TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Accessibility

TravelAbility and Becoming RentABLE Launch a Disability Events Calendar

by

image of a calendar with 3 call-outs of disability events happening in May
TravelAbility and Becoming RentABLE are proud to announce the launch of a new calendar of events for disability conferences, events, and para sports events in North America. This collaboration aims to provide a comprehensive resource for individuals with disabilities and destinations so that they can prepare their stakeholders for upcoming events. The full calendar will be available on both the TravelAbility web site and Becoming RentAble web-site.

The calendar will include a wide range of events, from conferences on accessibility and inclusion to para sports competitions. The goal is to provide a one-stop-shop for individuals with disabilities to find events that interest them and provide opportunities for networking, learning, and fun.

“Disability has never had more visibility to the mainstream,” said Becoming RentAble CEO, Lorraine Woodward.  “Providing information about adaptive sports events and conferences creates networking and relationship building opportunities for a community that is woefully underserved.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Becoming RentAble on this project,” added TravelAbility founder, Jake Steinman. “Our goal is to raise awareness among destinations that hosting adaptive events and disability conferences provides an excellent opportunity to educate their hotels, attractions, restaurants about how to serve these visitors in a way that is welcoming and inclusive for everyone, and this calendar is a big step towards achieving that.”
The calendar will be available on both the TravelAbility.net and BecomingRentAble.com websites and will be regularly updated with new events.  
Stay tuned for more information on this exciting collaboration!
 
If you know of an upcoming event in your destination add it to the calendar . Listings are a free service for the community.

New Saudi Ultra-Luxury Resort Caters to the High-End Disabled Traveler

by

photo of a man. seen from the back with a prosthetic leg wearing a wet-suit, carrying a surfboard and heading into the ocean

Our Takeaway: The Saudis have suddenly awakened to the fact that they will run out of oil in the year 2344, and, following the example of Dubai,  they’re building an infrastructure around aging gazillionaires who love to travel in the lap of luxury.

Red Sea Globalhas promised the giga project will be entirely disability friendly.

The developer, backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, will add ramps and accessible rooms at all its hotels, but also offer adaptive diving experiences and make sure that people with disabilities can stay in the “more challenging” accommodations, such as the Desert Rock Mountain Resort.  

RSG group CEO John Pagano said: “If we are truly going to do better for people and the planet, we can’t leave anyone behind. There are approximately 1.3 billion disabled people globally. It is not only totally inexcusable for our industry to exclude so many people, but commercially short-sighted.” Read More.

Featured Destination of the Month: Travel Oregon Creates Accessible Outdoor Guide

by

Our Takeaway: Oregon is arguably the most proactively accessible state in America with a generous grant program that underwrites accessibility for all seven of their regions and for this project they prudently partnered with three local disability organizations at the outset.

With rushing waterfalls, verdant hiking trails and scenic viewpoints inspiring people of all ages and ability levels. Before you head out, be sure to download the Accessible Outdoor Recreation Travel Guide created in partnership with Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection, Adventures Without Limits, and Willamette Partnership. This guide was created specifically for people in the disabilities community, to provide the information you need to plan a fabulous trip before you head outdoors. While this guide is by no means an exhaustive list of all the accessible recreation spots in Oregon, it includes popular favorites and hidden gems that came directly from the local community.
Read More.

First Person: Meet Amar Latif, the Adventurer Making Adventure Travel More Accessible For The Blind

by

photo of the legs of a person with a white cane

Our Takeaway: This is a tutorial about how a blind seeker of travel exhilaration is able to visualize what he’s missing through the use of his other senses and adroitly crafted descriptions from his colleagues

I lost my sight at 18 due to an eye condition. By the third year of my college degree, I’d decided that enough was enough — I wasn’t going to tiptoe through life wrapped up in cotton wool. Against the wishes of my lecturers and parents, I headed off to Canada to study in Kingston. I went there alone — just me and my blindness. That taught me your world becomes bigger when you push your limits.

In 2005, I took part in a 220-mile trek across Nicaragua alongside 10 other people with disabilities for a BBC documentary series called Beyond Boundaries. We had to work as a team to go across tropical rainforests and a shark-infested lake, as well as up a 5,000ft volcano. I was pushing a wheelchair through dense jungle; no amount of exercise could have prepared me for it — it became all about mental resilience. Each time you push yourself, it helps you get ready for your next challenge. You begin to crave that feeling of uneasiness; when it’s tough, when it feels awkward — that’s when you know you’re growing. Read More.

India by Rickshaw:  Leading Provider of Accessible Travel to Build 5000 Accessible Electric Rickshaws

by

photo of a blue electric accessible rickshaw

Our Takeaway: Maybe Musk should have invested in EZ MOV rather than Twitter! A wonderful example of how a public-private partnership enhances existing—and familiar—transportation with infrastructure that converts a primitive method of getting from one place to another, in a completely contemporary way.

In the first-ever massive initiative in India to provide wheelchairs in auto rickshaws for physically disabled or mobility-challenged people for ease in travel, Ezy Mov, India’s leading Accessible Transport operator, has partnered with New Delhi-based Goenka Electrical Motors Private Limited (GEM) to manufacture 5,000 accessible wheelchair friendly e-rickshaws over the next two years.

Driven by its mission to realize the future of Accessible Transportation in India for disabled, handicapped or mobility–challenged people, Ezy Mov has plans to bring accessible transport even in the auto rickshaw segment right to the doorsteps of passengers.

Goenka Electric is one of the leading electric rickshaw manufacturers in the country with a wide variety of high-quality E – Rickshaws and Electric Vehicles. Ezy Mov is India’s leading and fastest-growing accessible transport provider with its fleet of on-call wheelchair taxis already plying in India – Mumbai