TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

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Insights from TravelAbility’s Winter Advisory Board Meeting

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This month we’re thrilled to welcome three new members to our Advisory Board:

Megan Kimble smiles in a professional headshot against a textured gray background. She has long light brown hair worn straight and wears a sleeveless patterned top, looking directly at the camera with a friendly expression.

Megan Kimble| United Airlines

As the manager of customer strategy and innovation, Megan is moving United forward towards welcoming all. She’s currently focused primarily on accessibility and wheelchair travel with mobility devices, though she’s learning about what the travel experience looks like across multiple disabilities, and she’s working for better solutions. She’s excited to make travel better for all.

Austin Whitney smiles outdoors while wearing yellow-framed sunglasses and a leopard-print button-down shirt. He has short light pink hair and a beard, standing in front of a white slatted wall in bright sunlight.

Austin Whitney | Accessibility Live

As the founder of Accessible Festivals, Austin has provided accessibility services for over 150 major events. His focus is on bringing events beyond ADA to become truly welcoming.

Karen Morales smiles confidently in a studio portrait. She wears a navy blue dress with black detailing, standing against a dark neutral background.

Karen Morales | FORA Travel

As a luxury travel specialist at FORA Travel, and the lead of their accessibility division, Karen booked $100 million in accessible travel in 2025 (out of over a billion each year). She’s working to democratize the travel industry.

News from the Team

The new year is full of promise. We’re reminded of this when we look at all that our advisory board members accomplished last year, and at all that’s already been initiated for the new year. Here are some highlights from our winter board meeting.

Ivor Ambrose | European Network of Accessible Tourism

Continuing to lead on a global scale through the European Network of Accessible Tourism, gathering and sharing best practices across destinations worldwide. Actively advancing conversations around ethics and accessibility, hosting a major global summit with more than 400 participants, and partnering with UN Tourism on a new manifesto for accessible tourism that helps define what “destinations for all” truly means.

Curt Cottle smiles in a professional headshot against a light background. He wears a dark blazer over a light-colored shirt and has a full gray beard, looking directly at the camera with a friendly expression.

Curt Cottle | National Travel and Tourism Office

Momentum is building at the National Travel and Tourism Office with the appointment of new director Robert O’Leary, who is highly receptive to accessibility and inclusion and eager to deepen engagement in this work.

Alison Brooks smiles in a professional headshot against a dark background. She has long blonde hair worn down and wears a sleeveless patterned top, looking directly at the camera with a warm expression.

Alison Brooks | Visit Mesa

Love on the Spectrum is coming to Mesa! Alison continues to spotlight inclusive adventure travel and has launched a food inclusivity program designed specifically for travelers with food sensitivities.

Chris Maher smiles in an outdoor photo wearing a navy quilted vest over a collared shirt. He stands in front of a glass surface with trees reflected behind him.

Chris Maher | Samaritan Partners

Accessibility moved up from the sidelines at CES, the most powerful tech event in the world. 180 people came early specifically to participate in a disability round table.

Camilo Navarro sits in a purple chair in an office setting, smiling at the camera. He wears a dark Columbia quarter-zip pullover with a “Wheel the World” logo, with wooden bookshelves and a softly blurred workspace in the background.

Camilo Navarro | Wheel the World

Wheel the World closed 2025 with 130 accessible destinations worldwide. They’re moving into 2026 better funded and ready to scale access globally.

Steve Nelson smiles in a selfie taken near an airplane doorway beside a blue sign that reads “Welcome aboard.” He wears a dark blazer over a black shirt and stands inside the aircraft entrance area.

Steve Nelson | Alaska Airlines

Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines have opened their most accessible building to date, while continuing critical work on aircraft lavatory designs aimed at creating fully accessible restrooms, even within narrow-aisle aircraft.

Rob Harris poses in a professional headshot inside a modern office setting with large windows in the background. He wears a dark suit jacket over a white dress shirt, with neatly styled hair and a trimmed beard, looking confidently at the camera.

Rob Harris | Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean Group is embedding accessibility into its culture by installing Accessibility Ambassadors across all ships and fleets. Core accessibility training has been redeveloped, with active work underway to scale and deploy it globally.

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Todd Brook smiles while speaking at a podium on stage. He wears a dark blazer over a white dress shirt and stands behind a clear lectern with a microphone, set against a dark background with stage lighting.

