TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Eliana Satkin

Encapsulating the Core Challenge for Each Disability in One Word

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By Jake Steinman

Recently I was challenged to distill the essence of each disability into a single word, and after five years of being immersed in TravelAbility and after considerable thought, here are the words I arrived at and why, for me, they encapsulate the core challenges faced by individuals with different disabilities when they travel–and in real life.

Wheelchair Users: Stairs

Stairs represent one of the most anxiety-inducing obstacles for wheelchair users. Despite restaurants and attractions often being advertised as fully accessible, or even after confirming accessibility in advance, wheelchair users frequently encounter unexpected stairs. This not only disrupts their plans but also subjects them to the indignity of being carried up and down stairs.

Blind Travelers: Navigation

For blind travelers, navigation is the primary challenge. The world is largely built for those who can see, leaving many environments inaccessible to the blind. The barriers they face are often related to moving from point A to point B, both physically and digitally. However, technology and innovation are gradually bridging this gap. Tools like Aira, Be My Eyes which provide real-time assistance, while Apple and Google Android are providing innovative technology that makes navigation easier and more accessible.

Deafness: Communication

Communication is the central issue for the 48 million people in the United States who are deaf or hard of hearing. Astonishingly, less than 1% of this population uses American Sign Language (ASL), according to the Commission on the Deaf, and another half million (family members/teachers) know ASL. This statistic underscores the vast communication barriers that exist, as many deaf individuals rely on other forms of communication that are not always understood or accommodated by the hearing population. Again, innovations such as Sign Speak, which uses human-looking AI avatars, presented at TravelAbility’s InnovateAble Showcase, the Shark Tank for Adaptive technology, this past July.

Autism: Acceptance

For individuals on the Autism Spectrum, acceptance is crucial. With approximately 9 million families in the United States affected by autism, and an estimated 24 million people impacted when considering household members, acceptance becomes a necessity. Studies indicate that 85% of these families face significant challenges that prevent them from traveling. Education and training are key to fostering acceptance, with organizations like Kulture City, Autism Double-Checked, Able Vu, the Autism Travel Club and IBCCES, offering training and certification programs. Additionally, initiatives like the Sunflower Hidden Disability Lanyard help communicate the need for special care in public spaces.

Ultimately, the word that ties all these experiences together is independence.

Jake Steinman

For All: Independence

Ultimately, the word that ties all these experiences together is independence. Each of these challenges—whether it’s navigating stairs, communicating effectively, or gaining acceptance—boils down to the fundamental human desire for independence. Ensuring that individuals with disabilities can live independently and with dignity when they travel is the overarching goal of TravelAbility.

What one word comes to mind for you, when you think about these disabilities?

Accessibility Champion: Brett Laiken

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Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Florida

Note: This interview is part of an ongoing series featuring interviews with 24 Champions of Accessibility for 2024 selected and celebrated by TravelAbility.

Q: When did you begin focusing on accessibility in your destination and what was the impetus for wanting to make your destination more accessible?

We don’t have a tipping point where we decided we needed to start focusing on accessibility – it’s just continued to grow organically. 

We’ve been inspired by real travelers and we use real families for our marketing. That said, we did launch a series, Limitless Florida, three years ago. Limitless Florida is a video series that shares the story of Floridians with different abilities and shows how Florida offers them and their families the experiences they’re looking for.

Q: What are your main responsibilities and tasks in your organization?


I am the CMO for VISIT FLORIDA and I oversee all marketing activity for the organization. This includes ensuring collaboration across various disciplines to align on messaging and focus.

Q: Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers that you face regarding the advancement of accessibility in your destination? What initiatives have you undertaken to improve accessibility in your destination, and which are you most proud of?

With a state the size of Florida, there are vast differences between regions.As such, there are also differences in offerings. We lean into each individual destination’s ability to support those with different abilities. 

