Travel

Managing Director, European Network for Accessible Travel (ENAT)

Note: This interview is part of an ongoing series featuring interviews with 24 Champions of Accessibility for 2024 selected and celebrated by TravelAbility.

Q: What motivated you to become involved in accessibility and do you have a personal connection to disability?

A: It only dawned on me when I was asked this question about 10 years ago, when I was in my fifties, that my interest in accessibility most likely came from growing up with my little brother who had sustained serious leg injuries when he was about 6 years old. He got hit by a truck on a pedestrian crosswalk and it took many months and several operations and skin grafts before he could walk and run again—and eventually swim, cycle and even play rugby—well bandaged up. We did everything together, so it was “second nature” for us—family and friends—to set things up so he could always be part of everything. So I did have a personal connection to disability but I did not think about this until many years later. That was just our family’s normal life and part of my childhood. Thanks to my parents and my older brother and sister, we all pretty much learned to make things work for everyone. And we had great times.           

Q: .  What is the goal of your organization?

A: ENAT—the European Network for Accessible Tourism—has a “mission statement” like many non-profits do. It is this:: “To make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all visitors and to promote accessible tourism around the world”. Our tagline is: “Working together to make Tourism Accessible for All”.   

Q:  Aside from budget, what are the most difficult obstacles or barriers you face around accessibility and what actions/initiatives are you taking to address them?

A: One of the main difficulties I see is that the need for accessibility comes mainly from a “reactive” point of view. Oh! Here’s a problem, how do we fix it? In all areas of life, for people, places and products, we need to think more pro-actively about accessibility, to anticipate what is needed, whether tackling existing barriers or designing something from afresh. Think beyond the immediate problem and take access requirements fully onboard. Achieving accessibility for everyone is part of a process which takes forethought, while learning from good practices as well as past mistakes.

Q:  What accomplishments are you most proud of?

A: I am most proud when I see the happiness of people achieving great things that I have played a small part in. It can be small or big things and might be something quite unexpected. Twenty two years ago I helped a young, disabled software engineer in India to establish a training course on Information Technology for disabled students. It was a great success, creating jobs for over 40 young trainees. Since then this young guy has achieved a Ph.D. in data security and he now runs a software company, Kerckhoffs Ltd. with his wife in England and has also established Kerckhoffs Inc. in the USA and has a swath of accolades to his credit. I am really proud of his life choices and his achievements.      

Q: Who do you follow? Name an organization/company/individual you look to for ideas or inspiration.  (Other than TravelAbility or Jake Steinman)

A: I am not one for regularly following certain people or organizations. Inspiration can come from many directions. I keep my antennae out for all kinds of news in the accessible tourism field and try to pick out useful information which I can pass on to ENAT members and colleagues, whether it is “trending” or not.