In this session at last year’s TravelAbility Summit, disabled travelers and caregivers shared real life dreams and nightmares from their journeys. Learn from more stories like these at this fall’s TravelAbility Summit in Tampa, Florida, November 9-11. This is where destinations, venues, and travel brands come together to advance accessibility in a practical, business-smart way. Over two days of case studies, workshops, and peer learning, industry leaders share proven strategies that improve the travel experience for people with disabilities—and, by extension, for families, multigenerational groups, and travelers with temporary or situational limitations. Meet the advisors, suppliers, and destination teams leading the way, and leave with a roadmap you can put to work immediately.

Kristy summed it up nicely: Accessibility = exceptional hospitality. 

Kristy Durso

Session Overview

Speakers 

• Kristy Durso – Founder, Incredible Memories Travel / Ambassador, TravelAbility
• Jennifer Allen – Founder, Wonders Within Reach / Insider Editor, TravelAbility
• Amy Tarpein – CEO, Elijah’s Baby Bucket List 
• Jessica Jordan Ping – Content creator & access consultant, The Rolling Explorer
• Anthony Ferraro – Blind content creator, speaker & athlete, ASFVISION LLC 

The Worst Experiences 

• Airports + transportation failures 
  • Broken elevators, no accessible taxis, inaccessible bathrooms being used as changing rooms, slow or rude mobility assistance, forced wheelchairs, condescending staff (“Why are you traveling alone?”).
• “We know your limits better than you.” 
  • Jessica was denied a gondola ride because the staff decided she couldn’t make it down, despite letting everyone else board. 
• “Accessible…except it isn’t” 
  • An attraction at the bottom of two flights of stairs. 
  • “Accessible rooms” on upper floors when the elevators were broken. 
  • Families are stuck when transit elevators don’t work. 
• Emotional impact 
  • Guests feel humiliated, unsafe, or forced to beg for basic help. 
  • The takeaway: Lack of dignity is often worse than the physical barrier. 

The Best Experiences

• Agency + joy 
  • Anthony, who is blind, safely got to drive a caron a salt flat — the kind of freedom he’d always wanted. 
• Cruise excursions that listened 
  • Royal Caribbean coordinated with vendors so Jessica could kayak safely without damaging her prosthetic. 
• Staff who try 
  • A mountain coaster team in Pigeon Forge figured out how to include Elijah. His joy was contagious, and by the end of the day the staff felt like family. 
• A “normal” family trip 
  • Fully accessible Adirondack campground: ramped cabin, accessible fire pit, accessible bathroom, and level paths. No barriers. No drama. Just a normal vacation.

What Every Destination Should Do

✅ Treat disabled guests with dignity and respect 

✅ Assume competence — don’t decide their limits for them 

✅ If something breaks (elevator, lift, pool chair), fix it immediately or offer a backup 

✅ Publish real access info: measurements, steps, terrain, restrooms, transfer methods

✅ Staff training: speak to the traveler directly, ask before helping, and offer choices 

✅ Create service recovery plans for emergencies (quiet room, supplies, accessible ride) 

The Big Message

Kristy summed it up nicely: Accessibility = exceptional hospitality. 

Make it easy for people to belong, and their stories become marketing you can’t buy.