Good news for the travel community: Inclusive and accessible mobility will continue to be a focus in 2019. In addition, trip planning that uses technology will also grow considerably this year. Other trends include (everyone’s favorite) data sharing and curbside management. While there has been much discussion over the past few years about how significant an impact curb usage has on mobility, 2019 will bring actual pilot projects that show how to effectively manage the curb, explains Carol Schweiger in this recent Intelligent Transport report. READ MORE
Adventure of the Month: Wheel the World Tours Opens Machu Picchu
Whoever thought Machu Picchu could be wheelchair accessible? Two longtime best friends from Chile, both avid adventurers, emigrated to the U.S. to study business at UC Berkeley did. Now they are making it their priority to help wheelchair travelers tour iconic Machu Picchu in Peru and other adventure destinations. The company, called Wheel the World, inspired by Albaro Silberstein (right), who uses a wheelchair and friend Camilo Navarro (left), who does not, is now part of SKYDECK, UC Berkeley’s acceleration program. They have also expanded their business in Latin America, adding tours in Chile and Mexico, too. (You can see more of their photos on Instagram: @wheeltheworld). READ MORE
New Emojis Can Help People With Disabilities Feel More A Part of the Smartphone World
This month the Unicode Consortium released a 2019 update to their collection of emojis with some people, but not all, praising designers’ efforts to be more inclusive and diverse. The symbols, now ubiquitous in electronic messages, will be available on most platforms in the fall. Of the 230 just-released emojis, Unicode includes more options for people (of varying gender, skin and hair color) who use hearing devices, prosthetics, a white cane, guide dogs, service dogs, and wheelchairs, according to Forbes.com READ MORE
Deaf Standup Comedian Performs at Caroline’s on Broadway
Standup comedian Tom Willard (left) made his Broadway debut on December 3, 2018, at New York City’s Caroline’s on Broadway, one of the top comedy clubs in the country, according to a recent story in Disabled-World.com. Willard, 61, spoke and signed his jokes as part of Caroline’s New Talent Showcase. He explains that he lost his hearing gradually as he was growing up and started doing standup only about two years ago. He has performed in a dozen cities and continues to seek out new opportunities. READ MORE
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