Along with earning its CAC designation, SDTA is also leading efforts to make San Diego a Certified Autism Destination™

Achieving Certified Autism Center™ status is an important milestone, and we’re excited to continue working toward destination-wide certification so every visitor feels supported when they visit...”
— Daniel Kuperschmid, president & CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES, December 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Board of Credentialing Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) proudly designates the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA) as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC). Tourism Authority staff completed an autism-specific training and certification process to provide them with knowledge and understanding on how to best support every tourist who visits San Diego.

In addition to becoming a CAC, SDTA is initiating a wider movement to turn San Diego into a Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD). The CAD designation means visitors have multiple trained and certified options to choose from when in the area, including entertainment, recreation, and lodging.

“San Diego welcomes all, and this designation underscores that commitment,” says Daniel Kuperschmid, president & CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority. “Achieving Certified Autism Center™ status is an important milestone, and we’re excited to continue working toward destination-wide certification so every visitor feels supported when they visit San Diego.”

“The San Diego Tourism Authority’s dedication to becoming a Certified Autism Center™ demonstrates true leadership in inclusive travel,” says Myron Pincomb, IBCCES board chairman. “By taking measurable steps to ensure visitors of all abilities feel welcomed and understood, SDTA is setting a new standard for what it means to be a world-class destination. This commitment not only enhances visitor experiences but also strengthens the community as a whole."

The San Diego Tourism Authority works with many other IBCCES certified and sensory-inclusive partners, including Legoland, Sesame Place, and the San Diego Zoo. Members of our team can help visitors connect with these resources to plan a tailored trip.

For more than two decades, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.

To further support inclusivity efforts, San Diego Tourism Authority is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.

IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met IBCCES certification requirements.

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About San Diego Tourism Authority
San Diego Tourism Authority is a private, non-profit, mutual benefit corporation composed of more than 1,000 member organizations, businesses, local governments, and individuals seeking a better community through the visitor industry. San Diego Tourism Authority members include tourism-related entities in such categories as lodging, dining, arts, attractions, shopping, and transportation, among others, as well as other companies indirectly involved in tourism. Visit sandiego.org to learn more. The majority of funding received by the San Diego Tourism Authority is derived from San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds. Lodging businesses in the District raise these funds through self-assessments for the purpose of promoting tourism in the San Diego region.


About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be industry leaders and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For over two decades, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 111 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.

In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and
safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare and workplace sectors.

IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.

Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
[email protected]
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