Kristy Durso isn’t just advocating for accessibility—she’s helping redesign the framework that tourism, conferences, and education are built on. Even in the midst of moving her home to Colorado, Kristy has been busy pushing accessibility to the forefront of hospitality conversations across the globe. She even whipped up another children’s story while riding along with her moving truck. Here are some highlights from the past month:

American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)

Kristy’s input was put into practice at this year’s ASTA conference, making it one of the most accessibility-forward conference experiences she’s seen.

“They had a sensory suite for travelers to take a break—it was right on the front page of the conference website,” she shared. “There were resources for each major area of accessibility. For Blind and low vision travelers, they had a link to Be My Eyes. For Deaf and hard of hearing, they listed three different transcription services. For mobility, they had a local DME company listed so people could rent or repair equipment.”

It wasn’t just about putting accessibility information out there—it was about centering it.

“The sensory room was one of the most talked-about features of the show,” Kristy said. “I walked in on day one and saw someone already using it. I turned to the organizer I’d been working with, and he immediately said, ‘We have to do more.’ Then another attendee came out and said, ‘This needs to be at every single conference.’”

Kristy is already in conversations about improvements before the next national conference.

Reaching Across the Ocean

Kristy has been making waves for months with her keynote speech on Reframing Accessibility, this time she took it across the waves.

Kristy was the keynote speaker in Slovenia’s Accessibility in Hospitality conference.

This time, she was able to  share her wisdom virtually, from the comfort of her home… at 4:00 a.m.

Coming Up

In the coming months, Kristy is planning to:

• Moderate a panel at Destinations International
• Speak at ASTA’S Expedition Conference
• Deliver a Keynote in Alabama and evaluate a hotel property committed to accessibility
• Guest lecture at Florida International University
• Present at the American Indigenous Tourism Conference
• Head to D.C. as an ambassador during ASTA’s Legislative Days, where she’ll speak directly with senators and representatives about accessibility issues.
• Lecture for Ms. Wheelchair PA

There’s also something new in the works that could take her message to a wider audience: a potential talk series produced by a film company in Oregon.

“I want to take destinations on the journey,” she said, “from not thinking accessibility applies to them, to understanding disability as a culture—not a charity case.”

Kristy’s voice is shaping the future of accessible travel, and her message is clear: accessibility isn’t a special feature—it’s a standard that everyone deserves.

As TravelAbility’s ambassador, she networks and speaks around the globe to promote accessibility and inclusion in the travel space.

TravelAbility Ambassador Kristy Durso is having a banner year — and it’s only June. While she humbly admits, “There’s so much going on, but not that much,” the list of events, projects, and possibilities she’s involved in says otherwise.

Here’s what she’s been up to — and what the TravelAbility community has to look forward to:

Reimagining Accessibility in Oregon

Kristy joined TravelAbility founder Jake Steinman at the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism for a powerful session designed to spark progress. TravelAbility hosted an accessibility shark tank, pitching adaptive innovations as an invitation to reimagine Oregon’s destinations with these tools in place. Kristy asked the room to close their eyes and picture a local favorite destination and what it could look like if every visitor, regardless of ability, felt welcome. Kristy had just visited with her Firefly, and realized how much she would’ve missed without the innovative chair’s assistance. She led the audience through a mental tour of the venue, adding in each of the pitched innovations, showing what a difference it would make.

“They had appropriate ramps and all these things, but they didn’t have door openers on anything, so having the door opener available on those old buildings would’ve changed the area completely and then as you’re getting together and doing all these neat things, imagine if you had a child who’s hard of hearing and they wanted to go do something. If they had the use of the Aira app, they could just go and do it. Or imagine a family was planning on spending the day but their child who’s neurodivergent starts getting overwhelmed and they’ve got a place to go because Kulture City has come in and worked on that area, so now you don’t have to leave to avoid the meltdown.”

The pitch culminated in tears and applause, proving once again that accessibility isn’t just practical — it’s powerful.

Sharing the Stage and Spotlight

At the Accent West conference in Arizona, Kristy shared the stage with Alison Brooks from Visit Mesa to highlight Mesa’s leadership in inclusive tourism. The pair fielded questions from destinations eager to learn how to follow Mesa’s example.

That same week, Kristy previewed a new presidential library slated to open in North Dakota and is in early conversations about shaping its accessibility before doors open to the public.

Kristy served as keynote speaker and visited what she describes as the most food-inclusive conference she’s attended at Travel Nevada’s Rural RoundUp. Her time included a stop at an accessible dude ranch.

She led a fashion show in San Antonio as MC and she’s going to be a guest speaker at another fashion show in Oregon.

Other speaking roles on the horizon include:

• Destinations International in July, where Kristy will be part of a panel on accessibility in travel.
  
• A one-day Accessibility Summit for destinations in Kissimmee, Florida, this September — the first of three such events planned.
  

Writing New Stories — Literally

Kristy is also stepping into the world of storytelling in new ways. She’s written a children’s book titled Sarah and the Magical Shoes — a heartfelt narrative inspired by her own life. The story centers around a girl whose world changes with a new pair of shoes — not because of the shoes themselves, but what they represent: freedom, self-worth, and possibility. If you’ve ever interacted with Kristy, you’ll appreciate her shoe analogy.

From helping shape national attractions to crafting stories that reshape mindsets, Kristy continues to make sure accessibility isn’t an afterthought — it’s center stage. Whether she’s keynoting a summit, writing a children’s book, or reminding an audience to dream bigger, Kristy’s impact continues to ripple far beyond the spotlight.

Stay tuned. There’s much more to come.

As TravelAbility’s ambassador, she networks and speaks around the globe to promote accessibility and inclusion in the travel space.