Tennessee’s Groundbreaking Initiative: Songwriters Change UX for the Blind

Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is using the power of music to enhance the online experience for blind and visually impaired visitors. Partnering with one of Tennessee’s most significant assets — its songwriters —this industry-first initiative program is called “Sound Sites.”

Tennessee songwriters collaborated with blind communities to craft authentic, lyrical descriptions for hundreds of Tennessee images, redefining travel accessibility.

Instead of generic, uninspired alt-text such as “image of a mountain” or “street at night,” visitors will hear lyrical descriptions that bring Tennessee’s scenic beauty to life. Standard descriptions of images on the destination website, TNVacation.com, uses songs that allow a user to experience Tennessee’s landscapes, culture, and spirit through the lyrics of immersive storytelling.