Recently, our CEO, Alan Day, was invited to share the story of Autism Double-Checked with the leaders of SPIRE Hospitality at their conference for General Managers and Directors of Sales, held in Dallas, TX from September 8–10, 2025. It was a fantastic opportunity to introduce a room full of industry professionals to our mission, our beginnings, and—most importantly—the positive impact we’re making on travel for autistic individuals and their families.
Sharing Our Story
Alan recorded a short video to explain what Autism Double-Checked is, how it started, and why our work is so important for improving travel experiences for autistic travelers. Watch Alan’s presentation below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrSDtpPO6jc
Why It Matters
Travel can be challenging for families with autistic members. Simple steps—like ensuring staff are aware of sensory sensitivities, communicating clearly, and providing helpful information—can make the difference between a stressful trip and a joyful, memorable experience.
Autism Double-Checked provides training and certification programs designed specifically for the travel and hospitality industry. We give teams the tools to provide understanding, reassurance, and practical support to guests on the spectrum.
The Impact So Far
Since our launch, we’ve seen positive results:
Hotels and resorts are creating more welcoming and accessible environments.
Travel advisors and agents are becoming trusted resources for families who may otherwise avoid traveling.
Families themselves are gaining confidence to explore the world together.
Events like the SPIRE Hospitality General Manager Conference highlight how much interest there is in making travel more inclusive. Every conversation we have with industry leaders helps us reach more destinations, more staff, and more travelers who can enjoy meaningful experiences.
Alan Day – Co-Founder of Autism Double-Checked is an accomplished travel agent who began his career with Liberty Travel in 1999, then on moving to Connecticut in 2005, he formed his own agency.
Alan’s son has Autism Spectrum Disorder: When considering the impact that his son’s Autism had on their own family vacations, Alan decided to refocus his agency and specialize in providing assistance and support for families impacted by Autism. For this purpose, he founded ASD Vacations to exclusively a serve such families.
In addition to assisting individual families, Alan produced a unique program called ‘Magic for Autism’ that enables groups of families to travel together with support for flights and at the destination.
Alan also wrote a ‘Guide to Flying with Autism Spectrum Disorder’ and the Autism Passport as a means of communication between parents and destination resorts. Alan also writes a regular blog with tips and resources for families traveling with Autism.
