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Best of the Web: News, Info and Inspiration

January 29, 2024 by Dan Tobin

A roundup of the best articles and resources we found in the past month related to disability and accessible travel.

The back of a child on a pier in New York Harbor looking at the NYC skyline through binoculars.

Tips on Accessible Solo Travel by Chelsea Bear, a TravelAbility Board Member

November 29, 2023 by Dan Tobin

Woman wearing sunglasses and smiling as she stands in front of a body of water

Research. Planning. More research. Repeat.

That’s the message threaded through Chelsea Bear’s Trip Advisor article on solo travel for people with disabilities: You can’t be overprepared.

Chelsea confesses that as a person with cerebral palsy who uses an electric scooter, she used to think that solo travel was not an option for her. Now, she writes, “at age 30, I can happily say that my younger self’s beliefs and fears were completely wrong—I’ve traveled to 10 countries outside of the United States and dozens of states domestically.” In addition to tapping her own experience, Chelsea shares tips from leading travel influencers including Corey Lee, Sylvia Longmire, and Houston Vandergriff. Tips range from zip ties to extra batteries to mapping every conceivable destination and resource ahead of time. Read more.

Travel Oregon Awards 3.6 Million in Grants for Inclusive Tourism

November 29, 2023 by Dan Tobin

Woman using a wheelchair on a beach with steep cliffs rising out of the ocean

As part of an ongoing and far-reaching statewide initiative, Travel Oregon has awarded $3.6 million in competitive grants to DMOs, attractions, and cities for inclusion and accessibility projects.

The grants program targets funding for accessibility and inclusivity for underserved and under-resourced communities including people with disabilities, BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and LBGTQIA+. Funded projects reflect and align with Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures—and must improve tourism infrastructure or enhance promotion of accessible and inclusive tourism.

“To say I’m inspired by the potential of this year’s grant awards would be an understatement,” said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Upon completion, each project will make a substantial impact on the accessibility and inclusivity of the tourism industry in Oregon, supporting Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination for all where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures.” Read more .

TravelAbility TakeAway: No question that Oregon is one of the key states to watch for leadership on inclusive and accessible travel. As we reported in last month’s Insider, Travel Oregon had the largest contingent of attendees at the Emerging Markets Summit in Savannah in August, with more than 30 staffers. They are using the TravelAbility network to great advantage, studying model initiatives from around the country and the world and turning that research into sustainable practice.

TravelAbility and Destinations International Announce Partnership to Promote Accessibility

November 29, 2023 by Dan Tobin

Photo collage including head shot and title of Don Welsh, CEO of Destinations International and Jake Steinman, Founder and CEO of TravelAbility. Includes logos of the two companies.

TravelAbility, the leading conference and media company dedicated to making travel easier and more enjoyable for people with disabilities and the aging population, has announced a partnership with Destinations International, the world’s largest and most reliable resource for destination organizations and tourism boards.

The partnership aims to help scale accessibility to Destinations International’s 700+ destination organization members as part of their social inclusion strategy. TravelAbility will serve as Destinations International’s official accessibility advisor, providing guidance on how to create more welcoming destinations for people with different abilities through content, prospective speakers, and a satellite version of their InnovateAble pitch event where assistive technology entrepreneurs will present their solutions for improving accessibility in the travel industry.

Destinations International will also market The Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive guide for destinations and travel businesses to improve their accessibility and inclusion initiatives for travelers with disabilities. The Playbook contains over 100 videos, PowerPoint decks, and a series of “TravelAbility Trusted” innovations, amenities, and third-party assessment providers that may help them scale accessibility by sharing it with their industry partners.

“We are thrilled to partner with Destinations International to advance the cause of accessibility in the travel industry. This is a win-win situation for both organizations and for the millions of travelers who can benefit from more accessible and inclusive travel experiences,” said Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of TravelAbility.

“Accessibility is a key component of our social inclusion strategy, and we look forward to working with TravelAbility as our official accessibility advisor. They have the expertise, the network, and the passion to help our 700+ members create more inclusive destinations for all travelers,” said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International.

The Accessibility Playbook will be available for purchase online at the Destinations International website in 2024. To learn more about this partnership or the Accessibility Playbook, contact Sophia Hyder Hock, Chief Diversity Officer at shyderhock@destinationsinternational.org or Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of TravelAbility at jake@travelability.net