TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Vision

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

Oregon Coast Scores $1.1 Million in Grants for Accessibility

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Historical photo in sepia tones of an older Black man playing a violin

As we reported in last month’s Insider, Travel Oregon has awarded $3.6 million in competitive grants to DMOs, attractions, and cities for inclusion and accessibility projects. Of that total, more than $1 million will go to Oregon Coast organizations. 

The scope and diversity of the funded projects is vast. Travelers with disabilities will gain both new and improved access to a wide range of natural, recreational, and historic sites. The grants will also fund accessibility studies by Wheel the World in two regions along the coast. Read more.

TravelAbility TakeAway: If you want to see the impact that all of you are making through your participation in TravelAbility, take a trip to Oregon. Travel Oregon, which sent more than 30 staff members to the Savannah summit, is putting into practice ideas and partnerships they’ve developed through active engagement with the network. It’s inspiring to see an ambitious program implemented state-wide.

Hidden Camera Investigative Report on Traveling with a Disability

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A woman in a wheelchair with an unattached oxygen tube on her shoulder, looking into the camera with a concerned expression

Sylvia Longmire’s trip on Greyhound went fairly smoothly in part because the accessible bus had removable seats so that Longmire could remain in her own wheelchair (see related story in this issue). That’s not an option on airplanes, which can create a whole set of problems for passengers who use wheelchairs.

CBC News of Canada provides a powerful first-person view of the experience by using a hidden camera while accompanying Alessia Di Virgilio on an Air Canada flight. The trouble started several days before the flight when Di Virgilio notified the airline of her booking, as required. Despite the advanced notice, Di Virgilio did not receive a confirmation of her reservation until 24 hours before the flight. And when she arrived at the airport in her power wheelchair, no one at the gate had been alerted so it took 40 minutes for a crew to arrive to transfer her to an airline seat. The transfer is painful to watch as the ventilator becomes disconnected, a lift falls on her head, and her foot gets stuck. Meanwhile, her wheelchair is sitting out in the rain.

One crew member explains that he hasn’t been trained on the lift equipment for more than seven years.

“I did not feel safe,” Alessia Di Virgilio said after the incident.

The Air Canada flight is the centerpiece of a CBC expose of traveling with a disability. Other segments feature a woman with narcolepsy who is repeatedly turned down by taxis and rideshare drivers because of her large service dog—despite company policies that guarantee accommodating service animals. The third segment tracks the journey of a blind man trying to navigate the transit system. It’s a risky proposition with a lack of audio assistance in key spots, like trying to find the door of a subway car with the clock ticking.

The report has triggered a federal government investigation. Read more.

Watch the 22-minute video

TravelAbility TakeAway: It’s no surprise that this unprecedented investigation by CBC has launched a federal investigation in Canada. The video is hard to watch as we witness some of the indignities and injuries Alessia Di Virgilio had to endure. The physical and emotional pain of her airline trip is evident on her face as she moves from frustration to anger and fear to deep sadness. Deep appreciation and admiration to CBC and its hidden camera for putting us right there beside her—and to the other two travelers as well.  

Travel Oregon Awards 3.6 Million in Grants for Inclusive Tourism

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Woman using a wheelchair on a beach with steep cliffs rising out of the ocean

As part of an ongoing and far-reaching statewide initiative, Travel Oregon has awarded $3.6 million in competitive grants to DMOs, attractions, and cities for inclusion and accessibility projects.

The grants program targets funding for accessibility and inclusivity for underserved and under-resourced communities including people with disabilities, BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and LBGTQIA+. Funded projects reflect and align with Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures—and must improve tourism infrastructure or enhance promotion of accessible and inclusive tourism.

“To say I’m inspired by the potential of this year’s grant awards would be an understatement,” said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Upon completion, each project will make a substantial impact on the accessibility and inclusivity of the tourism industry in Oregon, supporting Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination for all where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures.” Read more.

TravelAbility TakeAway: No question that Oregon is one of the key states to watch for leadership on inclusive and accessible travel. As we reported in last month’s Insider, Travel Oregon had the largest contingent of attendees at the Emerging Markets Summit in Savannah in August, with more than 30 staffers. They are using the TravelAbility network to great advantage, studying model initiatives from around the country and the world and turning that research into sustainable practice.

What Does a Braille Business Card Communicate?

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A braille business card paired with a logo of Blind in Mind: The Braille Superstore

In a thoughtful commentary on his Evengrounds blog, Tom Babinzski considers all angles of why you may or may not want to invest in a braille business card. In one telling statistic, Tom illustrates how small the audience may be for the practical use of the card: “I have only found information from the United States,” Tom writes, “but approximately 90 percent of people without functional vision do not read braille.” On the other hand, 90% of people who are blind and in the workforce read braille; the card may also have its benefits in the way it signals your commitment to inclusivity. Read more.

Our TakeAway: It’s not for everyone but the braille business card has its uses depending on your business and target market—although the uses may be more symbolic than practical. It may be prudent to print two sets of business cards.