TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Disability Awareness

TravelAbility Backs Slamdance’s Boldest Move Yet: Unstoppable Goes Mobile

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Poster for the Unstoppable Summer Tour featuring a turquoise background and a hand wrapped around a red eyeball.

TravelAbility partners with Slamdance to sponsor Unstoppable: On the Road – a summer film series programmed exclusively by artists with visible and non-visible disabilities. The tour, happening in arthouse cinemas in seven cities across the US, kicked off on June 10th in Salt Lake City and moved onto Santa Ana on June 19th at the Frida Cinema. Here’s the remaining schedule:

July 6 – Seattle, SIFF Cinemas

July 8 – Chicago, Music Box Theater

July 19-20 – Milwaukee, Milwaukee Film

July 29 – New York City, Marlene Myerson JCC

August 1-3 – Miami, O-Cinema

Launched in 2020, Slamdance Unstoppable is a showcase of films made by filmmakers with visible and non-visible disabilities and aims to eliminate the prejudices and gatekeeping that have historically kept disabled filmmakers from being represented in the entertainment industry. Slamdance Unstoppable: On the Road will bring the section’s vital programming to a national tour that aims to elevate disabled artists, connect with audiences, and expand opportunities for authentic storytelling in independent film.

The Slamdance Unstoppable: On the Road lineup was programmed from major festivals, including Slamdance, Sundance, ReelAbilities, Superfest, and Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Each venue has curated a unique selection from the Slamdance Unstoppable programming, ranging from single-night screenings featuring a short and feature pairing to full three-day showcases. Slamdance has partnered with accessible venues for the tour and prioritized venues that provide ASL interpretation, captions, audio descriptions, and other accommodations. The tour will also feature in-person Q&As with local filmmakers and discussions at key locations. Slamdance will be providing travel and accommodation for filmmakers to be able to attend the events in person.

TravelAbility is delighted to partner with Slamdance on this breakthrough tour through promoting it within the accessible travel community and amplifying its reach. 

Taylor Miller, Festival Director, shares

“Our ‘Unstoppable On The Road’ tour is all about breaking down barriers and bringing vital, disability-led stories to communities everywhere. Partnering with Travelability is absolutely essential to this mission. Their expertise ensures that these powerful films and the talented filmmakers behind them can truly reach and connect with diverse audiences, creating a more inclusive and accessible world, one screening at a time.” 

For more information about Unstoppable: On the Road please visit their web-site.

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.

Shiftings, Shaftings, and Celebrations

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Big moves in accessibility: retirements, resignations, and new horizons

Ron Pettit smiling with short dark hair and glasses

Ron Pettit, the award-winning head of accessibility and inclusion that made Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines the most accessible cruise organization in the world, announced his retirement after 14+ years. 

Amy Jukes smiles at the camera, wearing bold black and tortoiseshell-rimmed glasses. She has long, wavy blonde hair.

Amy Jukes, COO of Sage Inclusion, will be departing after seven years with the organization. 

Skylar Houck smiling broadly at the camera with long dark blond hair and a green sweater vest.

Skylar Houck, marketing manager for Visit Tampa, will be sailing over to Mainsail Lodging, a management company with nine hotels in Florida and Georgia. 

Christine DeMichael with long black hair and a blue blazar on.

Christine DeMichael, an acclaimed social media marketing expert, was recently appointed as Director of Integrated Marketing for The Palm Beaches. 

Kent Streeb, VP Communications and Partnerships, Enchroma, the leading producer of glasses for the color-blind, has resigned after 11 years with the company

John Morris and Stephanie in formal clothing smiling and showing off Stephanie's engagement ring.

John Morris, Founder of WheelchairTravel.org, and a leading voice in accessible tourism, is tying the knot with Stephanie (Stevie). We wish them a lifetime of love and shared adventures.

John Sage and Christal in front of a red and white striped wall. Christal is dressed in a blue two piece knit skirt set and has long blond hair. John is sitting in his wheelchair with light blue pants matching the color of Christal's outfit.

John Sage, founder and CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions and a pioneer in accessible cruise travel, will soon be saying “I do” to Christal. Cheers to a beautiful future together.

TravelAbility – Now Streaming!

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DMOs and disability travel content creators now have a powerful new way to share their accessibility stories—on television. TravelAbility has teamed up with Gray Digital Media to launch The TravelAbility Channel, a first-of-its-kind streaming channel dedicated to accessible travel content, available for free on the hyperlocal OTT platform, Zeam.

This new channel will give destinations the chance to showcase the accessibility content they’re already creating—everything from inclusive attraction highlights to adaptive outdoor adventures. By leveraging Gray’s distribution network of 180 TV stations and Zeam’s rapidly growing platform, tourism boards can now amplify their efforts to a national audience that includes travelers with disabilities, their families, and caregivers.

“The beauty of this new channel is that it gives destinations a free, ready-made platform to showcase inclusion—content they may already have sitting on a hard drive or YouTube channel. Now, they can bring it to life in living rooms across the country.”

Jake Steinman, founder of TravelAbility

Check out the announcement on EINPresswire for full details!

For destinations looking to reach more travelers through storytelling—and for creators ready to bring accessible travel to the mainstream—this new channel may be the biggest opportunity yet.

To learn more or inquire about featuring your content, contact Amy Jukes at amy@amvarra.com.

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