By Jennifer Allen

Lynn Osmond joins the TravelAbility Board with a unique combination of industry leadership and personal experience as a caregiver. Her background, both as the former President and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center and Choose Chicago, and as someone who has navigated travel with a spouse who has a disability, makes her an invaluable asset.

A Personal Connection to Accessibility

Lynn’s personal journey in accessibility began when her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, followed by Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a more advanced condition. Resigning from her work earlier this year to spend time traveling to destinations on her husband’s bucket list, gave her the lived experience of becoming the caregiver in charge of researching, booking and troubleshooting the invariable challenges that arise. 

“We’re honored to have Lynn join our advisory board,” remarked Jake Steinman, founder of Travelability. “Lynn will lead a panel of companions and caregivers at our Summit in San Francisco that will explore ways that destinations can help make their travel experience more like a vacation and less like work.”

“Accessibility isn’t one-size-fits-all,” she says, reflecting on her experiences. Something as simple as restrooms became a daily challenge, particularly when trying to assist her husband. Family restrooms, for instance, were a game changer—yet they’re not consistently available. So far, they’ve traveled to Panama, Route 66, Mount Rushmore, Canada and they recently returned from a Viking River Cruise through France. 

Experience in Leadership and Accessibility

For over two decades, Lynn led the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), transforming it into a globally recognized institution. The river cruise, which was voted the best boat tour in North America, was one of her flagship projects.

After that, Lynn became the first woman President and CEO of Choose Chicago, the city’s official destination marketing organization (DMO.

Actionable Insights for the Travel Industry

Lynn’s experiences offer key takeaways for DMOs, hotels, and travel-related organizations:

1. Engage Local Disability Advocacy Groups: Lynn emphasizes the value of reaching out to these groups to gain insights into what accessible travel means on the ground. Beyond awareness, these groups can help uncover funding opportunities and grant options that support accessibility initiatives.
2. Show You Care: Lynn recounts a standout moment from a road trip to Mount Rushmore, where a Marriott representative in Souix City IA, repeatedly checked in to ensure that every aspect of the trip would meet their specific needs. This level of personalized service is key to building loyalty and trust among travelers with disabilities.
3. Rethink Hotel Layouts: Surprisingly, older motels along Route 66, with ground-floor rooms and direct parking access, proved to be more convenient than many high-end hotels. Lynn points out that modern hotel designs often place accessible rooms far from elevators, creating unnecessary difficulties for guests with disabilities.
4. Create a Handicap Hotline: Instead of assuming that a wheelchair-accessible room will meet every traveler’s needs, Lynn suggests that hotels and DMOs set up dedicated phone lines or booking systems where guests can specify exactly what accommodations they require, whether it’s visual, auditory, or mobility-related.

Where’s the Money?

Lynn is a strong advocate for positioning accessibility not as a checkbox or compliance issue, but as a business strategy. She notes that travelers with disabilities represent a growing segment, especially with the aging baby boomer population. Catering to this market is not just about inclusivity; it’s about meeting demand.

Recent research conducted by Longwoods International, revealed that 17% of American travelers in 2023 had someone in their party that required accessibility services. “That number will only increase,” Lynn explains. “For organizations that prioritize accessibility, this represents a significant opportunity for economic growth.”

Advice for her fellow DMO Executives.

Lynn encourages DMOs to develop a clear, actionable accessibility strategy. This can start with:

1. Engage Local Advocacy Groups. Collaborating with local disability groups and advocates by involving them in annual tourism meetings, where they can share their insights, experiences and help identify accessible features. They can also be valuable in partnering for grant applications.
2. Gather Accessibility Features: Survey hotels, attractions, transportation, and other services to gather accurate data on what accessibility features are already in place. This can inform not just improvements, but also marketing and SEO strategies by ensuring that accessible options are easy to find on websites.
3. Updating Website Information: Lynn advises DMOs to include specific details, such as bed heights, shower rails, and the layout of accessible rooms. “Just listing a room as ADA-compliant isn’t enough,” she says. Detailed descriptions and measurement help travelers make informed choices.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for Accessible Travel

“Too often, people with disabilities limit their travel because of fear—fear of the unknown, of facing barriers,” she says. But with thoughtful planning and a commitment to accessibility, those barriers can be overcome, opening a world of possibilities.