TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Trends

Innovation of the Month: Hero Door Opener

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By Jennifer Allen

What if you could make any door automatic in about 15 minutes? That’s exactly what Pierre Paul set out to do with the Hero Door Opener, an innovative device designed to transform how we access the spaces around us.

The problem:

Pierre pointed out that there are over 42 billion doors worldwide, less than 5% of which are automatic. The closed doors for people with disabilities are not metaphorical in this situation.

there are over 42 billion doors worldwide, less than 5% of which are automatic.

Jennifer Allen

The Solution:

When asked about the inspiration behind his invention, Paul shared, “It literally came from a dream.” He went on to add, “All of my innovations have come from manifestations or visions in my mind. The idea was simple: open doors more seamlessly.”

The Hero Door Opener fills a critical gap, particularly for people with disabilities. The device integrates with existing mechanisms and allows doors to be opened via a mobile app, a fob, or even voice commands like “Hey Siri.” It’s affordable, quick to install, and practical for businesses and homes alike.

Accessible and Affordable

Priced at $1,750, with options for a $400 push receiver, a $30 universal fob, and a free app, the Hero Door Opener is designed to be cost-effective. Paul’s team even helps businesses find grants and tax write-offs to offset the costs, making the device accessible to more people. Most businesses have been able to implement this game-changing accessibility technology at no cost, transforming inclusion in their spaces.

Organizations like Busch Stadium, Cardinal Stadium, Bradley University, and The Schoolhouse Hotel have already implemented Hero Door Openers, further proving its versatility and appeal.

Business and Personal Impact

The Hero Door Opener has proven invaluable in commercial settings – beyond accessibility and inclusion goals. At the University of Illinois, catering staff struggled with doors closing on carts and knocking over food. With Hero, they just ask Siri to open the door for them, making their jobs easier and safer.

The real magic of the Hero Door Opener lies in its ability to empower. Paul shared the story of a young boy named Zippy, who loves playing in his backyard but couldn’t open the door independently. Installing the Hero on his family’s door and giving him a personal fob transformed his world.

“Now, Zippy can open the door whenever he wants,” Paul explained. “He even helps his mom bring in groceries. It’s that autonomy, that ability to contribute, that’s huge for us.”

“Whether you’re young or old, whether you have a disability or not, we all need to open doors,” Paul emphasized.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

As a start-up, the biggest challenges have been in manufacturing and funding. With its practical design and life-changing impact, the Hero Door Opener is going to change the face of accessibility, but it’s a journey to get to that place where costs are covered before orders are placed.

A Note from Pierre:

You will only ever grow and succeed if you learn how to take feedback from both people who support you and people who don’t. We’ve been appreciative for the skeptics and for the cheerleaders because they both play a valuable role in our journey. We cannot thank Jake and the TravelAbility team enough for the opportunity to meet more of both of those individuals and to prove ourselves as we make the world more accessible.

Watch The Hero Door Opener Pitch at TravelAbility’s InnovateAble Showcase

Visit the Hero Door Opener Web-site

Top 20 Searched Destinations on Wheel the World (2024)

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In 2024, Wheel the World, a leading booking engine for accessible travel, provided insights into the most searched destinations over the past year. This data reflects the growing interest in accessible travel options and highlights the preferences of travelers seeking inclusive experiences.

Top 20 US Destinations

  1. New York, NY
  2. Las Vegas, NV
  3. Miami, FL
  4. Orlando, FL
  5. Maui, HI
  6. Alaska (Statewide)
  7. Honolulu, HI
  8. Chicago, IL
  9. San Francisco, CA
  10. Washington, DC
  11. Los Angeles, CA
  12. Boston, MA
  13. New Orleans, LA
  14. Florida (Statewide)
  15. San Diego, CA
  16. Myrtle Beach, SC
  17. Fort Lauderdale, FL
  18. Nashville, TN
  19. Atlanta, GA
  20. Seattle, WA

Analysis by Region

  • East Coast (35%)
  • West Coast (25%)
  • South (25%)
  • Hawaii & Alaska (10%)
  • Midwest (5%)

Key Observations

1. Diverse Destinations: The list features a mix of urban centers, beach destinations, and natural wonders. Cities like New York and Las Vegas are popular for their vibrant culture and entertainment, while places like Maui and Alaska attract those seeking natural beauty and adventure.

