TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Accessibility

Fora Travel Sparks Accessibility Movement for Travel Advisors

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By Jennifer Allen

Booking a luxury vacation should be a seamless process. Unfortunately, for those with accessibility needs, even the most high-end experiences can fall short in ways that make travel unnecessarily difficult—or even impossible. Karen Morales, a seasoned traveler, was shocked by the gap in accessible travel options when she became a wheelchair user in 2020. “I had already been to 45 countries before using a wheelchair,” she shares. “What I found really quickly was that even if I was booking the Four Seasons, I would show up and something would be hugely wrong—like a suite with a full staircase.”

The system, as she puts it, is inherently broken. But instead of accepting the status quo, Morales set out to change it.

Building a Program to Fill the Gap

“I needed to find a way to have influence, so I started interviewing with host agencies to see how I could disrupt and improve travel planning.” When she met with Fora in 2023, the company was still a startup—but they shared her vision. Within weeks, she was in conversations with the executive team, who immediately saw the need for a structured approach to accessible travel planning. Together, they built a certification and training program designed to educate travel agents, improve industry standards, and ultimately create better experiences for travelers with accessibility needs.

The Missing Market: Luxury Without Limitations

A common misconception in the travel industry is that accessibility equates to a clinical or downgraded experience. But, as Morales points out, travelers with disabilities don’t want to compromise on quality.

People don’t want to downgrade—they want luxury. I’m a person who wants a luxury trip, and I happen to use a wheelchair. Don’t make me feel like ‘other’ or less.”

The demand is there. As more travelers age into disability, the need for accessible, high-end experiences will only grow. “There’s a self fulfilling loop where destinations don’t market what they have, so people don’t know about accessible offerings, so they don’t ask, so there’s no perceived demand.” Fora’s program seeks to break that cycle by equipping travel agents with the knowledge to both advocate for and book truly accessible experiences.

Training and Certification: Raising the Bar

The Fora accessibility training program is built on the expertise of travelers who have firsthand experience navigating the challenges of accessible travel. “We’re recruiting and training existing employees with experience traveling with a disability—whether it be hidden, mobility-related, or neurodivergent, food allergies, etc.,” Morales explains. “We’re sharing our black book and slowly building training with travel agents, ensuring we meet the needs of travelers while influencing the supplier level.” There are so many nuances in disability travel, and agents need to be prepared for the types of requests that might come up, and how to find answers. Where can a guest with innumerable food allergies go and have the chef create a custom menu? Will they have to remove their orthotics to enter the temples in Thailand?

The program is open to all travel agents, with certification requiring multiple steps: attending accessibility trainings, passing an exam, and creating a portfolio that includes successful bookings for travelers with accessibility needs. Agents must also complete property reviews to demonstrate that they can apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios.

Beyond the training, Fora is embedding accessibility into its broader operations. Accessibility information is now a required part of all FAM (familiarization) trips. Fora’s Friday destination trainings on social media now feature accessibility as a core component.

Transforming the Travel Industry

Fora’s impact extends beyond just training agents; it’s influencing suppliers and destinations as well. “Suppliers are now sending their own offerings to us,” Morales notes. The program encourages accommodations and tour operators to rethink how they cater to travelers with accessibility needs with a focus on scaling and providing better value. A free upgrade is worthless to guests who need an accessible room. What can you offer instead? They’re teaching ways to be proactive – like offering in-room breakfast or providing beach wheelchairs. “You have a family coming who needs a beach wheelchair? Don’t make them rent one. Buy one,” she says. “They did—and they thought it was beautiful to see me playing with my kids.”

The approach is working. Suppliers are seeing the return on investment as demand for accessible travel services becomes more visible. 

A Future Without Barriers

For Morales, this initiative is deeply personal. “Having a degenerative disease, being in a wheelchair was my worst-case scenario. I thought I wouldn’t be independent or free—that my life would get smaller. But without my wheelchair, that was my reality. I was too afraid to go anywhere because of falling. The chair is how I became unlimited.”