Todd Brook | Envisionit and Unchained

Building the Playbook Companion AI into a powerful accessibility assistant designed to function like an employee that can support basic communication, coordination, and administrative tasks for users.

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Mark Jones smiles in a selfie taken outdoors in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World. He wears black-framed glasses and a black collared shirt, with the iconic castle and park walkway visible behind him in bright daylight.

Mark Jones | Disney

Disney continues to elevate storytelling and craftsmanship. Accessibility updates can be found on the Disney website.

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Patty David smiles in a professional studio headshot against a light gray background. She wears a black cardigan over a white top, with short layered blonde hair styled neatly around her face.

Patty David | AARP

AARP is driving future-focused research on accessible travel, including surveys exploring what travel will look like in 2030 when every baby boomer has reached age 65.

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Danica Gonsalves smiles in an outdoor headshot with trees and greenery in the background. She wears a black blazer over a red top, with her long brown hair styled down and parted to the side, standing in bright natural sunlight.

Danica Gonsalves | Paralyzed Veterans of America

Paralyzed Veterans of America is developing a practical resource for hotels focused on achieving best-in-class accessibility, including guidance on how AI tools can support and enhance accessibility efforts.

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Meg Raby Klinghoffer stands in front of a white background with straight dark hair, wearing a black shirt, and smiles slightly at the camera.

Meg Raby Klinghoffer | KultureCity

KultureCity has launched new training for hotels and travel agencies, completed airport training initiatives, and certified nine beaches.

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Carol Giuliani smiles outdoors in front of a historic stone castle wall. She wears a white coat with a teal and green scarf, and the setting appears to be a scenic travel destination.

Carol Giuliana | Senior Travel Companion Services

Celebrating her 150th trip as a senior travel companion, Carol is responding to growing demand by building a “companion army” to support travelers who need one-on-one assistance.

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Kristy Durso is sitting in her wheelchair on the beach, smiling over her shoulder with the beautiful turquoise ocean in the background.

Kristy Durso | TravelAbility Ambassador

Leading a new initiative to create an accessible wedding planner guide for venues and destinations.

asha Blair-Goldensohn faces the camera in a close-up headshot. He wears round brown eyeglasses and a dark top against a plain white background, with a neutral expression.

Sasha Goldenstein | Google

Google now offers verified accessibility information for more than 50 million places worldwide. Later this year, Google will open an Accessibility Discovery Center at its New York City offices.

Laurel Van Horn smiles in an outdoor headshot surrounded by green foliage. She has long brown hair worn down and wears red lipstick, dark earrings, and a patterned scarf draped around her shoulders.

Laurel Van Horn | Open Doors Organization

The Open Doors Organization celebrates its 25th anniversary as a pioneer in accessible travel. Current efforts are focused on aviation, with the 10th annual Access in Aviation Conference approaching and ongoing research into boarding methods, neurodiversity, and wheelchair user experiences.

Houston Vandergriff stands smiling in the middle of a city street, holding a Nikon camera with both hands. He wears glasses and a rust-colored button-down shirt with a camera strap over his shoulder, with storefronts and parked cars softly blurred in the background.

Houston Vandergriff | Downs and Towns

Houston completed ten paid accessible-travel collaborations in 2025 via TravelAbility, appeared on the cover of the Charlottesville Visitor’s Guide, and attended an international travel market in London where accessibility was underrepresented. He was just selected by the National Park Service as an artist-in-residence for Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Chelsea Bear smiles at the camera while standing on a beach promenade at sunset. She wears a bright blue sweater and a black crossbody bag, with the ocean, beachgoers, and a colorful sky behind her.

Chelsea Bear | Influencer

Refining her business structure to take on more travel partnerships consistently. After recently moving back to South Florida, she’s excited to highlight more local destinations while seeking new travel partnerships globally. She was recently quoted in major travel media covering accessible travel from AFAR and Travel Pulse.

TravelAbility Announces First-of-Its-Kind Disability Content Creator Database With A Total of 164M Followers

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This year, the TravelAbility research team has developed a first-of-its-kind content creator database, currently identifying 555 verified disability creators with active social accounts across major platforms. The aim is to establish a network of disability influencers who hold trust and influence within their specific disability communities, creating a reliable media resource for travel marketers and serving as a collective voice for advocacy. 

