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The Intersection of Travel and Disability

TravelAbility Summit

Calling All Filmmakers: TravelAbility Launches Inaugural Film Festival Showcasing the Future of Accessible Travel Storytelling

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TravelAbility is proud to announce the launch of its First Annual TravelAbility Film Festival, a dynamic new showcase celebrating excellence in accessible travel video storytelling.

Premiering at the 2025 TravelAbility Summit (October 13–15 at Sunriver Resort in Central Oregon), the festival will spotlight short videos that explore accessibility with originality, purpose, and impact. From lived experiences to destination campaigns, the Film Festival honors the creators, brands, and advocates who are reshaping how accessible travel is seen and shared.

Accessibility is not just a trend; it’s a critical aspect of how travel is evolving. Accessible storytelling is already happening across platforms, from destination marketing videos and social media reels to firsthand accounts of travelers with disabilities. However, until now, there hasn’t been a central place to honor these creators and the work they’re doing. The TravelAbility Film Festival fills that void, bringing together creators who are reshaping the narrative surrounding accessible travel.”

travelandtourworld.com

Submit Your Entry Today

Promotional flyer for the 1st Annual TravelAbility Film Festival. The top section features the festival name in bold text: “TravelAbility Film Festival – Celebrating the Best in Accessible Travel Storytelling.” It notes the festival will debut at the 2025 TravelAbility Summit, held October 13–15 in Sunriver, Oregon. Below, the submission details appear gray text (see caption for details). A small image of the TravelAbility Summit 2025 logo and a scenic photo of the Sunriver venue is included, along with a gold graphic of a vintage film camera in the bottom right corner. The background includes a blue filmstrip and dotted design elements

Submissions are now open in three categories:
• Destination Marketing Organizations
• Attractions, Hotels & Restaurants
• Content Creators & Influencers

Each entry must be submitted as an MP4 video no longer than 5 minutes, with participants limited to one category per submission.

Submissions will be accepted through August 15, 2025, or until the limit of 75 entries is reached.

View the full guidelines and submit your entry below!

Learn More

Finalist videos will be screened live during a special session at the TravelAbility Summit in front of travel professionals, destination marketers, and accessibility leaders. A diverse jury comprised of filmmakers, disabled travelers, and inclusive marketing experts will evaluate submissions. The top three videos in each category will be recognized, and one standout will be awarded Best in Festival.

Our goal with this festival is to amplify the voices and visual storytelling of those leading the way in accessible travel. We’re excited to honor creativity, inclusivity, and innovation in ways that inspire the entire travel industry.”

Jake Steinman, Founder of TravelAbility.

What are the Top 10 Trends in Accessible Travel?

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Last year’s TravelAbility Summit featured a presentation revealing The Top Ten Trends for Accessible Travel in 2025. Read a summary and watch the full video below!

Summary

  • 🚕 Accessible Transportation Revolution
     Ride-sharing platforms like Uber and Lyft face legal pressure to become wheelchair accessible. Rental cars now offer adaptive features and Ford introduces models with audio descriptions for blind users.
    Watch here
  • 🛫 Airports Embrace Universal Access
     New airport renovations include cutting-edge accessibility upgrades—like changing rooms—highlighted by Portland Airport’s initiatives.
    Watch here
  • 🧠 Smart Tech Enhances Navigation
     Google Maps adds wheelchair-accessible routes. Hotels now feature voice-activated controls and AI travel planners for a seamless, informed experience.
    Watch here
  • 🤫 Rise of Sensory-Friendly Destinations
     Quiet areas in airports and stores (e.g., Walmart) cater to neurodivergent travelers. Autism-friendly travel packages are growing in popularity.
    Watch here
  • 🛌 Universal Design in Accommodations
     Wider doorways, roll-in showers, and height-adjustable furniture are being adopted into architectural blueprints, making spaces inherently inclusive.
    Watch here
  • 🌍 Virtual Reality Previews
     Travelers can explore destinations through VR before visiting. Tools like 360° hotel room tours boost planning confidence.
    Watch here
  • 🧗 Inclusive Adventure Tourism
     Tools like Be My Eyes and Aira assist blind travelers in hiking and outdoor activities. Oregon leads with grants funding these innovations.
    Watch here
  • 🏖️ Accessible Beach Access Innovations
     Greece installs ramps into the sea for wheelchair users. Sensory-safe beach areas are being designed for neurodiverse visitors.
    Watch here
  • 📋 Nano Training for Hospitality
     Scandinavian hotels use sub-50-second videos to train staff on disability service—an efficient way to boost service quality.
    Watch here
  • 📺 Inclusive Representation in Media TV shows and marketing campaigns are increasingly spotlighting autism and disability. Large firms like Unilever are leading with inclusive messaging.
     Watch here

Watch Here

These trends aren’t just hypothetical—they’re being discussed, demonstrated, and accelerated at the TravelAbility Summit, where accessibility leaders, tourism professionals, and innovators come together to share solutions and spark progress. Join us October 13–15, 2025, at Sunriver Resort in Central Oregon to experience the conversations shaping the future of travel. From live hands-on workshops and expert presentations to networking with changemakers, the Summit is where the next wave of accessibility innovation begins.