Her hope is that the Fora training program will ensure that no one has to choose between a love of travel and accessibility. “Everything is possible,” she says. “People who love to travel should be able to continue doing that through the trajectory of their life—no matter what nuances pop up along the way. And our operators, who are dedicated to this, will make travel happen for everyone, no matter what’s going on.”

At its core, the program isn’t just about logistics—it’s about joy. “You don’t get anywhere by constantly fighting,” Morales says. “No one wins that way.

We spend endless hours talking about people who want to travel and what we need to do to make it work. Let’s shift the conversation. How can we make the joy erupt?”

With the Fora accessibility training and certification program, that joy is finally within reach for more travelers than ever before.

Advice Line: Lessons with Kristy Durso Part Two

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Kristy Durso freefalls through the sky, strapped to a skydiving instructor, smiling with pure joy as they soar high above the landscape. Her wide grin and outstretched arms capture the thrill of the moment and her fearless spirit.

What helps skeptical tourism businesses understand the value of investing in accessibility?

I like to share stories that challenge assumptions. Like the list of things I’ve done as a wheelchair user that most in the room haven’t. Or my son, who has intellectual disabilities, but has read Julius Caesar, Lord of the Rings and The Count of Monte Cristo. Most adults haven’t read all three. Or my daughter, who has 30 food allergies and is still one of the most adventurous eaters I know.

These moments open people’s eyes. They show that people with disabilities aren’t defined by limitations. They are travelers, adventurers and consumers—just like everyone else.

Here’s what really seals the deal.

Accessibility is just smart customer service.

Tourism is a customer service industry. Accessibility is about meeting your guest’s needs, just like you would for dietary preferences or language barriers. So why not for mobility, sensory, or cognitive needs?

The good news is that once a business starts doing this, and truly commits to it, they usually don’t want to stop. I’ve seen destinations begin with small steps, like Traverse City adding a sensory room, and quickly become champions for accessibility. They see the results. They hear the gratitude. They feel the difference it makes.

To any business that’s hesitant, I say this: “Start with the human connection. Show the economic value.”

Then let them experience the joy of being a place where everyone belongs.

Check back next month for Part Three! Noble Studios conducted a thorough interview with Kristy Durso going over the many facets of creating a destination that is truly for everyone. This series is pulled directly from the interview. Check out last month’s issue for Lesson #1. Click here for the full interview. 

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

Featured public speaker, accessibilities advocate, entrepreneur, Army veteran, and military wife Kristy Durso is Travelability’s Ambassedor and owns and operates Incredible Memories Travel, a full-service travel agency that assists everyone, including those with accessibility needs. She has three children, one who has autoimmune issues and food allergies, another on the spectrum, and another with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. 

Champion of Change: How Ross Calladine Built a Visit England Platform That’s Elevating Accessible Tourism

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From an interview with Ross Calladine

When Ross Calladine began his career in tourism, he never expected to become one of the UK’s most influential voices in accessibility. But after joining VisitBritain/VisitEngland in 2008, a new opportunity emerged—one that would reshape not only his career but also the tourism landscape across the country.

“I identified that the needs of disabled people and others with accessibility requirements were not being adequately met,” Ross explains. “This represented an opportunity for the tourism industry.”

With no defined roadmap in place, Ross built a strategic program from the ground up and became a champion for this crucially important area.

In January 2024, he was named Accessibility and Inclusion Lead at VisitEngland, a dedicated role he worked more than a decade to carve out.

Building Momentum Without a Budget

Change, however, wasn’t easy.

“Resource and capacity have always been a challenge,” Ross admits. “For many years there was very little, or no budget allocated to this area of work.”

Instead of waiting for funding, Ross formed partnerships with like-minded organizations. He found creative ways to drive progress by embedding accessibility into broader programs, including his previous role as Head of Business Support. His efforts culminated in impactful projects that inspired destinations and businesses to think differently about inclusion.

