The Intersection of Travel and Disability
Kathy Martinez come from a large family of LatinX heritage. Her parents did not have much of a formal education and their English skills were poor when she was growing up. When Kathy was eight months old, they discovered that she probably would never be able to see. This is Kathy’s story.
Our Takeaway: The advancement of people with disabilities in the travel industry management structure bodes well for the future health of the industry.
The AirCraft Company, a new start-up based in Wichita, Kansas, has revealed its plans to produce a hybrid-electric, 30-seat regional airliner. Called the Pangea SY30J. One thing that might set The AirCraft Company apart from its competition is its focus on accessibility and comfort. Not only will the cabin be more spacious with larger seats for “real-size” people, but it will also be able to accommodate passengers’ wheelchairs inside the cabin. . Read more.
Our Takeaway: This futuristic approach to accessible design is heaven-sent for the disability community but there are still many hurdles on the horizon , for example, funding and FAA approval, before this becomes a reality.
Eight Oregon Coast destination management organizations (DMOs) were granted a total of $201,240 to partner with Wheel the World, a global accessible travel company, in their effort to make the Oregon Coast more accessible to travelers with disabilities
The funds awarded are the result of a coordinated approach among partners to apply for Travel Oregon’s 2022 Capacity and Small Project Grants. These communities and organizations are working to provide disabled travelers with comprehensive, accurate information to make their stay on the Oregon Coast more accessible. Read More.
Our Takeaway: Accessibility is contagious. Oregon Coast region DMO used grant funding from the state to send ten of their industry partners to EMS 2022, which included a mix of DMO’s. Several of the DMO’s brought attractions, city managers and elected officials which resulted in an accessibility strategy that is spreading to other regions.
Sign language interpreter Justina Miles started going viral on social media because of video showing her energetic interpretation of the performance’s lyrics. It’s not her first brush with internet fame. Miles has a popular TikTok account where she interprets popular songs into ASL with the same enthusiasm she put on display at the big game.
According to the National Association of the Deaf, Miles is from Philadelphia and was part of Team USA at the 2021/22 Deaflympics where athletes who are deaf or hard of hearing compete. She won silver as part of the 4×100 women’s track relay team. She has also interpreted for other artists around the country at various concerts, according to the NAD. Other well-known ASL interpreters were also part of the Super Bowl performance, including Troy Kostur. Read More.
Our Takeaway: Many commenters felt that Miles’ performance was physically more imposing than Rihanna’s and a huge breakthrough in awareness for what is possible for deaf interpretive dancers. Kudos to the NFL, which reportedly worked for nearly a year with the National Association of the Deaf to develop three ASL performances.
See Miles’ half-time performance here.
See Miles’ TikTok videos here.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 15% of the global population has a disability. Furthermore, the National Household Travel Survey indicates that 25.5 million Americans have disabilities that hinder their ability to travel.
Travel has numerous benefits, including stress relief, mental health, physical health, education, personal growth, creating memories, improving relationships and career advancement.
Unfortunately, a lack of general accessibility in the travel industry means these advantages are out of reach. So, what is being done and what can be done to alleviate this situation? Read More.
Our Takeaway: Due to abundant mainstream media coverage around accessibility, the travel industry is finally awakening to that fact that outmoded ADA regulations are only a baseline and there are encouragingly easy and affordable ways to fill the gap.
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