2. East Coast Dominance: The East Coast accounts for 35% of the top destinations searched, indicating a strong preference for major cities like New York, Miami, and Washington, DC. This could be attributed to the region’s rich history, cultural attractions, and accessible transportation options.  

3. Significant Southern Appeal: The South also represents 25% of the top destinations, with Orlando and Miami leading the charge. This reflects the popularity of theme parks, beaches, and warm weather, making it a favored choice for families and vacationers.

4. West Coast Representation: The West Coast, with destinations like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle, captures 25% of the searches. This region is known for its diverse landscapes, entertainment, tech hubs, and cultural experiences, appealing to a wide range of travelers.

5. Hawaii and Alaska: The inclusion of Hawaii and Alaska highlights the interest in beach and natural outdoor options, catering to those seeking relaxation and adventure.

6. Midwest Underrepresentation: The Midwest only accounts for 5% of the top destinations searched, suggesting that travelers may prioritize coastal and urban experiences over the more rural and less densely populated areas of the Midwest.

TOP 10 ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL TRENDS FOR 2025

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By Jake Steinman

These scenes showcase a vibrant convergence of innovative accessibility solutions, inspiring discussions, and diverse participants dedicated to enhancing travel experiences for individuals with disabilities.

  1. Smart Technology Integration

Leveraging technology is crucial for improving accessibility in travel. Innovations such as:

  • Google Maps “Accessibility Routes”: This feature allows users to find routes that are wheelchair-friendly, making navigation easier for those with mobility challenges.
  • Voice-Activated Hotel Room Controls**: These systems enable guests to control lighting, temperature, and entertainment through voice commands, enhancing comfort and convenience.
  • Digital Assistants for Travel Planning**: Virtual assistants can help travelers plan their trips by providing information on accessible accommodations and attractions.
  • Real-Time Accessibility Information Updates: Travelers can receive timely updates about accessibility features at various locations, ensuring they are well-informed.

Google Maps “Accessibility Routes”: This feature allows users to find routes that are wheelchair-friendly, making navigation easier for those with mobility challenges.

Jake Steinman

2.  Enhanced Transportation Solutions

Transportation is a critical aspect of travel, and ensuring it is accessible for all is essential. Key solutions include:

  • Wheelchair-Accessible Ride-Sharing Services:  While disabled advocates are applying pressure to Uber and Lyft to be more accessible, Waymo, which features driverless Jaguars,  which was a huge hit for TravelAbility attendees in San Francisco, have embraced the disability community with open arms.
  • Modified Rental Vehicles: Rental agencies are adapting their fleets to include vehicles equipped for individuals with disabilities.
  • Enhanced Airport Assistance Programs: Airports are improving their services to assist travelers with disabilities, ensuring a smoother travel experience. 

3. Sensory-Friendly Destinations

  • Creating environments that cater to sensory sensitivities is vital for neurodivergent travelers. Initiatives include:
  • Quiet Spaces in airports and attractions: Designated areas where individuals can retreat to avoid sensory overload.
  • Walmart Quiet Hours Prior to Store Openings: These hours allow individuals with sensory sensitivities to shop in a calmer environment.
  • Specialized Tour Guides for Neurodivergent Travelers: Guides trained to understand and accommodate the needs of neurodivergent individuals.
  • Streaming TV Shows feature life on the Autism spectrum.  The latest entry is the release of “Traveling on the Spectrum.” ttps://travelingthespectrumshow.com/, conceived by TravelAbility advisory board member, Stuart Butler, CMO of Visit Myrtle Beach, is now available on Peacock.

4. Increasing Emphasis on Inclusive Design in Accommodations

The concept of universal design focuses on creating spaces that are accessible to everyone. Notable advancements include:

  • The Schoolhouse Hotel, an all-accessible room hotel in White Sulfur Springs, WV, recently affiliated with Wyndham Hotels, this establishment features accessible amenities.
  • Height-Adjustable Furniture: This allows for flexibility in accommodation, making spaces usable for all guests.
  • Wider Doorways and Corridors: Enhancements that facilitate easier movement for individuals using mobility aids.

