Destination Accessibility Intern - Summer 2025

REPORTS TO: Director of Destination Stewardship & Community Relations 

DEPARTMENT: Destination Stewardship

CLASSIFICATION: Part-Time Non-Exempt  

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW  

Visit Bellevue serves as Bellevue, Washington’s Official Destination Management Organization. Our mission is to stimulate economic growth and development in Bellevue’s visitor economy and inspire memorable visitor experiences. Visit Bellevue is guided by an advisory board comprised of civic and tourism industry leaders with oversight by the  Bellevue Convention Center Authority and Bellevue Tourism Promotion Area with ongoing recommendations from our four Bellevue Tourism Councils.

We strive to be a collective voice to develop, grow, and manage Bellevue’s Hospitality and Tourism community and build our industry to further increase our overall economic impact to $2 billion by the end of 2025. Through the impact of travel, by increasing the number of visitors, and through the implementation of Bellevue's Destination Development Plan, we strengthen Bellevue's economic position, bringing direct economic benefit to our city and providing an elevated quality of life for our community.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Visit Bellevue’s Destination Accessibility Intern will be responsible for the initial setup, organization, and early implementation of the key new Visit Bellevue destination accessibility program and will play an integral role in evaluating and improving Bellevue’s Tourism accessibility. Working with Visit Bellevue’s Destination Stewardship team, this individual will develop our Wheel the World’s destination verification program to help hotels, businesses and local attractions become more accessible and verified as an accessible partner within our destination.  

The ideal candidate will be highly committed to ensure that our destination is providing excellent customer service to visitors, collaboration with Visit Bellevue partners, stakeholders, and the hospitality industry. Primary roles of this position involve the staffing of programs to strengthen and improve accessibility as part of Bellevue’s destination brand, visibility and market position with an emphasis on continuing improvement of the overall visitor experience in Bellevue.

The ideal candidate will be an aspiring future professional with a passion for customer service, accessibility, communications and able to employ unique destination improvement programs. He/She/They will be able to drive creativity and enthusiasm in the execution of Visit Bellevue’s Visitor Experience initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES

• Learn and maintains a well-informed, working knowledge of the attractions, businesses, events, and services available in the greater Bellevue area to visitors; acts as a liaison between these entities, visitors to Bellevue, and Visit Bellevue. Works to align these to create ideal visitor experiences in Bellevue.
• Provides excellent customer service to visitors, clients, coworkers, and partners.
• Complete Wheel the “World’s Travelbility Program” (Online and paid for by Visit Bellevue) 
• Research destinations with high tourism accessibility and make recommendations to the Bellevue destination accessibility program.
• Research and establish tourism accessibility best practices for Bellevue. 
• Work with Wheel the World to onboard Bellevue into the destination verification program and onboard Bellevue businesses to assess and improve accessibility 
• Work with local hotels, attractions, and other business partners to train their staff in understanding disabilities and better serving travelers with disabilities. 
• Research and help promote accessibility transportation options in Bellevue 
• Help Visit Bellevue prepare for accessibility marketing campaigns. 
• Report on what tourism accessibility opportunities exist in Bellevue 
• Participate in Visit Bellevue Events and help to ensure our event programming upholds our accessibility goals and mission. 
• Destination Accessibility program alignment with the Certified Tourism Ambassador training and programs. Including training materials, facilitation, tours, training, and classroom.
• Provide ongoing support and suggestions to the BellHop visitor circulator & transportation program for accessibility implementation.   
• Help develop specialized visitor information as needed for disabled visitors, staff, and partners, including concierge services / visitor information for meetings, conventions, and events attendees.
• Develop and establish Visit Bellevue’s ongoing KPI’s tracking, reporting and analysis of our accessibility programs making ongoing recommendations and adjustments, as necessary.
• Other duties and initiatives as needed and assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• In process and interested in secondary degree or certification preferably in Hospitality Management, Tourism, Business Administration, Marketing or Communications, and preference will be given for interest in destination marketing / management, convention, visitor, hospitality, and leisure industry.
• Experience supporting programs, strategy, clients, and / or hospitality industry and teaming with co-workers required. Ability to conduct job requirements without supervision. Some flexible hours may be required.
• Proven experience as customer service trailblazer • Excellent project management and organizing skills.
• Analytical and creative thinking
• Exquisite communication and people skills
• Up to speed with current traditional and digital destination services techniques and best practices
• Relevant skills and qualifications based on responsibilities.
• Passion for making businesses and experiences accessible. 
• Other combinations of experience may be considered.

OTHER DUTIES

Please note this job description is not designed to cover a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job as they may change at any time, with or without notice.

VISIT BELLEVUE INTERN KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS & GOALS

• Visitor Experience Satisfaction
• Establish Wheel the World Destination Verification Partnership
• Number of Businesses Onboarded
• Partner Satisfaction with Bellevue Destination Accessibility Program
• Accessibility Content Engagement (Click Thru, Shares, Likes, & Subscribers)

ALLOCATION OF TIME

• Destination Accessibility Program: 75% – 85%
• Visitor Development, CTA, & Program Management: 5% – 10%  
• Database Management, Follow Up, and Administrative: 5%
• Other Projects, Meetings & Collaboration: 5%

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee, with or without reasonable accommodation, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, or feel or operate objects, tools or controls, and to reach with hands and arms. He/she is frequently required to stand for extended periods of time as well as stand, bend and/or stoop, talk and hear. He/she must be able to drive and occasionally lift up to 40 pounds.

EEO STATEMENT

Visit Bellevue provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.  This statement applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

COMPENSATION

$19 per hour