TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Debbie Austin

TravelAbility Launches Newsletter for Hoteliers

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Logo for TravelAbility for Hospitality with black and blue type superimposed over a beach

Our Takeaway: We hear stories about hoteliers cringing when they see people with disabilities about to check into their hotels. This newsletter provides a positive approach to accessibility designed to reduce hoteliers’ fears.

By being inclusive for people with disabilities today, we’re laying the foundation for the 77 million baby boomers, 40% of whom, according to the CDC, self-identify as having a disability after they turn 65. Additionally, they have an average net worth of $1 million, stand to inherit $13 trillion from their parents and not only do they have the time to travel, but consider it a priority.

While ADA law provides some baseline regulations for infrastructure for people with disabilities, it does not take into account that every disability has a spectrum. It took over 18 months to write the law, and it was written for the median. This means that even fully ADA-compliant hotels only work for 50% of the people. The other 50% have to be detectives to find out if the accommodations meet their particular requirements because detailed information is not online.

Each issue will be carefully curated to include articles that take a useful and practical approach to innovations and guidance that will make hospitality more inclusive for ALL guests. Read More.

Tips and Tricks to Traveling Safely With Someone That Has Epilepsy

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image of an open suitcase with a woman packing it

Our Takeaway: Please share these hard-to-find insightful tips with anyone you know that has a family member with epilepsy and fears traveling this summer.

People with epilepsy can and do travel using every mode of transportation. However, it may require extra planning, such as ensuring you have enough medication and requesting accommodations if needed. This article will discuss the challenges of traveling with epilepsy, how to prepare, and how to make your trip go smoothly. Read More.

Rethinking Accessibility Campaign Uncovers Over 200 New Accessible Features

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Image of the world with a woman in a wheelchair and a young girl with suitcases super-imposed on it with the words Rethinking Accessibility

Our Takeaway: A pilot program with five Destination A11Y Club partners uncovers over 200 new accessibility features that can be added to their websites.

In the quaint city of Sausalito, California, a company named TravelAbility has been tirelessly working to dismantle barriers and build bridges. Recognized as a vanguard in its field, TravelAbility is known for its commitment to creating a world where the thrill of travel is accessible to all, irrespective of physical limitations or disabilities. The company has recently unveiled a pioneering initiative aptly named “Rethinking Accessibility,” a project that is as ambitious as it is necessary. This project is designed to illuminate the world of travel with the glow of inclusivity, a move that could potentially rewrite the narrative around travel for people with disabilities.

Jake Steinman, the Founder of TravelAbility, asserted, “While the ADA provides some baseline for physical infrastructure such as ramps and grab bars in bathrooms, there’s no ADA for information.” In a world where information is power, the absence of accessible information can be a formidable barrier. The “Rethinking Accessibility” initiative is TravelAbility’s bold answer to this challenge.

Read more.

Apple’s New Accessibility Innovations Will Blow You Away

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photo of a MacBook anf an i-phone with the Apple logo showing

Our Takeaway: More evidence that disability is having its moment.  The major tech companies are all pioneering accessible new features for an inclusive world.

Apple previewed a handful of new features designed to boost cognitive, vision, hearing, and mobility accessibility, around Global Accessibility Awareness Day. The features are slated to roll out later this year. This comes as Apple gears up for its Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off June 5. 

One feature, called Live Speech, is geared toward users who are nonspeaking or who have diverse speech patterns or disabilities. Live Speech lets someone type what they want to say and then have it spoken aloud. The feature can be used for in-person conversations as well as over the phone and on FaceTime. It works on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and uses any built-in device voices like Siri. You could say, “Nice to meet you, I’m . . . ” and introduce yourself, for example, and can also save favorite phrases such as, “Can I please get a black coffee?” Read More.

College Students Rebel Against Inaccessibility with “F*ck The Stairs “campaign.

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photo of sign saying This Entrance Is Not Accessible. Use Ramps, Elevators and Accessible Doors F*ck the Stairs

Our Takeaway: The title says it all. Outrage is contagious as college students nationwide revolt the unfairness of wheelchair-using classmates having to struggle just to attend classes.

This past April, the Student Accessibility and Disability Alliance at the College of William and Mary organized an advocacy campaign titled “F*ck the Stairs.” The campaign challenged able-bodied students to spend two days using accessible means of travel to better understand the experience of mobility impaired individuals, promoting accessibility awareness on campus. 

Last fall, Student Assembly Undersecretary of Disability Initiatives Allison Stovall ’25, Heather Christensen ’23 and Cameron Lynch ’23 co-founded the SADA. The organization received official recognition from the College in March 2023.

“There were three of us that ended up founding it,” Stovall said. “We got together in October last year and we got approved by the university in March. This has been a very short timeframe that we’ve done a lot of this.”

The “F*ck the Stairs” movement advocates for only using wheelchair accessible ramps, elevators, elevations, and bathrooms for traveling around campus.

“F*ck the Stairs is all about showing everybody what it’s like to have to take inaccessible entrances on campus,” SADA Advocacy Chair Grayson Bunting ’26 said. “We’re making able-bodied students take only accessible entrances on campus today and tomorrow.”

Read More.