We launched a partnership with Wheel the World with VISIT FLORIDA covering 50% of the destination audit. We did this to remove any potential budgetary obstacles and to improve the statewide promotion of accessibility. Additionally, we have hosted numerous webinars to educate partners on how to be the most accessible destination, business, attraction, etc. 

Q: Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration. 

Since our partnership has been built with Wheel the World, I follow them to see how they are trailblazing a path for others to follow. They share content from content creators who are real people they work with, such as Curb Free Cory, who showcase their travel journey throughout Florida. I also follow Florida visitors to see what they are enjoying in our state. Our team then looks for ways to share these same experiences with those who have different abilities.

Q: What are your plans around accessibility in 2024/2025?

We will continue to promote accessible adventure in our marketing while also continuing to partner with our DMOs to provide educational opportunities along the way. A new effort for this coming year is a greater emphasis on educating travel agents on accessibility in Florida, so that they can be our ambassadors.

Congratulations to Kelly Wolgamott of Pure Michigan!

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By Jennifer Allen

Congratulations to Kelly Wolgamott on her well-deserved promotion to Vice President of Pure Michigan! With over a decade of experience leading Michigan’s travel marketing efforts, Kelly has been instrumental in shaping the success of the iconic Pure Michigan campaign. Her dedication and marketing expertise have not only enhanced Michigan’s reputation as a top travel destination but have also significantly contributed to the state’s broader economic growth. 

“Kelly’s talents, personal commitment, wealth of industry knowledge and marketing expertise position her to advance Michigan’s efforts to promote our state as the top four-season destination for travelers across the country and around the world,” said MEDC CEO, Quentin L. Messer, Jr.”

We’re excited to see how Kelly’s vision, direction, and commitment to inclusion will continue to elevate Pure Michigan.

Read more about Kelly’s new role, here.

Welcoming Lynn Osmond, Former Chicago CVB Joins TravelAbility Advisory Board

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By Jennifer Allen

Lynn Osmond joins the TravelAbility Board with a unique combination of industry leadership and personal experience as a caregiver. Her background, both as the former President and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center and Choose Chicago, and as someone who has navigated travel with a spouse who has a disability, makes her an invaluable asset.

Lynn’s personal journey in accessibility began when her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, followed by Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a more advanced condition.

Jennifer Allen

A Personal Connection to Accessibility

Lynn’s personal journey in accessibility began when her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, followed by Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a more advanced condition. Resigning from her work earlier this year to spend time traveling to destinations on her husband’s bucket list, gave her the lived experience of becoming the caregiver in charge of researching, booking and troubleshooting the invariable challenges that arise. 

“We’re honored to have Lynn join our advisory board,” remarked Jake Steinman, founder of Travelability. “Lynn will lead a panel of companions and caregivers at our Summit in San Francisco that will explore ways that destinations can help make their travel experience more like a vacation and less like work.”

“Accessibility isn’t one-size-fits-all,” she says, reflecting on her experiences. Something as simple as restrooms became a daily challenge, particularly when trying to assist her husband. Family restrooms, for instance, were a game changer—yet they’re not consistently available. So far, they’ve traveled to Panama, Route 66, Mount Rushmore, Canada and they recently returned from a Viking River Cruise through France. 

Experience in Leadership and Accessibility

For over two decades, Lynn led the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), transforming it into a globally recognized institution. The river cruise, which was voted the best boat tour in North America, was one of her flagship projects.

After that, Lynn became the first woman President and CEO of Choose Chicago, the city’s official destination marketing organization (DMO.

