Short Holiday Trips Delight a Long-Underserved Market: People with Mild to Moderate Disabilities

Since 1985, New Directions Travel has worked to make the lives of people with mild or moderate disabilities happier via travel. Since then, these accessible travel pioneers, based in Santa Barbara, California, have greatly expanded. They’re now super-serving this underserved niche, offering short trips during the key holiday season. Their Happy Holidays trips are planned around Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas and are run by trained staff and dozens of volunteers. The groups visit Disneyland, San Francisco, and Hawaii. Packages include luxury rooms, gourmet meals, gifts, visits from Santa and days of serious fun. Their motto is “Joy is for everyone”. That spirit shows on every smiling face on their website. Read more.