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The Intersection of Travel and Disability

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Ambassador Report: On the Road with Kristy Durso

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TravelAbility Ambassador Kristy Durso is having a banner year — and it’s only June. While she humbly admits, “There’s so much going on, but not that much,” the list of events, projects, and possibilities she’s involved in says otherwise.

Here’s what she’s been up to — and what the TravelAbility community has to look forward to:

Reimagining Accessibility in Oregon

Kristy joined TravelAbility founder Jake Steinman at the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism for a powerful session designed to spark progress. TravelAbility hosted an accessibility shark tank, pitching adaptive innovations as an invitation to reimagine Oregon’s destinations with these tools in place. Kristy asked the room to close their eyes and picture a local favorite destination and what it could look like if every visitor, regardless of ability, felt welcome. Kristy had just visited with her Firefly, and realized how much she would’ve missed without the innovative chair’s assistance. She led the audience through a mental tour of the venue, adding in each of the pitched innovations, showing what a difference it would make.

“They had appropriate ramps and all these things, but they didn’t have door openers on anything, so having the door opener available on those old buildings would’ve changed the area completely and then as you’re getting together and doing all these neat things, imagine if you had a child who’s hard of hearing and they wanted to go do something. If they had the use of the Aira app, they could just go and do it. Or imagine a family was planning on spending the day but their child who’s neurodivergent starts getting overwhelmed and they’ve got a place to go because Kulture City has come in and worked on that area, so now you don’t have to leave to avoid the meltdown.”

The pitch culminated in tears and applause, proving once again that accessibility isn’t just practical — it’s powerful.

Sharing the Stage and Spotlight

At the Accent West conference in Arizona, Kristy shared the stage with Alison Brooks from Visit Mesa to highlight Mesa’s leadership in inclusive tourism. The pair fielded questions from destinations eager to learn how to follow Mesa’s example.

That same week, Kristy previewed a new presidential library slated to open in North Dakota and is in early conversations about shaping its accessibility before doors open to the public.

Kristy served as keynote speaker and visited what she describes as the most food-inclusive conference she’s attended at Travel Nevada’s Rural RoundUp. Her time included a stop at an accessible dude ranch.

She led a fashion show in San Antonio as MC and she’s going to be a guest speaker at another fashion show in Oregon.

Other speaking roles on the horizon include:

  • Destinations International in July, where Kristy will be part of a panel on accessibility in travel.
  • A one-day Accessibility Summit for destinations in Kissimmee, Florida, this September — the first of three such events planned.

Writing New Stories — Literally

Kristy is also stepping into the world of storytelling in new ways. She’s written a children’s book titled Sarah and the Magical Shoes — a heartfelt narrative inspired by her own life. The story centers around a girl whose world changes with a new pair of shoes — not because of the shoes themselves, but what they represent: freedom, self-worth, and possibility. If you’ve ever interacted with Kristy, you’ll appreciate her shoe analogy.

From helping shape national attractions to crafting stories that reshape mindsets, Kristy continues to make sure accessibility isn’t an afterthought — it’s center stage. Whether she’s keynoting a summit, writing a children’s book, or reminding an audience to dream bigger, Kristy’s impact continues to ripple far beyond the spotlight.

Stay tuned. There’s much more to come.

Kristy Durso is sitting in her wheelchair on the beach, smiling over her shoulder with the beautiful turquoise ocean in the background.

Meet Kristy: Kristy is a writer, speaker, and disability travel advisor. She has experience across multiple disabilities traveling as a wheelchair user with a pace-maker along with her children with intellectual disabilities, autism, ADHD, and over 30 food allergies. 

As TravelAbility’s ambassador, she networks and speaks around the globe to promote accessibility and inclusion in the travel space.

TravelAbility – Now Streaming!

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DMOs and disability travel content creators now have a powerful new way to share their accessibility stories—on television. TravelAbility has teamed up with Gray Digital Media to launch The TravelAbility Channel, a first-of-its-kind streaming channel dedicated to accessible travel content, available for free on the hyperlocal OTT platform, Zeam.

This new channel will give destinations the chance to showcase the accessibility content they’re already creating—everything from inclusive attraction highlights to adaptive outdoor adventures. By leveraging Gray’s distribution network of 180 TV stations and Zeam’s rapidly growing platform, tourism boards can now amplify their efforts to a national audience that includes travelers with disabilities, their families, and caregivers.

