TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

John Morris

Taking in the Grandeur of the Grand Canyon with an Autistic Son

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Group of people looking out over the Grand Canyon from a viewing platform.

Lisa Winner, a photographer, shared with National Geographic some of the challenges her son, who is autistic, faces when traveling. Despite her love of the outdoors, Lisa says that “There are many surprises in nature—and anyone who loves an autistic person knows surprises are not their jam.” She recounted the difficulty her son faced when visiting the Grand Canyon, where he was distressed by the unfamiliar environment.

Parents like Winner are encouraging governments and businesses to make outdoor recreation areas more accessible to those with autism. To learn more about Lisa’s family, their trip to the Grand Canyon and how public places can be made autism-friendly, see the article in National Geographic.

How the Meetings Industry Can Improve Accessibility for Events

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Hundreds of people at a conference, sitting in front of a stage.

As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic and begin to attend in-person events, there is a renewed focus on the accessibility of meetings, conferences and other events. In an article published in the Small Market Meetings Magazine, Rachel Carter interviewed three accessible meetings experts – Jan Garrett, program manager for the Pacific ADA Center; Sam Evans, certification manager for the International Association of Accessibility Professionals; and Sheri Byrne-Haber, senior staff architect of accessibility at VMware.

In considering how meeting planners should step up their game on accessibility, Garrett encouraged them to take advantage of the resources that are already out there, freely available from the ADA National Network, a congressionally-funded group of 10 regional ADA centers and the ADA Knowledge Translation Center. Those resources include planning guides, articles, checklists and more.

While physical accessibility is key, digital accessibility is important as well, and meeting planners should ensure that their websites are accessible to screen reader software, including providing alt-text to describe images displayed on the website.

Many adaptations are low-cost or cost neutral and can dramatically improve the experience for disabled attendees. To read more about the tips for making your next meeting accessible, see the article in the Small Market Meetings magazine.

How Restaurants Can Add Accessibility to their Menu

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Waiter's tray with 2 red drinks and two champaign flutes charriedby a waiter

Disabled people enjoy a night out on the town and a great meal just as nondisabled people do, and it’s important for restaurants to create an accessible and welcoming environment for their disabled customers.

To learn more about how restaurants can improve accessibility – and why it’s beneficial to the bottom line – read the full article at Resy OS.

Let’s Roll: What Should (and Shouldn’t ) be Part of a Wheelchair Accessible Tour

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Wheelchair user in front of Machu Picchu ruins.

Data from the United Nations reveals that 15% of the global population has one or more disabilities, and there is an increasing demand for accessible travel and tour opportunities. The industry is recognizing this opportunity, and an increasing number of tour businesses are working to make their offerings accessible to disabled travelers.

In an article for Arrival, Jenna Blumenfeld offers tips to operators of tours, activities and attractions on how to make their products accessible.

Blumenfeld suggest that operators should carefully scrutinize the tour route to check for potential accessibility barriers, such as steps, and to plan alternate routes that are more accessible. She also suggests that operators should secure or contract accessible transportation to meet the needs of mobility-challenged guests, and to ensure that every employee and tour guide treats customers with compassion – their journey was not an easy one!

To read the full article and to learn more tips for making tours and attractions disability-friendly, visit the Arrival website.

Will Autonomous Vehicles Help Disabled Travelers Find the Freedom they Crave?

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Blue four door sedan with Google logo driving on a road using driverless technology.

Advancements in technology and AI have put mass-produced autonomous vehicles within the realm of possibility, and experts suggest that we may see largely driverless cars within our lifetimes.

For disabled people, driverless cars promise greater access – physically driving a vehicle is not possible for many people, but autonomous vehicles will solve that problem. Although basic forms of technology has already been implemented in vehicles like the Tesla, it hasn’t yet made its way into a mass-produced wheelchair accessible vehicle.

Accessibility guidelines are being studied, and advocacy groups hope standards for wheelchair and other access will be included in future iterations of driverless automobiles. The website 2025 AD examined these questions in greater detail and, for more information, read their report on accessibility in driverless cars.