TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Accessibility

Meet the 2025 INNOVATEAble Finalists: 9 Breakthrough Travel Accessibility Solutions Pitching at ADA 35

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The world’s only pitch event showcasing innovations, technologies and amenities that make travel easier for people with disabilities.

Dive into 7th Annual InnovateAble 2025, The Shark Tank for Accessible Travel Innovations technologies and amenities to Celebrate ADA 35

Get ready for an inspiring virtual showcase like no other! On July 25, 2024, we’re celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with a groundbreaking event that’s all about empowering travel for those with disabilities.

I’m thrilled to announce InnovateAble, a unique pitch fest that’s reminiscent of Shark Tank, but with a twist. It’s dedicated to showcasing assistive technology, services and innovations that promise to revolutionize travel for people with disabilities and seniors.”

Jake Steinman, Founder of TravelAbility.

Event Details:

  • Date: July 25, 2025
  • Time: 10:00 AM to 11:30 PM Pacific Time on Zoom
  • Format: Quick-fire 3-minute pitches with a 7-minute Q&A
  • Location: Zoom – Open to registered attendees of the 2025 TravelAbility Summit.
Register Today
Learn More

This event is not just a competition: it’s a beacon of innovation, organized by the forward-thinkers at TravelAbility. The TravelAbility team spent hours researching over 45 companies/products and after an exhaustive process selected 9 finalists to present to our panel of judges. We’re proud to share that past participants have raised a staggering $563.4 million in funding, proving that these innovations are not just visionary but also viable.

2025 Line-Up Includes:

Mobility

Rio Mobility designs lightweight manual and power attachments that can effortlessly convert most standard wheelchairs into power wheelchairs capable opening off-road as well as on-road experiences.

ADAPTS is a portable transfer sling designed for safe, manual wheelchair transfers in inaccessible places such as airplanes, hotels, or stairwells.

BoardSafe Docks is the leading designer and manufacturer of premium aluminum floating docks and adaptive launch systems.

Effortless Lifts, an innovative boat mobility system specifically designed to facilitate access to water-based activities for individuals with mobility impairments.

Deafness/Hard of Hearing

Koda is a powerful, device-agnostic live captioning platform that uses AI and data to boost accessibility, engagement, and retention at events—no downloads required.

Blind and Low Vision

Tourch2See provides tablets allowing blind and visually impaired community to attend live sporting game.

RightHear is an audible wayfinding system that helps enhance accessibility, by enabling visitors to navigate indoor and outdoor spaces more independently.

Neurodiversity

Scan Me Home is a simple ID system using QR codes—on an app or iron-on patch—to help quickly reunite lost loved ones who may have eloped with their families.

Lotus is a wearable ring that lets people with limited mobility control home devices by simply pointing—no apps, rewiring, or Wi-Fi required, and it’s travel-friendly too.

Fun in Action?  This Party Bus Sucks…You In!

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A man stands between two buses wearing a jumping Joey tshirt in American flag colors

Historically, the party bus has been elitist, if not downright ableist. Jumping Joey’s is changing that. Jumping Joey’s Journey, a local transportation service, has expanded its offerings with the recent acquisition of a 14-passenger, handicap-accessible minibus. From bar crawls and weddings to church events, family trips, and school field trips, Jumping Joey’s Journey delivers more than just a ride – they create an electrifying experience. They call themselves the ultimate party experience on wheels, and now that party will be open to all.

Read the Full Article

It may be time to reach out to your local transportation services to see how you can up your party game.

Hotel Spotlight: Radisson Blu, Bloomington, Minnesota

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Two children site in a hotel room in blue armchairs. A wheelchair is next to them.

By Jennifer Allen

Typically, our son is a part time wheelchair user and we’re able to cheat a bit when it comes to room accessibility. Since I’ve seen how often we need those cheats in hotels, I was a little bit nervous for our first stay as a full time wheelchair user.

