My company, North American Journeys (NAJ), is based in Sausalito, a small community connected to San Francisco by the Golden Gate Bridge. In 2017, I received a letter from the local Chamber of Commerce informing me that it was recognizing NAJ as “Travel Agent of the Year.” Upon hearing the news, I was reminded of an advertisement that I saw a few years ago. It said: “Virgin America: More Experience Than Our Name Might Indicate.” Now, I thought, I might have to put up a sign with a message something like this: “North American Journeys: less experience than our name might indicate,” or even better: ”No experience, regardless of what our name might indicate.”
Even though I notified the Chamber that we were not travel agents, over the next 12 months at least 10 people knocked on my door seeking help planning their vacation because they saw mention of NAJ in some promotional propaganda. Surprisingly, five of those making inquiries had a family member with a disability with whom they wanted to travel. If they were seeking out a “travel agent” they knew little about, in person, they had to have exhausted all their other options. So I asked my team to do some research to understand if there was a need for a business-to-business conference focused on disability tourism.
One of those who stopped by our office wanted help in visiting national parks in Utah, and I wish could have referred them to Go Wheel the World, an agency that takes travelers who use a wheelchair to Machu Picchu and other adventure destinations. And when another person asked for help with a trip to Hawaii, I could have introduced them to John Morris, one of our TravelAbility Summit Advisory Board members. Morris is a triple amputee from an automobile accident in 2002 in which his car’s gas tank exploded. He now travels 310 days a year—so often, in fact, he doesn’t even have an official permanent residence. Or, when a woman was looking for the best accessible itinerary for Las Vegas, I could have directed her to Krystina Jackson, a paraplegic from a snowboarding accident over 15 years ago, who was named Ms. Wheelchair California and represented TravelAbility Summit at the recent 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Then there’s John Sage, who owns the Accessible Travel Solutions travel agency who has mapped out accessible programs in 45 countries and could have advised all of them.
Since I’ve had conversations with each of them as well as many others, I have come to realize that they all have something in common: That is, after their physical travails they discovered new talents and interests and are willing to share their expertise widely. And, as for me, I’m now connecting a new group of people who inspire me daily. Together, we are building a network of industry partners who are improving travel experiences for the 1 in 5 people in the U.S. who has a disability. And it may never have happened was it not for that bogus award two years ago. Could the Universe have been trying to tell me something?
Our hope is that those attending the Summit and reading this newsletter use the information and contacts to raise awareness and educate their organizations and stakeholders. As you look over this issue, you might find that you may know of someone with an idea, a product, or a service that may warrant inclusion in this newsletter. Please e-mail me at js@travelabilitysummit.com. The first TAS will be held Nov. 12-13, 2019 in San Francisco. To view the TravelAbility Summit website, click here.
—Jake Steinman, Founder, TravelAbility Summit
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