The initiative does not limit itself to checking for ramps or adapted bathrooms, but rather proposes a broader concept of accessibility. Under this approach, accessibility is understood as the ability of different people to access, understand, navigate and enjoy a space and a service in a reliable way, regardless of their physical, sensory or cognitive conditions. The process therefore incorporates criteria linked to physical accessibility, but also looks at cognitive accessibility, sensory accessibility, food-related needs and the accessibility of information and communication.
A distinctive feature of the model is the creation of a digital Continuous Improvement Plan for each participating accommodation. Instead of offering a binary “pass or fail” outcome, the verification framework provides a diagnosis and a roadmap that hosts can follow to keep strengthening their properties over time. This emphasis on continuous improvement is particularly relevant in tourism, where service conditions evolve, new technologies emerge and traveller expectations change quickly. By treating accessibility as a journey rather than a destination, the programme encourages hosts to adopt a proactive mindset: to anticipate needs, reduce friction points and refine the guest experience through measurable, realistic steps.
For Airbnb, this collaboration reflects both a social priority and a strategic opportunity. From the platform’s perspective, improving accessibility helps remove barriers that limit who can travel, while also expanding the potential market for hosts by serving travellers who are often underserved. The company has highlighted that accessibility benefits not only people with disabilities, but also a wider range of visitors, including older travellers, families travelling with young children, people recovering from injuries, or guests who require clearer information and more predictable environments. Strengthening accessible supply can therefore support inclusivity while also making destinations more competitive, particularly in a context where travellers increasingly value responsible tourism and service transparency.
RED, meanwhile, underscores that accessibility does not happen by accident. It requires intention, technical knowledge and a genuine commitment to inclusion. From RED’s standpoint, the pilot demonstrates how alliances between a global platform and a specialised local organisation can create practical results, translating principles into actions that guests can feel in real time. By incorporating feedback from people with disabilities and complementing it with host training, the programme also helps ensure that accessibility is not reduced to infrastructure alone. The human factor—how information is communicated, how needs are received and addressed, and how service is delivered—can be as decisive as the physical layout of a property.
The methodology also stands out for incorporating experiential and participatory components led by people with disabilities. This is a significant value-add, because it brings the evaluation closer to real-world use and reveals obstacles that may not be obvious through technical checklists alone. In practice, it can highlight issues such as confusing signage, insufficient lighting, unclear house rules, inaccessible booking information, or service protocols that unintentionally create exclusion. Turning those insights into a structured improvement plan helps hosts move from good intentions to operational changes that are both feasible and verifiable.
This pilot cycle forms part of a broader set of efforts by Airbnb in Costa Rica aimed at inclusion and community impact. Alongside work on accessibility, the platform has also supported local initiatives in 2025, including collaborations tied to adaptive sports and community investment mechanisms intended to strengthen social outcomes at destination level. Within that broader context, the verification programme positions tourism accessibility as a shared responsibility and a field where measurable progress can be achieved through coordinated action.
Costa Rica has long been recognised for its sustainability leadership and its focus on quality of life. With initiatives such as this one, the country also seeks to consolidate itself as a regional reference in accessible tourism, aligning destination competitiveness with inclusion and social value. The results of the first cycle and the possibility of future expansion suggest that accessibility is not only a matter of rights and equity, but also an investment with direct implications for destination resilience, service quality and market diversification. In a tourism industry increasingly defined by experience, trust and reputation, making travel possible for more people—without barriers—becomes both a strategic advantage and a concrete expression of responsible tourism.
