TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Debbie Austin

Expedia releases Inclusive Travel Insights Report after surveying 11,000 disabled travellers in 11 countries.

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To better understand how consumers feel about inclusive travel and how they believe the current travel landscape stacks up, Expedia Group recently commissioned custom research. Conducted in partnership with Wakefield Research, the study surveyed 11,000 representative consumers in 11 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the UK, and the U.S.

Their findings, in full, can be found in the new Inclusive Travel Insights Report, designed to help the travel industry practice better inclusion, promote diversity, and provide equal access to all travelers. A snapshot of this report can be found here.

Chelsea Bear is living her best life (and helping TravelAbility become more present on Social Media)

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Photo Courtesy Chelsea Bear

In the highly curated world of social media, Chelsea Bear’s Instagram and TikTok feeds look a lot like those of many young professionals: Brunches and happy hours with friends, mornings at the gym, a new outfit and even a quick jaunt to Vegas. To be an urban-dwelling millennial in Florida these days is to live a life that is stylish, fun, and seemingly effortless — at least on social networks.

The reality for Bear, though, is that moving through daily life is anything but easy. The 29-year-old navigates her world with cerebral palsy, a condition that has made parts of her life complicated and at times disappointing.

The stories that Bear shares on social media have made her one of Florida’s most notable advocates for people with disabilities, and now national and international brands have taken notice. Recognizing their own need to be more inclusive brands such as Disney and Zappos and organizations such as Visit Tampa Bay work with Bear to demonstrate their accessibility or showcase new products. 

Note: TravelAbility will be working with Ms. Bear to expand its presence on social media through Facebook and a private Q & A forum on LinkedIn through which members may collaborate on way to their organizations more inclusive for people with disabilities.

Learn more about Bear, the work she does, and how it helps create more inclusivity.

What are the Top 20 Airlines in World? (Only 2 American carriers even Made the List)

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This past July, Airline Ratings announced its Top 20 Airlines In The World list, naming Qatar Airlines #1. They also shared their Airline Excellence Awards recipients.

To make the list airlines must achieve a seven-star safety rating and demonstrate leadership in innovation for passenger comfort. The criteria also include consistency in the level of service, innovation, and staff engagement from each major contender. According to Airline Ratings Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas, “we are focused on leadership and airlines that innovate to make a real difference to the passenger experience.”

Click here to view the complete list and the reasons behind each ranking.

Miami Entice: Uncovering Accessibility in Attractions, Hotels and Restaurants in this Florida Paradise

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There are only a couple of major U.S. cities still left on Cory Lee‘s list of places he wants to visit and Miami was on that list until very recently. Cory has dreamed of exploring Ocean Drive, enjoying some beach time, and eating delicious Cuban food, but aside from driving through Miami to get on a cruise ship, he has never experienced all that wheelchair-accessible Miami has to offer.

After years of dreaming, Cory finally was able to spend some time in Miami over a recent long weekend. There are a lot of great accessible Florida destinations, but nothing can quite compare to Miami’s energy. Feeling as if the city swept him off his wheels, the trip South is one Cory will be taking again.

If you are looking for wheelchair-accessible Miami attractions, places to eat, or hotels, Cory’s list of recommendations can almost guarantee that you’ll have the best weekend ever in beautiful Miami, Florida. Read more.

Columbus DMO selects an Accessibility Ambassador and Debuts New Accessibility Guide

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Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D

This past July, Experience Columbus, the destination marketing organization for Ohio’s capital city, launched its new Accessibility Guide. This new guide is designed to highlight Columbus as an inclusive destination that is welcoming and accessible to all.

Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D., an internationally known disability inclusion expert and universal design and accessibility consultant has been selected as one of Experience Columbus’ ambassadors for its “Long. Live. Summer!” campaign. Dr. Rosetti is creator of the Universal Design Living Laboratory, where she and her husband designed and built their home using the principles of design for everyone.  Capturing the city’s Live Forward ethos and Experience Columbus’ ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the guide provides details on accessibility offerings in the categories of mobility, vision, hearing and cognition. It also provides additional resources so visitors and locals can access key information in one easy-to-find place. 

To learn more about Experience Columbus’ new Accessibility Guide click here.