Over the past year, our team has worked to identify creators, collect contact information, and build relationships. The creators in the database create a wide range of content with some focusing specifically on travel and others sharing accessibility through everyday lived experience. Their voices are trusted within disability communities and offer destinations an authentic way to connect. 

As the initiative moves forward, TravelAbility will continue to expand engagement and refine how the database supports creators, destinations and industry partners. 

Snapshot: Disability Creator Representation

Disability Category Verified Creators Estimated Combined Reach
Mobility29267M
Neurodivergent 9952M
Blind/ Low Vision3213M
Deaf / Hard of Hearing359M
Chronic Disease588M
Dwarfism2617M
Mental Illness7 5M
Senior11650K
Speech Impediment 4180K
Invisible Disability673K
Plus Size227K

Why the Database Matters

Disabled and aging travelers are actively seeking information about destinations investing in accessibility. For many within the disability community, travel bloggers and social media creators who share their lived experience serve as trusted sources of guidance when planning trips. Their perspectives provide practical insight into how accessibility features function in real-world settings.

When destinations collaborate with disabled content creators to highlight their accessibility features, they ensure that the people who rely on those features know they are available.

Until now, few structured resources have helped destinations identify disability creators with relevant access needs and established trust within their communities. This initiative helps close that gap.

Creator Engagement: What We’re Hearing

To better understand creator interest, experience, and readiness for destination collaboration, TravelAbility conducted a brief survey with creators contacted through the database.

Response at a glance:

  • 74 creators have responded so far
  • 18.5 million combined followers across respondents

What we’re learning:

  • 58 creators already produce travel or travel-adjacent content
  • 15 creators are interested in entering the travel space
  • 52 creators have never participated in a FAM or press trip, despite strong interest

These early responses point to strong creator engagement and a clear access gap, highlighting an opportunity for more outreach and education.

Initial Success and What’s Next

In its early stages, the Content Creator Database is already fostering new connections within the TravelAbility community. For the inaugural TravelAbility Film Festival, creators from the database submitted content, including several previously unknown to our community—like 3rd-place winner Vineet Victor—whose work was showcased to a room full of DMOs at the Summit. The database also enabled TravelAbility to welcome more disabled travelers to speak and participate in networking sessions, adding a richer tapestry of lived experiences to the Summit.

As we move into the next stage of this project, we plan to create more opportunities to inspire collaboration and deliver real value for all participants.

Lived Experience: 5 Myths About Accessible Family Travel with Amy Tarpein

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By Amy Tarpein

Amy Tarpein poses in a professional portrait against a light background. She wears a royal blue blazer over a black top, with long straight hair worn down and a warm, approachable expression.

@ElijahsBabyBucketList
Writer and Content Creator✈️
Travel Writer 🎗Lissencephaly Family
Sharing our journey to encourage others and share Elijah’s joy with the world
Total followers across platforms: 500,000

Amy Tarpein is a vibrant figure in the world of accessible family travel, renowned for her dedication to providing inclusive travel information for all. As the founder of Elijah’s Baby Bucket List, which received the Evergreen Award for Best Accessible Family Travel Blog in the United States in 2025, she has paved the way for families to explore the world without barriers. Her passion for travel and inclusivity was deeply influenced by her terminally ill son, Elijah, whose lively spirit inspired her to create a platform where every family, regardless of their unique challenges, can experience the joys of travel. She has built an online community of over half a million followers worldwide.

A best-selling author and esteemed travel writer, Amy skillfully weaves stories of adventure, resilience, and heartfelt family moments in her work, captivating the hearts and imaginations of millions worldwide. As a globally recognized public speaker, Amy captivates audiences with her compelling narratives and infectious enthusiasm, motivating others to embrace life’s journey and advocate for a more inclusive society. Her efforts continue to inspire countless families to embark on their own adventures, equipped with the knowledge that the world is accessible to everyone.

Learn how to work with Amy here.

The following is an excerpt from Amy’s latest blog post. Are you a destination contributing to this myth, or debunking it?

5 Myths About Accessible Family Travel

Two children sit on a boat, smiling as they enjoy a scenic lake surrounded by forested mountains. One child uses a wheelchair, and both children appear joyful as the boat moves across the water in bright sunlight.

Myth 2: There are Limited Destinations

Many believe that accessible travel options are limited to just a few places. On the contrary, numerous destinations worldwide emphasize accessibility. A 2019 study by Tripadvisor found that 72% of travelers want to know about accessibility features before booking. This demand has encouraged many family-friendly destinations to prioritize accessibility.

