Disability Advocates

How to Ride the Greyhound Bus as a Wheelchair User

November 29, 2023 by Dan Tobin

Award-winning travel blogger Sylvia Longmire has put a whole lot of miles on her electric wheelchair. She has visited 57 countries, 48 of those as a wheelchair user and 34 of those by herself. Along the way she has written four books and launched a consulting business.

For her latest adventure, she decided to leave the driving to Greyhound on a trip from Minneapolis to Fargo, North Dakota—her 50th state. Longmire shares her experience from the booking of a ticket on an accessible bus (accessible except for the bathroom) to tracking the on-time performance of each leg of the journey to assessing the pros and cons. Pictures included. Read more .

TravelAbility TakeAway: Longmire’s account of her Greyhound trip doesn’t make bus travel look easy but she does make it look doable in a wheelchair. And preferable in some important ways to the alternatives. One of the surprises of her trip was the on-time performance of the buses she took. That hasn’t typically been our experience.

Travel Oregon Awards 3.6 Million in Grants for Inclusive Tourism

November 29, 2023 by Dan Tobin

Woman using a wheelchair on a beach with steep cliffs rising out of the ocean

As part of an ongoing and far-reaching statewide initiative, Travel Oregon has awarded $3.6 million in competitive grants to DMOs, attractions, and cities for inclusion and accessibility projects.

The grants program targets funding for accessibility and inclusivity for underserved and under-resourced communities including people with disabilities, BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and LBGTQIA+. Funded projects reflect and align with Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures—and must improve tourism infrastructure or enhance promotion of accessible and inclusive tourism.

“To say I’m inspired by the potential of this year’s grant awards would be an understatement,” said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Upon completion, each project will make a substantial impact on the accessibility and inclusivity of the tourism industry in Oregon, supporting Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination for all where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures.” Read more .

TravelAbility TakeAway: No question that Oregon is one of the key states to watch for leadership on inclusive and accessible travel. As we reported in last month’s Insider, Travel Oregon had the largest contingent of attendees at the Emerging Markets Summit in Savannah in August, with more than 30 staffers. They are using the TravelAbility network to great advantage, studying model initiatives from around the country and the world and turning that research into sustainable practice.

Make Your Parades More Accessible with a “Sensory Block”

November 29, 2023 by Dan Tobin

Woman standing near home plate of a baseball field, smiling into the camera

In her 15 years working for the Midlands Michigan Parks and Recreation, Marcie Post has left her mark all over the city. And that mark has been an A for Accessibility as the first priority.

Post serves on several boards and advocates for inclusion at every turn. Last year she led the construction of Miracle Field, a soft-surfaced baseball diamond for athletes with disabilities. And when she was recently offered the role of Grand Marshal of the Midland Santa Parade, she saw it as more than a ceremonial role. She introduced the idea of a sensory-free zone along the parade route.

“We’re asking the people in the parade to not play their instrument or not flash their lights or not honk their horns for one block, totally doable,” says Post. “By doing that, it now creates that inclusive environment. It’s a no-brainer.”

The parade organizers, Nicki and Steve Smith, said they selected Post as grand marshal because of her dedication to the community and her leadership on inclusion.

“She is a wonderful asset to the community,” Nicki said. “She saw a need and she acted on it. And she brought others along with her.” Read more .

TravelAbility TakeAway: It’s wonderful to see champions of accessibility recognized for their contributions to the community. And rather than simply accepting the honorary role of parade grand marshal, Marcie Post saw it as another opportunity to make life a little more enjoyable and equitable for individuals with disabilities.

TravelAbility and Destinations International Announce Partnership to Promote Accessibility

November 29, 2023 by Dan Tobin

Photo collage including head shot and title of Don Welsh, CEO of Destinations International and Jake Steinman, Founder and CEO of TravelAbility. Includes logos of the two companies.

TravelAbility, the leading conference and media company dedicated to making travel easier and more enjoyable for people with disabilities and the aging population, has announced a partnership with Destinations International, the world’s largest and most reliable resource for destination organizations and tourism boards.

The partnership aims to help scale accessibility to Destinations International’s 700+ destination organization members as part of their social inclusion strategy. TravelAbility will serve as Destinations International’s official accessibility advisor, providing guidance on how to create more welcoming destinations for people with different abilities through content, prospective speakers, and a satellite version of their InnovateAble pitch event where assistive technology entrepreneurs will present their solutions for improving accessibility in the travel industry.

Destinations International will also market The Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive guide for destinations and travel businesses to improve their accessibility and inclusion initiatives for travelers with disabilities. The Playbook contains over 100 videos, PowerPoint decks, and a series of “TravelAbility Trusted” innovations, amenities, and third-party assessment providers that may help them scale accessibility by sharing it with their industry partners.

“We are thrilled to partner with Destinations International to advance the cause of accessibility in the travel industry. This is a win-win situation for both organizations and for the millions of travelers who can benefit from more accessible and inclusive travel experiences,” said Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of TravelAbility.

“Accessibility is a key component of our social inclusion strategy, and we look forward to working with TravelAbility as our official accessibility advisor. They have the expertise, the network, and the passion to help our 700+ members create more inclusive destinations for all travelers,” said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International.

The Accessibility Playbook will be available for purchase online at the Destinations International website in 2024. To learn more about this partnership or the Accessibility Playbook, contact Sophia Hyder Hock, Chief Diversity Officer at shyderhock@destinationsinternational.org or Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of TravelAbility at jake@travelability.net