Register Today!

Meet the 2025 INNOVATEAble Finalists: 9 Breakthrough Travel Accessibility Solutions Pitching at ADA 35

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The world’s only pitch event showcasing innovations, technologies and amenities that make travel easier for people with disabilities.

Dive into 7th Annual InnovateAble 2025, The Shark Tank for Accessible Travel Innovations technologies and amenities to Celebrate ADA 35

Get ready for an inspiring virtual showcase like no other! On July 25, 2024, we’re celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with a groundbreaking event that’s all about empowering travel for those with disabilities.

I’m thrilled to announce InnovateAble, a unique pitch fest that’s reminiscent of Shark Tank, but with a twist. It’s dedicated to showcasing assistive technology, services and innovations that promise to revolutionize travel for people with disabilities and seniors.”

Jake Steinman, Founder of TravelAbility.

Event Details:

  • Date: July 25, 2025
  • Time: 10:00 AM to 11:30 PM Pacific Time on Zoom
  • Format: Quick-fire 3-minute pitches with a 7-minute Q&A
  • Location: Zoom – Open to registered attendees of the 2025 TravelAbility Summit.
Register Today
Learn More

This event is not just a competition: it’s a beacon of innovation, organized by the forward-thinkers at TravelAbility. The TravelAbility team spent hours researching over 45 companies/products and after an exhaustive process selected 9 finalists to present to our panel of judges. We’re proud to share that past participants have raised a staggering $563.4 million in funding, proving that these innovations are not just visionary but also viable.

2025 Line-Up Includes:

Mobility

Rio Mobility designs lightweight manual and power attachments that can effortlessly convert most standard wheelchairs into power wheelchairs capable opening off-road as well as on-road experiences.

ADAPTS is a portable transfer sling designed for safe, manual wheelchair transfers in inaccessible places such as airplanes, hotels, or stairwells.

BoardSafe Docks is the leading designer and manufacturer of premium aluminum floating docks and adaptive launch systems.

Effortless Lifts, an innovative boat mobility system specifically designed to facilitate access to water-based activities for individuals with mobility impairments.

Deafness/Hard of Hearing

Koda is a powerful, device-agnostic live captioning platform that uses AI and data to boost accessibility, engagement, and retention at events—no downloads required.

Blind and Low Vision

Tourch2See provides tablets allowing blind and visually impaired community to attend live sporting game.

RightHear is an audible wayfinding system that helps enhance accessibility, by enabling visitors to navigate indoor and outdoor spaces more independently.

Neurodiversity

Scan Me Home is a simple ID system using QR codes—on an app or iron-on patch—to help quickly reunite lost loved ones who may have eloped with their families.

Lotus is a wearable ring that lets people with limited mobility control home devices by simply pointing—no apps, rewiring, or Wi-Fi required, and it’s travel-friendly too.

InnovateABLE Pitchfest Returns for Its 7th Year in Honor of ADA35

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A Bonus Event for Registered TravelAbility Summit Attendees – July 25, 2025 (Virtual)

In recognition of the 35th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the 7th Annual InnovateABLE Pitchfest will take place virtually via Zoom on Friday, July 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM PDT. This bonus event is available to registered attendees of the upcoming TravelAbility Summit.

The InnovateABLE Pitchfest highlights cutting-edge advancements in accessible technology, products, and amenities designed for the tourism and hospitality industry. Participating companies are focused on practical innovations that can be implemented through destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and introduced to hotels, attractions, museums, and other key industry stakeholders.

Each company will present a 3-minute video pitch, followed by a 7-minute Q&A with a panel of judges comprised of investors, travel professionals, and accessibility leaders. The fast-paced format is designed to spark collaboration, inspire adoption, and bring visibility to scalable solutions that promote inclusion across the travel experience.

The winners of the Pitchfest will be invited to present their innovations in person at the TravelAbility Summit, taking place October 13–15, 2025, in Sunriver, Oregon. The summit serves as a national gathering of travel professionals, accessibility advocates, and industry innovators committed to advancing accessible tourism.

Attendance at the Pitchfest is included with TravelAbility Summit registration. Learn more and register for the TravelAbility Summit today!

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.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

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SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Your name and email will never be sold to 3rd parties.