5. Virtual Pre-Travel Experiences. Utilizing virtual tools to prepare travelers for their journeys is becoming increasingly popular. Key offerings include:

  • 360° Virtual Tours of Destinations: These immersive experiences allow travelers to explore locations before their visit, helping them make informed decisions.
  • Detailed Accessibility Previews: Travelers can access information about the accessibility features of various destinations, ensuring they are well-prepared.
  • Virtual Reality Hotel Room Tours: These tours provide a realistic view of accommodations offered, allowing guests to assess their suitability.

6.  Adaptive Outdoor Adventure Tourism

  • Adventure travel is being adapted to ensure accessibility for all.
  • Adaptive Sports Equipment: This equipment allows individuals with disabilities to participate in various sports and activities.
  • Accessible Hiking Trails: Trails designed with accessibility in mind enable everyone to enjoy nature.
  • Modified Water Sports Activities: These adaptations ensure that individuals with disabilities can safely engage in water sports.
  • Inclusive Wildlife Viewing Experiences: Tours that cater to diverse needs allow all travelers to appreciate wildlife.

7. Personalized Travel Planning

  • Tailoring travel experiences to individual needs is essential for enhancing accessibility. Key components include:
  • Specialized Travel Agents: Agents trained in accessibility can provide valuable insights and recommendations.
  • Custom Itinerary Development: Personalized itineraries ensure that travelers’ specific needs and preferences are met.
  • Accessibility-Focused Tour Operators: These operators specialize in creating inclusive travel experiences.
  • Detailed Accessibility Guides: Comprehensive guides provide essential information about accessibility features at various destinations.

8. Introducing the Universal Designed Beach 

Enhancing beach experiences for all visitors is a growing focus. Key improvements include:

  • Beach Wheelchair Availability: These specialized wheelchairs from Access Rec, (the original developers of the Mobi Mat), Mobi Mat, and Access Trax offer individuals with mobility challenges an opportunity to experience the beach.
  • Accessible Boardwalks: Boardwalks designed for accessibility ensure that everyone can access beach areas.
  • Modified Water Entry Points: Access points on piers and lakes facilitate safe entry into the water for individuals with disabilities.
  • Sensory-Friendly Beach Areas: Designated spaces that cater to sensory sensitivities provide a more comfortable beach experience.

9. Enhanced Training & Service

  • Training staff to better serve travelers with disabilities is crucial for creating an inclusive environment. Important initiatives include:
  • Staff Disability Awareness Training: Training programs help staff understand the needs of travelers with disabilities.
  • Sign Language-Trained Personnel: Staff trained in sign language can better communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing guests.
  • Accessibility Ambassadors: These individuals are dedicated to assisting travelers with disabilities, ensuring a positive experience.
  • Specialized Concierge Services: Concierge staff trained in accessibility can provide tailored recommendations and assistance.

10. Greater Representation in Media

  • The representation of individuals with disabilities in media is gaining traction. Key developments include:
  • Accessibility-Focused Content: New streaming movies and television shows are increasingly featuring stories that highlight accessibility.
  • Whalar: This talent agency represents 80 disability content creators, promoting diverse voices in media.
  • Travelability: Introduced speed-dating events with content creators at the 2024 EMS, fostering connections and collaboration.

The travel industry is making significant strides in enhancing accessibility through universal design, virtual tools, adventure tourism adaptations, personalized planning, improved beach access, enhanced training, and greater representation in media. These trends not only improve the travel experience for individuals with disabilities but also promote a more inclusive society where everyone can explore and enjoy the world around them.

New Partnership Launches a center for Assistive Technology to Advance Accessible Travel Innovation

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The Schoolhouse Hotel announces a groundbreaking partnership with TravelAbility and Samaritan Partners to establish the Center for Assistive Technology, the first-of-its-kind innovation hub for accessible travel technology for the hospitality industry.

Located in historic White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, The Schoolhouse Hotel stands as the world’s first fully accessible boutique hotel. This architectural marvel, transformed from a 1912 high school building, showcases universal design principles throughout its 30 guest rooms and public spaces. The hotel’s commitment to accessibility extends beyond physical accommodations with a restaurant seating over 100 guests, a 385-person capacity ballroom, and a rooftop bar offering panoramic views of the Allegheny Mountains. The hotel is expanding with an additional 85-room wing, spa, micro distillery, and retail offerings, enhancing guest experiences while maintaining its commitment to welcoming all guests, regardless of ability.

“This collaborative initiative creates a living laboratory where entrepreneurs can refine travel-focused assistive technology solutions in real-world hospitality settings.”

