelers are demanding personalization, transparency, and empathy. AI is reshaping operations. Competition is fierce. Brands that fail to adapt risk losing ground to those that treat accessibility as a lever for growth.
Clapper still remembers the frustration of being stranded on that cruise ship. But today, that memory fuels a mission. What once symbolized the industry’s failures now serves as the foundation for systemic change.
“This was never just about me,” he reflects. “It’s about every guest who’s ever felt like an afterthought. And it’s about every brand that wants to lead the future of hospitality, not get left behind.”
For leaders willing to look beyond compliance, the invitation is clear: the path to revenue, loyalty, and resilience runs through accessibility. To learn more about how Able2Global can help your brand build loyalty through inclusivity, visit able2global.com or inclusioneerlab.com.