We have done things like swimming with penguins, riding mountain coasters, and watching Old Faithful. Locations like Tanganyika Wildlife Park, beautiful beaches, and expansive national parks are continually improving accessibility. They are now offering wheelchair rentals. Guided tours are tailored to families with varying needs.

More hotels and resorts are adopting universal design principles to accommodate guests of all abilities. This ensures that everyone can experience the joy of travel together. The possibilities for unforgettable family adventures are vast. They range from interactive exhibits at science centers to accessible hiking trails. These experiences facilitate lasting memories.

Read Full Article Here


How RightHear Is Changing the Way Blind Travelers Navigate the World

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From an interview with Idan Meir

A young man walking down a tree covered sidewalk using a white cane to navigate and holding a phone up as if he is listening.

The Problem: When Compliance Is Not Communication

RightHear was founded, Meir explains, on a clear conviction. “Spatial independence is a human right.” That belief came from recognizing a persistent gap between legal accessibility requirements and the lived experience of blind and low vision visitors.

Under the ADA, venues are required to provide “Effective Communication.” In practice, Meir says, the industry has relied heavily on Braille as the default solution, even though it often fails to meet that standard.

“Fewer than 10 percent of the blind community reads Braille,” Meir says. Even when Braille signage exists, locating it can be more difficult than reading it. “If a message cannot be found or read, the communication is not ‘effective.’”

“We believe that if a venue has a Braille sign, it must have a Talking Sign to truly fulfill the ADA’s mandate,”

Idan Meir

That disconnect led RightHear to rethink what accessibility communication should look like in real environments. “We believe that if a venue has a Braille sign, it must have a Talking Sign to truly fulfill the ADA’s mandate,” Meir explains.

RightHear addresses this by transforming physical spaces into an audible interface. “We are not helping venues check a compliance box,” Meir says. “We are making sure they are genuinely communicating with 100 percent of their visitors.”

Time for Change

RightHear is no longer an experimental solution. “We have moved way beyond proof of concept,” Meir says, noting that the platform is now widely deployed across top-tier travel destinations.

The technology is active in airports and hotels, but Meir points to parks and nature reserves as a defining area of leadership. “Everyone deserves to experience the outdoors,” he says, “yet nature trails are often the most difficult environments to navigate blindly.”

RightHear is currently deployed in parks around the world, allowing users to self-navigate trails while accessing wayfinding and educational content through their phones. “Users do not need to touch physical surfaces,” Meir explains, which is particularly important in outdoor and high-traffic environments.

More about our work in parks can be found here.

Putting Accessibility Within Reach

Affordability is central to RightHear’s strategy. “Our mission is to make accessibility the standard, not the exception,” Meir says.

Compared to physical infrastructure changes, RightHear is designed to be a cost-effective and scalable solution for venues of any size. The company offers a flexible subscription model that allows destinations to implement the technology immediately.

“Our pricing starts at $360 a year for a very small facility,” Meir notes. The goal, he says, is to remove cost as a barrier so venues can focus on delivering meaningful accessibility rather than minimum compliance.

For Meir, the distinction is clear. “If communication is not usable, it is not accessible,” he says. RightHear’s approach reframes accessibility as an operational and guest experience priority, not just a regulatory requirement.

TravelAbility Summit Session Cheatsheet: Inclusive Travel for Autistic Travelers with CAN

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When autistic travelers and their families plan a trip, even small details can make the difference between a stressful experience and a successful journey. From sensory environments to clear communication and predictable itineraries, thoughtful planning matters. At the 2025 TravelAbility Summit, Sarah Armstrong and Jenny Carwana from the Canucks Autism Network shared practical strategies for creating welcoming and inclusive travel environments, highlighting real-world tools, staff training tips, and small adjustments that can make travel accessible for autistic guests. Read our one-page recap of the session below.

2026 TravelAbility Tampa 2026 ad featuring a group of people including a wheelchair user enjoying a mead in downtown tampa. the summit dates are listed.

Want to experience training like this in person? Join us at next year’s TravelAbility Summit, taking place November 9-11, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. The summit brings together destinations, venues, and industry leaders committed to making travel and events more inclusive for everyone.