Actionable Insights for the Travel Industry

Lynn’s experiences offer key takeaways for DMOs, hotels, and travel-related organizations:

  1. Engage Local Disability Advocacy Groups: Lynn emphasizes the value of reaching out to these groups to gain insights into what accessible travel means on the ground. Beyond awareness, these groups can help uncover funding opportunities and grant options that support accessibility initiatives.
  2. Show You Care: Lynn recounts a standout moment from a road trip to Mount Rushmore, where a Marriott representative in Souix City IA, repeatedly checked in to ensure that every aspect of the trip would meet their specific needs. This level of personalized service is key to building loyalty and trust among travelers with disabilities.
  3. Rethink Hotel Layouts: Surprisingly, older motels along Route 66, with ground-floor rooms and direct parking access, proved to be more convenient than many high-end hotels. Lynn points out that modern hotel designs often place accessible rooms far from elevators, creating unnecessary difficulties for guests with disabilities.
  4. Create a Handicap Hotline: Instead of assuming that a wheelchair-accessible room will meet every traveler’s needs, Lynn suggests that hotels and DMOs set up dedicated phone lines or booking systems where guests can specify exactly what accommodations they require, whether it’s visual, auditory, or mobility-related.

Instead of assuming that a wheelchair-accessible room will meet every traveler’s needs, Lynn suggests that hotels and DMOs set up dedicated phone lines or booking systems where guests can specify exactly what accommodations they require, whether it’s visual, auditory, or mobility-related.

Jennifer Allen

Where’s the Money?

Lynn is a strong advocate for positioning accessibility not as a checkbox or compliance issue, but as a business strategy. She notes that travelers with disabilities represent a growing segment, especially with the aging baby boomer population. Catering to this market is not just about inclusivity; it’s about meeting demand.

Recent research conducted by Longwoods International, revealed that 17% of American travelers in 2023 had someone in their party that required accessibility services. “That number will only increase,” Lynn explains. “For organizations that prioritize accessibility, this represents a significant opportunity for economic growth.”

Advice for her fellow DMO Executives.

Lynn encourages DMOs to develop a clear, actionable accessibility strategy. This can start with:

  1. Engage Local Advocacy Groups. Collaborating with local disability groups and advocates by involving them in annual tourism meetings, where they can share their insights, experiences and help identify accessible features. They can also be valuable in partnering for grant applications.
  2. Gather Accessibility Features: Survey hotels, attractions, transportation, and other services to gather accurate data on what accessibility features are already in place. This can inform not just improvements, but also marketing and SEO strategies by ensuring that accessible options are easy to find on websites.
  3. Updating Website Information: Lynn advises DMOs to include specific details, such as bed heights, shower rails, and the layout of accessible rooms. “Just listing a room as ADA-compliant isn’t enough,” she says. Detailed descriptions and measurement help travelers make informed choices.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for Accessible Travel

“Too often, people with disabilities limit their travel because of fear—fear of the unknown, of facing barriers,” she says. But with thoughtful planning and a commitment to accessibility, those barriers can be overcome, opening a world of possibilities.  

Lynn advises DMOs to include specific details, such as bed heights, shower rails, and the layout of accessible rooms. “Just listing a room as ADA-compliant isn’t enough,” she says. Detailed descriptions and measurement help travelers make informed choices.

Jennifer Allen

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO THE SUMMIT

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From Alabama to Oregon, NYC to Alaska, Florida to Michigan there will be attendees from over 30 states plus Australia, Ireland and Belgium. 

Attendee Job Titles:

  • Disability Community: 10.6%
  • CEO/Executive Director: 20.8%
  • Marketing/Communications: 28.3%
  • Tourism Development/Community: 13.3%
  • Other: 27.1%

What’s New This Year at the Summit:

  • Casting call for a new TV series, “Challenge Accepted.”
  • How to organize an Influencer Fam Tour.
  • One-on-one Speed Dating with content creators (pilot program).
  • Hotel Owners Panel.
  • AARP and the Future of the Aging Traveler

See the full agenda.

Why Attend? Disability travel is the fastest-growing segment in the travel industry.According to Longwoods, 17.5% of American travelers in 2023 had someone in their party requiring accessibility services. The TravelAbility Emerging Market Summit empowers destinations, hospitality, and travel professionals to become more accessible.

There are 18 spots left for the Summit so register today.