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The Intersection of Travel and Disability

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Vrbo Wakes Up to the $60B Accessibility Market

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Vrbo has partnered with Becoming rentABLE, the only platform dedicated to listing accessible short-term rentals, to boost their bookings and get a slice of the disability market. 

The partnership launched officially on May 2, building on a relationship that began in 2022 when Becoming rentABLE joined the Expedia Open World™ Accelerator Program.

Currently, fewer than 0.1% of short-term rental properties in the U.S. are truly accessible. Becoming rentABLE champions a broader definition of accessibility—one that extends beyond wheelchair use to include mobility, cognitive, hearing, and vision needs, as well as accommodations for the growing aging population. In alignment with this vision, Vrbo has added search filters for eight new accessibility attributes to its booking platform, recognizing that inclusive design isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s good business. 

Vrbo’s Reimagine Inclusive Travel initiative showcases how small upgrades can have a major impact. Becoming rentABLE created a 10-minute online course offering practical guidance for short term rental hosts, covering inclusive design, overlooked opportunities, and the importance of providing accurate, detailed accessibility descriptions.

With Vrbo’s average group size being five, the likelihood of someone in each party requiring accessible accommodations is significant. Yet the STR industry has failed to keep up. That’s changing now.

About Becoming rentABLE

Becoming rentABLE is the only U.S.-based platform exclusively focused on listing short-term rental properties with verified accessibility features. Its mission is to make travel possible for everyone—regardless of ability. Read more about their partnership with Vrbo here.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group powers travel for everyone, everywhere through its global platform, featuring leading brands like Expedia, Vrbo, Hotels.com, and more. Check out Vrbo’s accessibility initiative here.

Practical Hacks From the Accessibility Playbook

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Seven years in the making, the Travelability Accessibility Playbook, created in partnership with Destinations International, is an end-to-end toolkit to equip destination organizations on their accessibility journey, enabling them to better welcome and accommodate people with disabilities within their destination. 

Blind and Low Vision Do’s and Don’ts: A Lesson from the Playbook

DO’S:

• Ask Before Offering Assistance:

Always ask if a blind person needs help before providing assistance. Respect their autonomy and independence.

• Identify Yourself: When approaching a blind person, introduce yourself and let them know that you are there to assist if needed. This helps establish trust and facilitates communication.

• Communicate Clearly: Use clear and descriptive language when providing information or giving directions. Be specific and avoid vague or ambiguous terms.

• Offer Assistance: If a blind person requests assistance, offer your help willingly and respectfully. Be patient and help without taking over or assuming control.

• Guide Properly: If guiding a blind person, offer your arm for them to hold onto, and

walk slightly ahead while describing the surroundings and any obstacles. Allow them

to maintain their own pace and follow their Lead.

• Respect Personal Space: Be mindful of a blind person’s personal space and avoid

touching them without permission. Offer verbal cues instead of physical guidance whenever possible.

• Be Patient: Allow extra time for blind individuals to complete tasks or navigate unfamiliar environments. Be patient and understanding of any challenges they may Encounter.

• Use Descriptive Language: When describing visual information, use descriptive language to convey details about colors, shapes, sizes, and spatial relationships. Paint a vivid picture with your words.

DON’TS:

• Assume Help is Needed: Don’t assume that a blind person needs help or cannot perform certain tasks independently. Always offer assistance respectfully and allow them to decline if they prefer.

• Use Patronizing Language: Avoid using patronizing language. Treat them with the same level of respect and dignity as you would anyone else.

• Touch Without Permission: Never touch or grab a blind person without their consent, even if your intention is to assist. Always ask before providing physical guidance or assistance.

• Rush or Pressure: Avoid rushing or pressuring a blind person to move quickly or complete tasks faster than they are comfortable with. Allow them to set the pace and respect their need for extra time.

• Make Assumptions: Don’t make assumptions about a blind person’s abilities, interests, or  references based on their disability. Treat them as individuals with unique strengths and experiences.
• Leave Without Offering Assistance: If you notice a blind person struggling or appearing in need of assistance, don’t ignore them or walk away. Offer your help politely and respectfully.

Best Practices: Visit Mesa Launches New Paradigm for Accessibility Landing Pages

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Visit Mesa has done it again. As leaders in the accessibility and inclusion space – first in autism certification, first to receive Wheel the World’s Destination Verified Seal – it should come as no surprise that they’ve designed a whole new framework for accessibility landing pages.

