TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

The Arts

Coldplay leads the way in making concerts more enjoyable for deaf fans with Vibrating Vests

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In addition to a crew of signers, the shows in Singapore included handouts of vibrating vests. Will “sound shirts” be next?

Coldplay front man Chris Martin signed two songs, joining a lively team of sign language interpreters at the Singapore concert

A recent commentary in Channel News Asia lauded Coldplay’s January concerts in Singapore “game changing” for their outreach to deaf and hard of hearing fans. The three performances at the National Stadium included a team of very expressive signers including front man Chris Martin, who signed two of the band’s songs. The venue also distributed vibrating vests to allow deaf individuals to feel the beat. 

Read more here.

New Hulu series, created by a woman with autism, lauded for avoiding stereotypes

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Nina and Evie, played by Ashley Storrie and Kat Ronney from a scene in Dinosaur

One of the hardest aspects of living with autism, according to Scottish comedian Ashley Storrie, is “masking”–trying to hide it from everyone else. You would think then that creating and starring in a television series partly based on her life would be terrifying. Instead she found it liberating.

“Being Nina has made me realize that I should just be me and spend less time trying to make everybody feel more comfortable around my weirdness,” says Storrie about the character she plays on Dinosaur.

The title refers to Nina’s infatuation with dinosaurs and her job as a paleontologist, which she loves. But the six-episode series also shows Nina’s struggles to deal with both small and large disruptions to her routines.  is propelled by a major disruption in Nina’s life as the sister she lives with gets engaged and prepares to move out. 

The website “The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism” called the series “excellent” and declared it superior to the “stereotyped-laced” Netflix series Atypical about an autistic adolescent boy. Read an interview with Ashley Storrie on that site. 

Was 2023 The Year That Accessibility Entered the Mainstream Zeitgeist?

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Collage of logos of Conde Nast, the American Pavilion,, BBC, and USA Today accompanied by a pull quote from Jake Steinman: "It feels like the message of accessible travel is a growing part of the general zeitgeist."

This past year felt different. TravelAbility’s growth rate has accelerated in each of our five years, but we seemed to break through some sort of barrier in 2023. Inquiries and invitations have been coming from all directions—from regions and destinations from throughout the US, from large travel and hospitality companies, from new global partners like the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival and Destinations International.

“It does feel like the message of accessible travel is penetrating all parts of the industry and is a growing part of the general zeitgeist,” says Jake Steinman, TravelAbility founder and CEO. “Companies are seeing it as a lucrative market and they are bringing in trainers to improve their service. And, as evidenced by the unprecedented growth of the number of adaptive/assistive technologies as well as ‘Age-Tech’ at this year’s CES in Las Vegas, the level of innovations is staggering.”

Steinman adds that TravelAbility is riding a wave that begins with travelers with disability and advocates. “It’s about quality of life and predictability.  Individuals have configured their homes and studied their neighborhood so that they can live independently. But when they go to travel, it’s Russian Roulette because there’s so little information.”

The mainstream media is also paying more attention to the issue, according to Tricia Roth, head of marketing and engagement. “One of the main reasons we’re trying out more of a roundup approach in this issue of Insider is because of the number of articles we’re seeing in major publications, from USA Today to NPR, The New York Times, Condé Nast to the BBC has mushroomed.”

Here is a rundown of some of the markers and highlights that stood out for us in 2023:

