Accessible Websites for Tourism
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule that requires state and local governments to make their websites and mobile apps accessible, using WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard. The rule covers web content, mobile apps, and third-party content/vendors used to provide services for state agencies, counties, cities, townships, and municipalities, special district governments and any contractors or vendors providing public‑facing digital services (e.g., third‑party payment portals, scheduling apps).
What is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide an international set of guidelines. They are developed by the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C), the governing body of the web. That includes common destination-website components like:
- Event calendars, reservation widgets, and trip-planning tools (especially when added/managed by the site owner or their vendors)
- Online forms (newsletter signups, contact forms, permit applications, RFPs, etc.)
- PDFs and slide decks (visitor guides, meeting packets, agendas/minutes)
- Social media content after April 24, 2026.
These guidelines, the basis of most web accessibility laws in the world, are based on four principles, often referred to as POUR:
- Perceivable: Available to the senses (vision and hearing primarily) either through the browser or through assistive technologies (e.g. screen readers, screen enlargers, etc.)
- Operable: Users can interact with all controls and interactive elements using either the mouse, keyboard, or an assistive device.
- Understandable: Content is clear and limits confusion and ambiguity.
- Robust: A wide range of technologies (including old and new user agents and assistive technologies) can access the content.
Key deadlines
The compliance date depends on the population size of the state or local government:
- 50,000+ people: April 24, 2026
- 0–49,999 people: April 26, 2027
- Special district governments: April 26, 2027
After the deadline, governments must continue to keep web content and apps accessible.
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How Organizations Can Comply
To prepare for compliance, organizations should:
Conduct accessibility audits
- Review websites, apps, and digital documents for WCAG 2.1 AA conformance
- Prioritize high‑impact public‑facing content
- Implement accessibility governance
Adopt digital accessibility policies
- Build accessibility checks into procurement processes
- Require vendors to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and include compliance language in contracts
Remediate and monitor
- Use automated and manual testing to review webpages, templates, PDFs, etc.
- Involve assistive‑technology users when possible
- Maintain continuous monitoring for new content
- Provide training for web teams, content creators, and leadership
Practical Examples
The Web Accessibility Initiative has a quick reference guide called “How to Meet WCAG.” This guide is comprehensive and layered. See below for general examples and additional support documents that break down these core concepts. Use this table as a fast checklist for common accessibility requirements. Each row includes the related WCAG 2.1 success criteria for reference.
| Rule | Description | Additional Reading | WCAG Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Access | Users can navigate menus, filters, calendars and forms without a mouse. Keyboard focus is visible. | Keyboard Accessibility – | 2.1.1 Keyboard (A) • 2.4.7 Focus Visible (AA) • 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap (A) |
| Images and Icons | Informative images include descriptive alt text. Decorative images are marked as decorative so screen readers skip them. | Write Helpful Alt Text | 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A) |
| Color Contrast | Text is readable against its background. Minimum contrast is 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. | WebAIM Contrast Checker | 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (AA) • 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (AA) |
| Headings | Pages use clear heading structure in logical order (H1 → H2 → H3). | Why Heading Order Matters | 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A) • 2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA) |
| Link Text | Links clearly describe their destination. Avoid vague phrases like “click here.” | Descriptive Links and Hypertext | 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (A) • 2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) (AAA – best practice) |
| Forms | Every field has a label. Errors are explained in text. Required fields are not indicated by color alone. | Creating Accessible Forms | 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A) • 3.3.1 Error Identification (A) • 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (A) • 1.4.1 Use of Color (A) |
| Video and Audio | Prerecorded video includes captions. Audio-only content has a transcript or alternative format. | Captions and Transcripts | 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) (A) • 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) (A) |
| Documents (PDFs, etc.) | PDFs are properly tagged, have logical reading order, contain real selectable text (not just scanned images), and use accessible tables. | Creating Accessible PDFs | 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A) • 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A) • 2.4.3 Focus Order (A) • 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A) |