This collaborative initiative creates a living laboratory where entrepreneurs can refine travel-focused assistive technology solutions in real-world hospitality settings. The Schoolhouse Hotel provides an ideal environment for guests to experience and provide feedback on emerging accessibility innovations.

TravelAbility, a leader in advancing accessible tourism, brings its expertise in connecting innovative technology solutions with travel destinations committed to universal access. Their involvement ensures that developed technologies and services align with the actual needs of travelers with disabilities and the hospitality industry.

Samaritan Partners, a social impact venture fund, strengthens the partnership through its investment focus on early-stage, for-profit companies serving the disability community. The fund dedicates a portion of its portfolio to companies developing assistive technology for travelers with disabilities and will provide mentorship and funding for promising innovations showcased at The Schoolhouse Hotel.

This partnership represents a significant step forward in creating more inclusive travel experiences through technological innovation. The Center will serve as a proving ground where new solutions can be refined through direct feedback from travelers with disabilities, ensuring that developments truly serve the community’s needs.

The Envelope Please…Winners of the 2024 InnovateAble Pitchfest Are…

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This year’s presenters impressed judges with tech that is reshaping the world, even beyond the travel industry. Read the summary here, and be sure to congratulate the winners.

First Place: 360 Direct Video. See their award-winning pitch here.

Second Place (tie): Hero Door Opener and Be My Eyes. Check out the Here Door Opener pitch here, and the Be My Eyes pitch here.

Third Place: Aira. Find Aira’s pitch here.

A special thanks to our judges:

Allie Rowe, Marriott

Allison Rowe is a hospitality leader deeply committed to operational excellence and disability inclusion, ensuring every guest experience is seamless and welcoming. As Director of Rooms & Guest Experience at Global Operations, she has introduced accessible technologies, comprehensive training programs, and inclusive practices that meet the diverse needs of today’s travelers. A mentor and advocate, Allison fosters a culture of inclusivity within her teams, embedding accessibility as a core value across all aspects of hospitality—from room design to service delivery—while shaping a more equitable and inclusive future for the industry.

Ron Petit, Royal Caribbean

As the Head of Disability Inclusion at Royal Caribbean, Ron Petit he developed the world’s only global cruise program tailored to the autism community, impacting an estimated 75 million individuals. With a career focused on advancing accessibility and fostering cultural change, Ron has influenced senior leadership, mentored teams, and collaborated with stakeholders to embed inclusion across organizational practices. A passionate advocate, he combines strategic vision and hands-on expertise to inspire lasting progress, proving that accessibility is fundamental to creating a more equitable world.

Paul Kent, disABLED Life Alliance

Paul Kent is the founder of disAbled Life Alliance (dALA), a nonprofit established in 2022 to create sustainable change for individuals with disabilities by addressing disparities in healthcare, employment, and access to vital resources. Leveraging his business acumen and a patient capital approach, Paul leads dALA in structuring and executing high-impact programs and technologies that improve quality of life while amplifying the social impact of private funders. Under his leadership, dALA has become a key driver of innovation and collaboration in the disability sector, advancing accessibility and inclusivity through measurable, long-term solutions.

Jeff Ossenkop GM San Francisco, W Hotel

Jeff Ossenkop is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 22 years of experience in boutique, luxury, and full-service hotel management. As General Manager of the W Hotel San Francisco, he excels in overseeing complex transitions, enhancing revenue, and fostering exceptional guest and team experiences in the heart of SoMa. Previously, Jeff led the historic restoration of The Tremont House and launched Canopy by Hilton San Francisco SoMa, earning accolades like Marriott’s Hotel Opening of the Year award and recognition on Galveston’s 40 Under 40 list for his contributions to the industry and community.

Ron Kuzon, Owner,The Schoolhouse Hotel

The School Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia is the world’s first fully ADA-compliant hotel, ensuring comfortable stays for neurodivergent individuals including those with mobility issues, blindness, and deafness. This fully accessible boutique hotel transformed the former historic White Sulphur Springs schoolhouse into a hub for the community and visitors alike. It features 30 uniquely appointed guest rooms, an upscale southern cuisine restaurant, rooftop bar and flexible ballroom space perfect for weddings, conferences and so much more. The Schoolhouse Hotel showcases the best in West Virginia lodging in a completely inclusive atmosphere, leading the way in inclusion in hospitality.