Session Recap

Presenters: 

Sarah Armstrong — Director, Strategic Partnerships, Canucks Autism Network (CAN)
Jenny Carwana — Manager of Accessibility Initiatives & Partnerships, Canucks Autism Network (CAN) 

Who CAN is 

Nonprofit founded in 2008 (Vancouver, BC) with a mission to build inclusive communities where autistic individuals thrive. Programs (21k+ program spaces last year), training (tens of thousands trained), and partnerships across sport, recreation, travel, first responders, and employers. Learn more here.

Why this matters 

  • Autism prevalence continues to rise (e.g., ~1 in 31 children in the U.S.; many adults remain undiagnosed). 
  • Travelers on the spectrum and their families are a significant, growing market—but frontline behavior and predictability often determine whether they travel. 

Inclusive language (set the tone) 

  • Many prefer identity-first (“autistic person”); others prefer person-first (“person with autism”). When in doubt, mirror or ask. 
  • Avoid deficit/“functioning” labels. Use support needs (e.g., “needs high support with transitions”). 
  • Replace stigmatizing terms: use “accessible,” “autistic,” “non-speaking,” “AAC user,” “wheelchair user.” 

Core characteristics to plan for

  • Social/communication differences: literal language, directness, varied response times, alternate communication (AAC, sign, visuals). 
  • Sensory differences: hyper/hypo sensitivities to sound, light, smell, touch; potential for sensory overload; stimming as regulation/joy—don’t discourage. 
  • Preference for predictability: routines, clear expectations, low ambiguity. 

Common travel pain points 

  • Sensory environment: crowds, PA announcements, bright/fluorescent lights, strong smells, tight spaces. 
  • Unwritten rules & fast instructions: subtle social norms; multi-step verbal directions delivered quickly. 
  • Low predictability: last-minute changes (delays/gates/rooms), unclear timing, complex transitions. 

Practical strategies (what to implement) 

1) Sensory-aware environments 

  • Provide/mark quiet spaces (low light, comfortable seating, calm activities). 
  • Offer sensory kits to borrow: noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, fidgets/comfort items, simple comm boards, venue map/ID bracelet. 
  • Create sensory maps and clear signage that warn about loud sounds, bright areas, smells, crowding. 
  • Aim for scent-reduced policies (including cleaners/air fresheners). 
  • Schedule sensory-friendly hours (reduced sound/lighting, fewer triggers). 

2) Clear, direct, visual communication 

  • Be explicit about expectations and “unwritten rules” (friendly tone, no idioms/jargon).
  • Use the Rule of Three for instructions; pair with visuals (checklists, icons, short videos, live demos). 
  • Allow processing time (up to ~10 seconds) before rephrasing more simply. ● Engage the person directly; respect AAC/non-speaking communication. 

3) Increase predictability (“front-loading”) 

  • Share detailed itineraries with photos, maps, what to bring, what to expect, durations, wait times, transitions, and “what happens if plans change.” 
  • Host practice/dress-rehearsal experiences (e.g., airport walkthroughs): check-in → security → gate → aircraft sit-down/taxi → deplane. 
  • Put all resources on an Accessibility page (storybook guides, videos, checklists). 

Proven models & tools 

  • Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program to support self-identification (not mandatory). 
  • YVR & Air Canada partnership: front-loading storybooks, videos, checklists, sensory kits, recurring Accessibility Tours (families reported this enabled their first successful trips). 

Staff training focus (what to teach) 

  • Respect autonomy; never touch mobility/assistive devices or service animals without permission. 
  • Ask before helping; don’t “police” disability. 
  • Normalize stimming; it’s regulation or joy, not misbehavior. 
  • Offer alternatives (quiet space, kit) when sensing overload; stay calm, kind, and patient.

Quick wins you can deploy this quarter

1. Add an Accessibility page: itineraries, visuals, sensory map, what to expect, contact.
2. Stock sensory kits at guest/concierge desks; train staff on when/how to offer them.
3. Pilot sensory-friendly hours and promote them in booking flows. 
4. Script frontline plain-language briefings + print simple visual checklists.
5. Plan a practice tour with local partners (airport/airline, hotel, attraction).
6. Book frontline training (CAN offers travel-specific courses; customize by role). 

Bottom line 

Predictability + Sensory Support + Direct Communication = Lower stress, higher satisfaction, and trips that actually happen. Accessibility here isn’t about costly build-outs—it’s about exceptional hospitality delivered consistently.

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