The Intersection of Travel and Disability
Information and inspiration from around the web.
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By Jake Steinman
These scenes showcase a vibrant convergence of innovative accessibility solutions, inspiring discussions, and diverse participants dedicated to enhancing travel experiences for individuals with disabilities.
Leveraging technology is crucial for improving accessibility in travel. Innovations such as:
Google Maps “Accessibility Routes”: This feature allows users to find routes that are wheelchair-friendly, making navigation easier for those with mobility challenges.
Jake Steinman
2. Enhanced Transportation Solutions
Transportation is a critical aspect of travel, and ensuring it is accessible for all is essential. Key solutions include:
3. Sensory-Friendly Destinations
4. Increasing Emphasis on Inclusive Design in Accommodations
The concept of universal design focuses on creating spaces that are accessible to everyone. Notable advancements include:
5. Virtual Pre-Travel Experiences. Utilizing virtual tools to prepare travelers for their journeys is becoming increasingly popular. Key offerings include:
6. Adaptive Outdoor Adventure Tourism
7. Personalized Travel Planning
8. Introducing the Universal Designed Beach
Enhancing beach experiences for all visitors is a growing focus. Key improvements include:
9. Enhanced Training & Service
10. Greater Representation in Media
The travel industry is making significant strides in enhancing accessibility through universal design, virtual tools, adventure tourism adaptations, personalized planning, improved beach access, enhanced training, and greater representation in media. These trends not only improve the travel experience for individuals with disabilities but also promote a more inclusive society where everyone can explore and enjoy the world around them.
By Jake Steinman
Recently I was challenged to distill the essence of each disability into a single word, and after five years of being immersed in TravelAbility and after considerable thought, here are the words I arrived at and why, for me, they encapsulate the core challenges faced by individuals with different disabilities when they travel–and in real life.
Wheelchair Users: Stairs
Stairs represent one of the most anxiety-inducing obstacles for wheelchair users. Despite restaurants and attractions often being advertised as fully accessible, or even after confirming accessibility in advance, wheelchair users frequently encounter unexpected stairs. This not only disrupts their plans but also subjects them to the indignity of being carried up and down stairs.
Blind Travelers: Navigation
For blind travelers, navigation is the primary challenge. The world is largely built for those who can see, leaving many environments inaccessible to the blind. The barriers they face are often related to moving from point A to point B, both physically and digitally. However, technology and innovation are gradually bridging this gap. Tools like Aira, Be My Eyes which provide real-time assistance, while Apple and Google Android are providing innovative technology that makes navigation easier and more accessible.
Deafness: Communication
Communication is the central issue for the 48 million people in the United States who are deaf or hard of hearing. Astonishingly, less than 1% of this population uses American Sign Language (ASL), according to the Commission on the Deaf, and another half million (family members/teachers) know ASL. This statistic underscores the vast communication barriers that exist, as many deaf individuals rely on other forms of communication that are not always understood or accommodated by the hearing population. Again, innovations such as Sign Speak, which uses human-looking AI avatars, presented at TravelAbility’s InnovateAble Showcase, the Shark Tank for Adaptive technology, this past July.
Autism: Acceptance
For individuals on the Autism Spectrum, acceptance is crucial. With approximately 9 million families in the United States affected by autism, and an estimated 24 million people impacted when considering household members, acceptance becomes a necessity. Studies indicate that 85% of these families face significant challenges that prevent them from traveling. Education and training are key to fostering acceptance, with organizations like Kulture City, Autism Double-Checked, Able Vu, the Autism Travel Club and IBCCES, offering training and certification programs. Additionally, initiatives like the Sunflower Hidden Disability Lanyard help communicate the need for special care in public spaces.
Ultimately, the word that ties all these experiences together is independence.
Jake Steinman
For All: Independence
Ultimately, the word that ties all these experiences together is independence. Each of these challenges—whether it’s navigating stairs, communicating effectively, or gaining acceptance—boils down to the fundamental human desire for independence. Ensuring that individuals with disabilities can live independently and with dignity when they travel is the overarching goal of TravelAbility.
What one word comes to mind for you, when you think about these disabilities?
Read the story and watch the video in USA Today
Let’s talk about the folks who are trying to backtrack on mocking Gus Walz
because they didn’t know he had a disability.
Right. Okay. So …
Let’s start with the fact that he’s a seventeen year old kid who was so proud
of his dad, whom he obviously loves deeply, that he was moved to tears.
That’s beautiful, and a hell of a testament to their relationship.
But sure, some people thought his reaction was over the top and “weird.”
And therefore fair game. Until they heard he has a disability.
(So, to recap, it would have been a-okay in that crowd to bully a typical kid
for *acting atypical* but maybe he should be off limits now that they know
he has a diagnosis.)
Pull up a chair, won’t you, friends?
Being an accepting, inclusive, and not completely shitty human isn’t about
having access to everyone’s medical records. It’s about humanity. It’s about
not having to know that there’s a label for a fellow human’s unique
constellation of strengths and challenges in order to approach them with
compassion.
It’s about not needing an explanation for why someone comes across a little
– or a lot – differently from the average bear in order to indulge their quirks,
celebrate their differences, support their challenges and accommodate their
access needs, to give them extra time and love and leeway.
Labels / diagnoses / identities are important and valid and helpful in a million
different ways, but they shouldn’t ever be the ticket that we demand from
others before granting them entry into the arena of our empathy. The only
fare needed is humanity.
So lay off the kid. Not just because he has a disability, but because he’s
human, and that’s reason enough.
By Jake Steinman
Take a look at how these Paralympic promotional videos reflect the evolution of the way the disability community prefers to be perceived.
This video aimed to challenge stereotypes and showcase Paralympians as extraordinary individuals. It featured athletes with disabilities performing remarkable feats of skill, strength, and courage.
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics trailer reflects the disability community’s desire to be perceived as resilient, empowered, and diverse as it showcases Paralympians from various ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, and sports.
This video uses a film noir approach by toggling between romantic stereotypes and the intensity of competition to show the brutal reality of what these athletes had to endure.
Overall, the narrative of disabled athletes is shifting from weakness to empowerment, strength and independence.
Jake Steinman
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