A pull quote from Tricia Roth: "The number of articles we're seeing about accessibility in major publications has mushroomed."
  • Partnering with Destinations International, the world’s largest resource for destination organizations, to reach over 700 destinations worldwide and help them improve their accessibility.
  • Hosting the sold-out EMS Summit, the premier event for travel professionals and experts to learn, network, and showcase the latest innovations in accessibility. (Our 2024 EMS Summit will be held November 13-15, in San Francisco.)
  • Growing the Destination A11Y Club, a membership program that provides destinations with access to exclusive content, tools, and support to enhance their accessibility to 18 destinations last year from nine in 2022,
  • Nearly doubling the content of the Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive guide that contains over 100 links to videos, presentations, and examples of accessibility best practices from various sectors of the travel industry.
  • Publishing a special edition of USAE News, a leading publication for association executives, that featured a wrap-up of the EMS Summit and offered exposure to the sponsors and speakers.
  • Launching Accessible Journeys, a quarterly online magazine in collaboration with Mélange Publishing, that showcases inspiring stories, tips, and destinations for travelers with disabilities. The magazine reached over 1.7 million readers in the summer edition.
  • Rebranding the Launchpad pitch fest as the InnovateAble Showcase, an annual event that celebrates the most creative and impactful accessibility solutions in the travel industry. The event coincides with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th.
  • Invite to advise the American Pavilion at Cannes Film Festival about how they can become for accessible in 2024.

In addition to these achievements, TravelAbility also introduced several pilot programs in 2023, such as:

  • Academic Accessibility Learning module, an online course that uses the Accessibility Playbook to teach hospitality students about accessibility. The course was offered by the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and received such positive feedback from the 800 enrolled students that it will become a graduation requirement for all 3000 students in the future. This program aims to change the way hotels treat and welcome guests with disabilities.
  • Rethinking Accessibility, a turnkey program that helps destinations discover and highlight their existing accessibility features. The program involved five destinations and revealed 210 new accessibility features that can attract and accommodate travelers with disabilities.
  • Visit Tampa Accessible Riverwalk Pass, a discount attraction pass that offers access to the most popular and accessible attractions along the Tampa Riverwalk. The pass sold over 1900 tickets and generated $109k in sales in two months.
  • Introduced the Visit Florida/Wheel the World (WTW) coop program, in which WTW accessibility features in 30 locations in three Florida destinations where the state covered 50% of the costs.  The program was offered to all DMO’s in Florida at their annual industry conference and has been expanded to 14 destinations in the state.

TravelAbility is excited to continue its mission of growing accessibility in 2024 and beyond. For more information, visit www.travelability.net.

Best of the Web: News, Info and Inspiration

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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.

Neuro diversity:

Accessible NYC: Travel Tips for Neurodiverse Families | Free Autism Resources by InfiniTeach – FreeAutismResources.org

There’s Finally a Travel Group for Neurodiverse Young Adults – Thrillist

Wheelchair Accessible Tours:

2023 Accessible Travel Award Winners – Wonders Within Reach

20 of the Best Wheelchair Accessible Beaches in California

Accessible Beach Opens in Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast

Blind and Low Vision:

8 Trip-Planning Tips for Blind or Visually Impaired Travelers

All the Light We Cannot See star Aria Mia Loberti strolls Golden Globes red carpet with guide dog

Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

Meet an Alaska Airlines leader with a disability who says he is doing what he was meant to do

Disability Resources:

Travel Genius Introduces Geni-us: An AI Map For Travellers, Enabling Inclusive Journeys

Marlee Matlin Makes History as Awards Show Host with Deaf Co-Star

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Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur pose with two others in front of an MAA backdrop

Oscar winners Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur who Co-Starred in the film CODA reunited as the first deaf co-hosts of the Media Access Awards, which celebrate films, television shows, and performances that include characters with disabilities. 

Matlin has seen significant progress in Hollywood’s understanding of accessibility but she emphasizes that there is still a long way to go. When she attends awards shows, she says she often feels drawn into the role of accessibility advisor. 

“I don’t want to call it worrying, but I’m still attending with something in the back of my mind saying, ‘How is it going to look? Who are the interpreters? Where are they going to place it? Where are we going to sit?’” she says. “More and more, they’re all talking about DEI — everybody in Hollywood. But they forget about access and accessibility. They forget that there is a group of us that needs access to be part of the whole picture.”  Read more.

TravelAbility TakeAway: Matlin articulates the double-duty that many individuals with disabilities are often compelled to take on. Beyond navigating an event or project on their own, they also take on the role of educating the organizers about accessibility. Matlin is a powerful spokesperson for the cause. 

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