Prior to accepting his dedicated senior role as Accessibility and Inclusion Lead, he spent almost 11 years as Head of Business Support, which meant strategic leadership and delivery of his accessibility work went alongside leading several other major programs such as VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

Milestones Worth Celebrating

Ross’s résumé reads like a blueprint for transforming tourism. 

“Having worked in this field for almost 17 years, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of delivering a wide range of initiatives. These have ranged from initiating a conference on ‘Unlocking the Purple Pound’ in 2015 to holding a ‘think tank’ event for key stakeholders that led to me establishing England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group (EITAG), a group I continue to convene quarterly.”

In 2011, he piloted a new approach to developing accessible itineraries—work that caught the attention of the European Commission and led to a national Access for All project.

From 2014 to 2016, VisitEngland partnered with seven destinations and 56 businesses, generating £32.7 million in incremental economic impact—nearly triple their original goal. The success didn’t stop there.

“Following this success we then ran the North York Moors Accessibility Project from 2021 to 2023.” The campaign won Digital PR Campaign of the Year 2023 at the TravMedia Awards, while a YouTube campaign in the Netherlands earned over nine million impressions and 8.2 million views—far exceeding targets.

Another standout achievement is the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Toolkit for Businesses, developed with design agency Mima. “The landing page was the third most visited page across the VisitEngland/VisitBritain industry website in 2024,” Ross notes. A companion toolkit now helps accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) build accessibility into their destination strategy.

In recognition of his work, Ross was appointed Disability and Access Ambassador for the tourism sector by the UK Government in 2022. In this role, he continues to advocate for improvements in the accessibility and quality of services across the industry.

Fueled by Injustice—and Hope

What drives Ross after nearly two decades of work in accessibility?

“It is the ongoing injustice and inequality that disabled people experience daily,” he says. “Also, the fact that 50% of people who identify as disabled did not take a holiday in England in the last 12 months, compared to 35% of non-disabled people.”

“My family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances—anyone with accessibility requirements who seek equitable experiences—should be able to find them,” he says.

“Tourism should be for everyone and tackling barriers is everyone’s responsibility.”

The Road Ahead

Ross isn’t slowing down anytime soon. VisitEngland continues to lead the industry towards delivering more accessible and inclusive tourism experiences for all—driving growth of the Tourism Purple Pound, currently worth £14.6 billion in England annually. In 2025 and beyond, he plans to continue leading VisitEngland’s charge toward a more inclusive industry by:

  • Upskilling businesses to deliver accessible experiences.
  • Supporting our new portfolio of LVEPs to develop and promote accessible tourism in their destinations. 
  • Hosting England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group.
  • Leading initiatives to improve the holiday planning experience for visitors with a wide range of accessibility requirements.

His five-year vision? “To lead the work program from strength-to-strength, supporting destinations and businesses across England to break down more barriers and see more people enjoying all that England has to offer.”

Advice for the Next Wave of Accessibility Leaders

For those looking to follow in Ross’s footsteps, he offers practical advice.

“At a time where some narratives may discourage a focus on inclusion, redouble your efforts,” he urges. “Be confident that whilst accessibility and inclusion is the right thing to do ethically (and often a legal responsibility), the Purple Pound means that it’s great for business.”

And perhaps most importantly: “Excellence does not require perfection. You will never be accessible to everyone, but you can always be accessible to someone. So, aim for continuous improvement, offering everyone a warm welcome and great customer service to deliver memorable visitor experiences.”

With that mindset—and leaders like Ross Calladine paving the way—the future of accessible tourism in England looks brighter than ever.

Vrbo Wakes Up to the $60B Accessibility Market

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Vrbo has partnered with Becoming rentABLE, the only platform dedicated to listing accessible short-term rentals, to boost their bookings and get a slice of the disability market. 

The partnership launched officially on May 2, building on a relationship that began in 2022 when Becoming rentABLE joined the Expedia Open World™ Accelerator Program.