The Accessibility Travel Guide is available through Visit Mesa’s website and provides valuable information on accessible attractions, accommodations and sensory-friendly experiences for visitors and residents alike. The 19 page guide dives deep beyond sample itineraries and accessible options with resources, tips, anecdotes, and even a podcast devoted to “City Limitless.” The guide opens up the heart of Mesa’s past, and their direction for the future, showing how every type of traveler can feel welcome and explore without barriers. QR codes and numbered maps make it easy to plan your trip.

Dive into the full guide—and start applying Visit Mesa’s game-changing strategies to your own content.

What Would You Do?

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August Scenario: Wheelchair accessible accommodations.

A traveler in a wheelchair is at the hotel where they booked an ADA room thinking the bed height would work out for them. It does not. How would you handle the situation? 

Arturo Gaona, Chief Partnership Partner, Wheel the World:

Hotel staff should be ready to lower or raise beds, either by taking down bed legs (which most cases require, at least in the US) or having available legs or a thinner mattress that can raise the bed. Another great option is to have at least one hoyer lift available; of course, this requires a minimum available space below the bed.

However, this should be addressed by preventing the scenario. How? Providing accurate and verified accessibility information, such as the bed height. Being ADA compliant in this case is not enough; the bed height should adapt to the user, not the user adapting to the law.

If the bed is too high, I would have the box springs removed. But next time I would remember to call Wheel the World to book my accessible room.

Stefan Muhle, Vice President & Regional Managing Director, Noble House Hotels:

Handling this situation requires empathy, understanding, and a proactive approach. Here’s how I’d manage it:

  • Listen, Empathize, and Acknowledge:
  • Listen to the guest’s concerns.
  • Acknowledge the issue and express understanding and empathy for their situation.
  • Immediate Action:
  • Check if our property has any other ADA rooms with different bed heights or adjustable beds that might better suit the guest’s needs.
  • If available, offer to move the guest to another room that better suits their needs.
  • Temporary Solutions:
  • If no other ADA rooms are available, look for temporary solutions such as bed risers or a different mattress (or topper) to adjust the height or providing a platform or step to make it easier for the traveler to get in and out of bed.

Social media responses from disability moms:

Talk to the hotel to see if they can adjust the bed height or change the room.

Ask for a refund.

Move to a different hotel if the beds aren’t adequate for your needs.

Take the box spring out or request a layaway bed.

Introducing TravelAbility Fellows Lauren Badolato and Ellie Satkin

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Please welcome Lauren Badolato and Ellie Satkin, the newest additions to the TravelAbility team!

The TravelAbility fellowship provides the opportunity to meet university internship requirements, while making a real difference in the world of inclusion through marketing. The interns are already working behind the scenes on all things TravelAbility – from event planning for the Emerging Markets Summit to designing this newsletter.

Lauren Badolato

Lauren Badolato

Lauren is a single mom to two children, ages six and eight, with disabilities. Originally from Brooklyn, she now lives in Orlando as a graduate of Valencia College. She’s been around the hospitality industry since she was a child, but the merge of hospitality and inclusion became a priority when her second son was born with a rare genetic disorder. Having a son who may never walk has changed the way she experiences travel, and has fueled a passion for creating a barrier-free travel experience.

As part of a college internship course, she was able to observe a mock interview of a Rosen Hospitality student with Wheel the World. She connected to the cause immediately because of her own struggles in hotels with her son. As a constant advocate, working to raise awareness for a variety of her son’s 42 diagnoses, TravelAbility made the perfect next step for linking passion, purpose, and profession.

Ellie Satkin

Ellie is a business student at San Diego State University, entering her junior year. As a business major and Hot Yoga instructor, her goal is to work with people in health and wellness. She was looking for virtual internships for location flexibility when family ties uncovered the perfect marketing internship through TravelAbility. 

Working with TravelAbility has been an eye opening experience that is impacting every area of Ellie’s life. During her training as a yoga instructor she learned about adapting experiences for the different abilities of students she would encounter – from pregnant women to diabetics, but she had no idea just how wide and diverse that range was. She says she’s growing in awareness in a way that she can bring into other circles of life – from adaptive yoga to recognizing accessibility barriers on her own college campus. Inclusion has taken on new meaning as she works to make it a reality.

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