TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

John Morris

Explorable Releases 7 Podcast Episodes That Should Be On Your Playlist

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Earlier this year, TravelAbility partnered with Design Sensory to release the new “Explorable” Podcast, a podcast about travel, disability and inclusion.

Explorable is co-hosted by Josh Loebner, disability advocate and Director of Strategy at marketing agency Designsensory, and Toby Willis, Senior Product Manager at Expedia Group. Josh and Toby are both blind, members of the TravelAbility Advisory Board and, most importantly, obsessed with everything about accessible travel.

Each podcast features guests who are advocates and allies of tourism, destinations and disability who discuss how they’re traveling the world, the obstacles they face, and how we can change it for the better to make each journey more explorable.

Episode 1: John Morris, Founder, WheelchairTravel.org

In this episode, Josh and Toby welcome the founder of WheelchairTravel.org, John Morris, a triple amputee, wheelchair user, explorer and global advocate for diversity and inclusion.

photo of Jake Steinman

Episode 2: Jake Steinman, Founder, TravelAbility Summit

In episode 2, we hear from the founder of TravelAbility Summit, Jake Steinman. The TravelAbility Summit is the tourism industry’s premier event for disability insights and a resource for tips, training and information connecting destinations with disability. Find out how Jake unexpectedly connected with disabled travelers and why he launched the summit.

Rosemarie Rosetti headshot.

Episode 3: Rosemarie Rosetti, Ph.D. talks about accessible design

In episode 3, Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD, joins Josh and Toby to talk about universal design. Find out what it is, why it’s important to travel and tourism, and learn some simple steps to bring universal design into your home, hotel or business. Rosemarie is a powerful, internationally known speaker, trainer, consultant and author of the Universal Design Toolkit. She built, and lives in, the Universal Design Living Laboratory.

Craig Kennedy headshot.

Episode 4: Craig Kennedy, Program Coordinator and Lead Trainer at Open Doors Organization

We’ve got a high-impact, high-energy episode with Craig Kennedy, who will share loads of powerful data and positive stories of disability inclusion. Listen and find out why tourism organizations, airlines, large corporations and others across the globe turn to the Open Doors Organization to reach and serve the disability market through research, training and guidance.

JoAnna Hunt headshot.

Episode 5: JoAnna Hunt, Manager, Kindle Accessibility Engineering Team, Amazon

In this episode of Explorable, Amazon’s Manager of the Kindle Accessibility Engineering Team, JoAnna Hunt, shares personal stories and the powerful commitment to e-reader accessibility.

Mark Jones headshot.

Episode 6: Mark Jones, Manager, Accessibility and Guest Services, Walt Disney World

How explorable is Walt Disney World for people with disabilities? Find out about the accessibility innovations and disability commitments at the Walt Disney World Resort from Mark Jones, Manager of Accessibility and Services for Guests with Disabilities. Mark shares how his personal ties to disability and a college internship at Walt Disney World led him on an amazing journey to the most magical place on earth.

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Episode 7: Verity Ayling-Smith & Veronica Velazquez discuss the 2020 Disability Inclusion Travel Report

Verity Ayling-Smith, Training and Consultancy Advisor with the Leonard Cheshire Organization and Veronica Velazquez, Senior Manager, Inclusion & Diversity at Expedia Group, discuss their connections to disability and key insights from the just released disability inclusion travel report Breaking Barriers in Travel.

Expedia and Leonard Cheshire Release “Breaking Down Barriers to Travel” Report

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Wheelchair user toasting with friends.

Disability charity Leonard Cheshire and Expedia Group, one of the world’s largest online travel agencies, joined to produce the “Breaking Down Barriers to Travel” report. The report provides a roadmap for the travel industry to be more inclusive – with four recommendations for achieving that goal:

  • Design experiences (such as using an airport or hotel) to be barrier-free
  • Make all information clear
  • Provide inclusive customer service
  • Include disabled people in design and decision-making

The report shares a number of case studies to reveal how travel providers have approached the challenge of creating accessible travel products and services.

Michael Davis Velasco, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at Expedia Group, said “We know that travel isn’t always easy, but by sharing insights and best practices believe that together with our partner and peers, we have the opportunity and responsibility to create frictionless travel for people with disabilities.”

To read the full report, click here (PDF).

CDC Says Autism Rates Climbing Again in 2020

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Young boy playing with lego blocks.

Data collected by the Center for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network shows an increase in autism diagnoses among children. According to the CDC report, 1 in 54 children have the developmental disorder, an increase from the rate of 1 in 59 reported just two years ago.

Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, told Disability Scoop that the higher rates of diagnosis are actually positive, because fewer children are falling through the cracks. “We know that the earlier children are diagnosed and the earlier they start intervention, the better their prognosis,” she said.

OUR TAKE: As the number of children diagnosed with autism increases, demand for accessible, sensory-friendly spaces is likely to increase. Businesses can get ahead of the curve by investing in these resources now, making it easier for families touched by autism to participate and take part in activities outside the home.

To read the full story, click here.

How a Blind Travel Agent (and 2019 TravelAbility Summit Speaker) Adapts to a Sighted World

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Photo of Sue Slater.
Sue Slater, Owner, Presto Magic Travel

Sue Slater, owner of Presto Magic Travel and a speaker at the 2019 TravelAbility Summit, was recently profiled by TravelPulse.

The article describes her path to becoming a travel agent and how she has been able to build a successful travel business as a blind person. She’s incorporated technology like Aira and the JAWS screen reader software to ensure that she is always able to deliver for her customers. “If you’re going to be blind, the 21st century is the time because there is so much technology that makes it almost like you can see again,” she said.

2020 has been a difficult year for everyone in the travel industry, but it has been more challenging for Sue than most. In February, she was faced with the unexpected loss of her husband and business partner, Larry.

Despite the pandemic and the loss of her husband, Sue has adapted, remaining focused on the future. She has approached the uncertainty of 2020 with her ever-positive spirit, and told TravelPulse readers to “have a smile on your face, give yourself a virtual hug and go out in the world looking for a new adventure.” That’s great advice for us all as we approach what will hopefully be a much brighter 2021.

To read the complete profile on Sue Slater in TravelPulse, click here.

Visit Reno Tahoe Launches New Accessible Travel Landing Page

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Visit Reno Tahoe is the latest DMO to unveil a new Accessible Travel Landing Page which shares the message that “adventure knows no bounds.” To celebrate their new accessibility push, Reno Tahoe released the following video:

The video establishes a welcoming tone, and the landing page provides additional information and resources for disabled travelers interested in visiting the region. The page lists accessible attractions, parks, trails and ski resorts, as well as information on accessible transportation providers and medical equipment rentals.

OUR TAKE: Visit Reno Tahoe has responded to TravelAbility’s call to lay out a virtual welcome mat for disabled visitors, and their new Accessible Travel Landing Page is an excellent first step towards an inclusive marketing strategy!

To take a look at Reno Tahoe’s new landing page, click here.