Radisson Blu absolutely nailed it in accessibility, comfort, luxury, and convenience. The sliding bathroom door, roll under sink, double grab bars for the toilet and roll in shower made the bathroom a breeze. The bathroom, bedroom, and living spaces in the suite were spacious and easy to navigate. The convenience of the hotel, with FireLake Grill House downstairs and Mall of America across the hall, was unbeatable. If we weren’t so excited to get out in nature with the track chair, we never would’ve had to leave the building. The staff were friendly and helpful and even the revolving entrance door had accessibility options. 

It was a completely seamless hotel stay.

What Would You Do: The Accessible Shower Isn’t Usable—Now What?

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You answer the phone at the front desk of the hotel to learn that a guest with a mobility disability is unable to use the shower. The controls are on the opposite end of the shower from the built-in shower bench, and they can’t reach them. What do you do?

Your Responses:

John Sage | Sage Traveling

Unfortunately, the disabled guest already felt their disability in a way they don’t experience at home, will possibly be posting negative reviews, and will possibly avoid that hotel chain in the future. This guest is almost certainly not the first person to experience this accessibility barrier so there’s no telling how much revenue has already been lost. 

Kitty Sharman | TravelAbility

Assuming I were a line-level front desk attendant, I would start by thanking them for the information and apologizing for the inconvenience. I would find out if all of the accessible rooms have the same issue. If a room without that issue is available, I would move them to that room if they wish. If they wanted to stay in their current room, I would provide them with a movable shower chair. I would then contact management to alert them of the issue.

Jessica Haga | Disability Mom

Maybe they could send someone up to turn the shower on, then the person could bathe and call back down when they’re finished to have someone come turn it off.

Jennifer Allen | Disability Mom

Imagine checking into a hotel to find your room doesn’t have a shower. It’s absurd to think about, but a shower that can’t be used is as useful as none at all. This is more than an inconvenience: it’s an indignity. Adults don’t want to ask strangers for help showering. 

First, have some empathy. Even if it may not be your fault personally that the shower is inaccessible, the person calling you is in an extremely uncomfortable situation and is just trying to figure out how to bathe on vacation. 

Second, work for a solution. This isn’t a, “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. We’ll add points to your hotel loyalty account” situation. The guest needs to bathe. Find a different room. Buy a shower chair. Find a different hotel. 

Third, make it up to them. Props to you that you fixed the situation and now your guest can shower, but they’ve moved rooms or missed time from their itinerary to help sort things out. They’re likely frustrated and good hospitality involves making them feel welcome.

IG User

As a wheelchair user, the solution I would propose to the hotel staff is for a portable shower chair to be brought that can go closer to the shower controls. Many hotels have them available, you just have to ask the right people!

Best Practices: Bonjour Quebec’s Tools for Accessible Travel

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Bonjour Québec has accessibility filters!

The ability to sort out what you can or cannot do in travel planning is an invaluable empowerment for the disabled traveler.

Bonjour Québec utilizes practical website planning tools and filters across disabilities to make it easy for travelers to plan a visit to Quebec.

Québec for All is a database of over 2,000 Kéroul-certified tourism businesses (Kéroul criss-crosses the province to test and evaluate establishments. Its representatives also make recommendations to businesses on adapting their infrastructures) across Québec, linked directly through the tourism website. Fully or partially accessible to people with a disability, seniors, or anyone with difficulty getting around (parents with strollers included), these establishments offer a warm and caring welcome, with staff that has been trained to respond to the needs and expectations of this clientele.

Business accessibility and searches

With the Bonjour Québec search engine, you can also find accommodation establishments and tourist sites or activities whose accessibility has been evaluated by Kéroul based on four criteria:

  Accessible   Accessible

 Partially accessible   Partially accessible

 Services for people with a visual impairment  Services for people with a visual impairment

   Services for people with a hearing impairmentc Services for people with a hearing impairment


Québec has done a lot in terms of accessibility and inclusion, but the ability to plan for the plethora of accessible options is what truly makes Québec accessible to all travelers.