“The beauty of this new channel is that it gives destinations a free, ready-made platform to showcase inclusion—content they may already have sitting on a hard drive or YouTube channel. Now, they can bring it to life in living rooms across the country.”

Jake Steinman, founder of TravelAbility

Check out the announcement on EINPresswire for full details!

For destinations looking to reach more travelers through storytelling—and for creators ready to bring accessible travel to the mainstream—this new channel may be the biggest opportunity yet.

To learn more or inquire about featuring your content, contact Amy Jukes at amy@amvarra.com.

Champions of Change: Steve Nelson Takes Accessibility to New Heights

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Steve Nelson’s journey into accessibility advocacy began with personal experience—but it was fueled by a deep care for others.

“I do have a personal connection to disability,” he shared. “I was diagnosed ADHD as a child, and as an adult I was diagnosed as being autistic and having other invisible disabilities.” Yet, it wasn’t just his own story that propelled him forward. While working in Guest Relations at a major entertainment and hospitality company, Nelson saw opportunities to better serve the disability community. “I began to advocate for us to make some local changes, and that eventually led to me being introduced to the Services for Guests with Disabilities team, who took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to make a career out of it.”

Today, Nelson serves as the Accessibility and Belonging Program Manager for Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines. He leads what he describes as “a first-of-its-kind operation in the airline industry”—The Disability Office. “We act as internal consultants and advocates who partner with the various divisions, stakeholders, and leaders across the organization to drive better accessibility,” he explained. “We want everyone to be able to feel like they belong when they fly with us, and that means we have to innovate and change how air travel works for the disability community.”

Creating that change, especially within a large and regulated industry, comes with its challenges.

“The common theme is that I have to remind people that I am on their side,” said Nelson. That includes both internal stakeholders and the communities he serves. “My goal isn’t to take over someone else’s job or to steal their thunder—I’m just there to keep them curious about what we can accomplish if we think outside of the box.”

At the same time, he’s realistic about the pace of progress. “It may seem like progress is slow or like a company doesn’t care enough, but I promise there is so much happening behind the scenes and it will be truly transformative.”

Among the many accomplishments in his career, Nelson is especially proud of one. “I’ll go back to basics and say I’m most proud of the Disability Rehearsal Flights we host at Alaska Airlines.” These events give travelers with profound disabilities the chance to experience the travel process—from check-in to boarding to taxiing down the runway—without ever leaving the ground. “They get a boarding pass, go through security, board an aircraft, and experience a brief taxi around the airport before deplaning.”

The flights aren’t just beneficial for the guests. “It even gives the best kind of training experience for our employees. No computer-based program can show you how to care from the heart as well as an experience with 70+ families can.”

Nelson believes that accessibility work is—and must be—rooted in listening to the people who are most impacted. “This is going to sound so cliché, but it has always been the people I serve,” he said. “I’m not just talking about the happy people who participate in a rehearsal flight, but also the folks who have not had the best experience.”

“People with disabilities are PEOPLE. They matter. They deserve to have dignity and autonomy.”

When asked what advice he’d offer to others working to move accessibility forward in 2025, Nelson is clear: “Practice telling a good story and don’t give up!” He’s seen firsthand how powerful storytelling can be.

“I haven’t met a single person who doesn’t care about individuals with disabilities… but I’ve met plenty who don’t know any better.”

That’s why he leads with empathy and real-life narratives rather than a list of demands. “Take your time and remember you are doing the work for people who don’t have a place at the table. It’s worth the effort… and if you’re me, always have a large black iced coffee in hand… it helps.”

Disabled Travelers Share The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

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The sometimes shocking experiences of real disabled travelers.

At the TravelAbility Summit, disability advocates and travel and hospitality professionals come together to reimagine what inclusive travel can truly look like. The event blends practical workshops, expert panels, and meaningful conversations that empower destinations, brands, and organizations to create more accessible experiences for all.

At last year’s summit, a panel of disabled travelers shared their firsthand experiences—the good, the bad, and the eye-opening. Lived experience remains the most powerful measure of true inclusion. We’re excited to keep the conversation going at our 2025 Summit in Sunriver, Oregon, taking place October 13–15th. Learn more and register today!

Watch the video below and explore the timestamped summary. How does your destination measure up?

At the 2024 TravelAbility Summit: Kristy Durso (TravelAbility, Incredible Memories Travel), Jessica Jordan Ping (The Rolling Explorer), Craig Radford (360 Direct Video), Sassy Wyatt (Blind Girl Adventures), and Talia Salem (Marriott).