Currently, fewer than 0.1% of short-term rental properties in the U.S. are truly accessible. Becoming rentABLE champions a broader definition of accessibility—one that extends beyond wheelchair use to include mobility, cognitive, hearing, and vision needs, as well as accommodations for the growing aging population. In alignment with this vision, Vrbo has added search filters for eight new accessibility attributes to its booking platform, recognizing that inclusive design isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s good business. 

Vrbo’s Reimagine Inclusive Travel initiative showcases how small upgrades can have a major impact. Becoming rentABLE created a 10-minute online course offering practical guidance for short term rental hosts, covering inclusive design, overlooked opportunities, and the importance of providing accurate, detailed accessibility descriptions.

With Vrbo’s average group size being five, the likelihood of someone in each party requiring accessible accommodations is significant. Yet the STR industry has failed to keep up. That’s changing now.

About Becoming rentABLE

Becoming rentABLE is the only U.S.-based platform exclusively focused on listing short-term rental properties with verified accessibility features. Its mission is to make travel possible for everyone—regardless of ability. Read more about their partnership with Vrbo here.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group powers travel for everyone, everywhere through its global platform, featuring leading brands like Expedia, Vrbo, Hotels.com, and more. Check out Vrbo’s accessibility initiative here.

Advice Line: Lessons with Kristy Durso Part One

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Accessibility isn’t about ‘them.’ It’s about all of us.”

When you meet with a city council or tourism board, what single statistic or story most effectively demonstrates the importance of investing in accessibility?

There are a few ways I like to answer this question, but the most impactful is leading with the numbers—because numbers don’t lie and they tell a powerful story.

I’ll often ask travel professionals, “How much do you think people with disabilities spend on accessible travel?” The guesses are usually way off. Some say $10 million, maybe $10 billion if they’re thinking big.

But the truth? Between 2019 and 2020, people with disabilities spent $58.7 billion on accessible travel in the U.S. alone.

And that’s just a fraction of the potential. Many travelers with disabilities still hesitate to travel because they’re afraid their needs won’t be met. Imagine how much higher that figure could be if more destinations were truly inclusive.

It’s also important to realize this isn’t a small group. According to the CDC, 27% of American adults have a diagnosed disability. That’s more than one in four people. This is a major market segment, not a niche.

I also love sharing a moment from my keynotes. I’ll ask the audience, “Who here has a disability or a family member with a disability?” Usually about a third of the room stands. Then I break down what a disability actually includes—vision impairments like wearing glasses, neurodivergence, temporary conditions—and by the end, nearly the entire room is on their feet. It’s a powerful visual. Accessibility isn’t about “them”—it’s about all of us.

Another stat I share: families with a disability spend 30% more when they travel. Sometimes that’s due to extra equipment, but often it’s because better service means their needs are met. If an average family spends $3,000 on a trip, a family with accessibility needs might spend $4,000. Multiply that by how often we travel in larger groups, return to places that treat us well and tell our communities—it adds up fast.

Take Disney World. Ask any U.S.-based accessible travel group where to go, and the first answer is always Disney. Not because of specialized programs, they’ve actually phased some of those out, but because their customer service is consistently excellent. They meet guests’ needs first. That reputation alone has made them a leader in accessible travel, supporting everything from food allergies to wheelchairs to neurodivergencies.

So when I speak with tourism boards or councils, I focus on both sides: the emotional connection and the financial return. Accessibility is the right thing to do—but it’s also smart business. You’re not just meeting needs. You’re building loyalty, encouraging repeat visits, driving higher spend and fueling powerful word of mouth. And in tourism, where everything centers on customer service, that’s everything.

Check back next month for Part Two! Noble Studios conducted a thorough interview with Kristy Durso going over the many facets of creating a destination that is truly for everyone. This series is pulled directly from the interview. Click here for the full interview. 

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

Featured public speaker, accessibilities advocate, entrepreneur, Army veteran, and military wife Kristy Durso is Travelability’s Ambassedor and owns and operates Incredible Memories Travel, a full-service travel agency that assists everyone, including those with accessibility needs. She has three children, one who has autoimmune issues and food allergies, another on the spectrum, and another with cognitive and intellectual disabilities.