Kristy Durso isn’t just advocating for accessibility—she’s helping redesign the framework that tourism, conferences, and education are built on. Even in the midst of moving her home to Colorado, Kristy has been busy pushing accessibility to the forefront of hospitality conversations across the globe. She even whipped up another children’s story while riding along with her moving truck. Here are some highlights from the past month:
American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)
Kristy’s input was put into practice at this year’s ASTA conference, making it one of the most accessibility-forward conference experiences she’s seen.
“They had a sensory suite for travelers to take a break—it was right on the front page of the conference website,” she shared. “There were resources for each major area of accessibility. For Blind and low vision travelers, they had a link to Be My Eyes. For Deaf and hard of hearing, they listed three different transcription services. For mobility, they had a local DME company listed so people could rent or repair equipment.”
It wasn’t just about putting accessibility information out there—it was about centering it.
“The sensory room was one of the most talked-about features of the show,” Kristy said. “I walked in on day one and saw someone already using it. I turned to the organizer I’d been working with, and he immediately said, ‘We have to do more.’ Then another attendee came out and said, ‘This needs to be at every single conference.’”
Kristy is already in conversations about improvements before the next national conference.
Reaching Across the Ocean
Kristy has been making waves for months with her keynote speech on Reframing Accessibility, this time she took it across the waves.
Kristy was the keynote speaker in Slovenia’s Accessibility in Hospitality conference.
This time, she was able to share her wisdom virtually, from the comfort of her home… at 4:00 a.m.
Coming Up
In the coming months, Kristy is planning to:
- Moderate a panel at Destinations International
- Speak at ASTA’S Expedition Conference
- Deliver a Keynote in Alabama and evaluate a hotel property committed to accessibility
- Guest lecture at Florida International University
- Present at the American Indigenous Tourism Conference
- Head to D.C. as an ambassador during ASTA’s Legislative Days, where she’ll speak directly with senators and representatives about accessibility issues.
- Lecture for Ms. Wheelchair PA
There’s also something new in the works that could take her message to a wider audience: a potential talk series produced by a film company in Oregon.
“I want to take destinations on the journey,” she said, “from not thinking accessibility applies to them, to understanding disability as a culture—not a charity case.”
Kristy’s voice is shaping the future of accessible travel, and her message is clear: accessibility isn’t a special feature—it’s a standard that everyone deserves.
Meet Kristy: Kristy is a writer, speaker, and disability travel advisor. She has experience across multiple disabilities traveling as a wheelchair user with a pace-maker along with her children with intellectual disabilities, autism, ADHD, and over 30 food allergies.
As TravelAbility’s ambassador, she networks and speaks around the globe to promote accessibility and inclusion in the travel space.
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