Summary

  • Opening with Vulnerability – A wheelchair user shares a deeply personal and emotional experience of inaccessibility in Vancouver’s airport restrooms, transforming a humiliating moment into a story of compassion and advocacy.
    ➤ Restroom Accessibility Issue
  • Fairmont Hotel’s Kindness – The Fairmont Hotel provided sanctuary and dignity, reinforcing the power of empathy in service and influencing future travel recommendations.
    ➤ Fairmont’s Response
  • Denied Experiences on Honeymoon – Jessica recounts being refused full participation in a planned ATV adventure due to assumptions about her limb differences, underscoring the need for autonomy and transparency.
    ➤ Adventure Denied
  • Advocacy for Honest Accessibility Info – The discussion emphasizes how honesty about accessibility levels is more beneficial than misleading claims.
    ➤ Transparency in Accessibility
  • Communication Barriers for Deaf Travelers – Craig details a disappointing hotel and theatre experience where inadequate communication efforts highlighted systemic gaps in serving deaf guests.
    ➤ Lack of Accessibility for Deaf Guests
  • Navigational Struggles for Blind Travelers – Sassy shares multiple challenges at airports and train stations, from forced wheelchair use to being abandoned without communication or support.
    ➤ Travel Disorientation for Blind Travelers
  • Train Access Without Support – Despite being in a wheelchair and having heavy luggage, Sassy was left alone to navigate a train station without announcements or assistance.
    ➤ Abandoned at the Train Station

Insights Based on Numbers

  • While this session is anecdotal, the stories reflect pervasive issues affecting millions, particularly the frequent failures in communication and physical accessibility at transport and hospitality venues.
  • Real-time lived experience remains the most powerful metric for evaluating accessibility.

Can I do Old Quebec City in a Wheelchair?

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Tiffany Gambill is a Massachusetts native with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a rare, incurable, degenerative neuromuscular disorder. She is a full time wheelchair user who blogs to share accessible adventures and vegan eating.

Her disability makes typing difficult, and using voice to text nearly impossible. She doesn’t let that stop her from sharing her journeys and helping others. Below is an abridged version of her experience visiting Quebec as a wheelchair user. You can check out the full story, here. 

Written By Tiffany Rose

Last August, I traveled to Canada with my parents, visiting Montreal and Quebec City. The weather was beautiful, so the crowds were heavy. Finding a wheelchair-accessible hotel for three people in Old Quebec was a challenge, but I discovered The Clarendon Hotel. It looked promising online—and honestly, the bright yellow walls sealed the deal for me.

The accessible entrance was on the side with a concrete ramp and an automatic door that closed a bit fast. Inside, a second ramp led to the ground floor check-in desk, where a man wearing a yellow tie greeted us. We booked their accessible suite, which featured a king bed, sofa bed, tall windows with luxurious curtains, a desk alcove, and gold chairs. The bathroom setup was decent, with a tub and shower chair instead of the roll-in shower I was told I’d have. However, the toilet had drop-down grab bars, and the sink had open space underneath for wheelchair access. My main complaint was the round toilet seat, which felt tight even though I don’t have a big frame.

The hotel had a small elevator, but wait times weren’t bad. On the ground floor was Mordus, a seafood restaurant that served delicious meals. Breakfast was included, and the raspberry butter was heavenly—thankfully, they sold it separately too! Meals like deviled egg seafood, eggs with salmon lox, cappuccinos, and chia pudding made it a standout spot, even for non-hotel guests.

Exploring Quebec City was charming. The streets were made of large stone blocks, manageable in my wheelchair. We admired artist stalls (closed at night), the lit-up Fairmont Hotel, and a nearby monument bustling with street performers, though it was tough for me to get close. We also did the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour, which was a great way to see the city quickly, especially with a 2-day ticket.

Behind the monument, we found the boardwalk, the winter toboggan slide (closed in summer), and the Funicular—a $5 outdoor elevator with stunning river views. Old Town’s shops and restaurants often had steps, but colorful umbrella displays and the historic walled city made up for the limitations.

On our final day, we planned to visit Montmorency Falls but hit Labor Day weekend traffic and found out there was a fee to view the falls. We decided to skip it and head home instead. Overall, Quebec City was beautiful, although navigating accessibility required some flexibility and patience.