TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

travel

Founder’s Note: How We’re Celebrating the ADA at 30

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A Black man holds an American flag out behind him with both hands. He is in a wheelchair. He is wearing a black shirt.
photo courtesy RTC Nevada

Getting over the crappy horror of Covid-19, we expect marketers will want to make the world better for all. In the future, our work will have purpose and business motivation baked into its model. The world got a warp-speed technical update during the pandemic—and that will continue in the recovery phase, too. It’s a movement for the future that will generate revenue and build opportunity. You’ll find this issue packed with links to learn more superstars like the author of Being Heumann and star of Crip Camp, plus actionable ideas and content from industry insiders. —Jake Steinman, Founder, TravelAbility Summit

To learn and share more information with colleagues about the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), we are sharing the link to their FAQ.

Is easyTravelseat the Breakthrough Wheelchair Travelers Have Been Waiting For?

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A woman in her wheelchair on the tarmac happy to be traveling with her EasySeat.

Sure, it’s a seat you can use on the airplane, but it’s so much more. Designed by disabled entrepreneur Josh Wintersgill, who was recently named Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the UK,  easyTravelseat, can go with you on outings to the beach, help you to get into a pool with or without the use of a hoist and experience a day touring by car. Boats, hot-air ballooning, and helicoptering aren’t out of the question either.   

Our take: This British entrepreneur is on the cutting edge of a massive movement to make multi-use accessible designs at affordable prices. Of course, safety comes first. This one has gotten the thumbs up from several UK experts and is being praised for how easy it is to use.  

A Free Presentation from AARP: The Unexpected Benefits of Travel for Boomers

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Baby Boomers love to make travel plans.

Featured TravelAbility Summit Presentation of the Month

Boomers continue to be avid travelers, taking 5 or 6 trips and, spending over $6600 per year on travel. Outside of cost and work, Boomers mention their health as the most common barrier to travel. But according to Patty David, who heads up consumer insights at AARP, for those who do manage to get away, improved health was also an unexpected vacation perk. As the population ages, advances in accessibility will also make travel more desirable.  

Presentation Highlights

  • 85% of Boomers wish to take more trips.
  • Mobility and diabetes are the largest health barriers to travel.
  • Health benefits (many unexpected) of travel, such as relationship improvement, begin at trip inception and extend after the trip is over
  • Up to 6 weeks post-trip, travelers said they were still seeing a post-vacation relationship ‘lift’

View the entire AARP presentation from TravelAbility Summit 2019 here.

Methodology/References: 
– 2019 Travel Trends: https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2018/2019-travel-trends.html
– Health Outcomes of Travel: https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2018/travel-health-outcomes.html

What’s LEGOLAND Florida’s Blue Hero Pass All About?

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Photo of young people gathering beneath the Legoland sign wearing blue t-shirts. Sign is made of legos, of course.

It’s about inclusion. After research showed that Legos are very popular with kids on the autism spectrum, Legoland Florida created a special Blue Hero Pass for visitors. This follows a trend—making disabilities a non-issue for Universal’s Seaworld and Disney World, among others, according to this story in the Orlando Sentinel. READ MORE

OUR TAKE: Like many other people, visitors on the spectrum and their families like head out with a solid plan. Sensory surprises—smells, tastes, noise levels— can throw off the day in unexpected ways. So can long lines that can bring on sensory overload. Why not make planning ahead as simple as possible? To help families enjoy the rides, a new Blue Hero pass helps move ‘hero’s up in line. In addition, at their autism center, LEGOLAND has sensory ratings for every attraction. 

Two Companies Disrupting the Wheelchair Rental Market for Good

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woman looks at art in museum while sitting in a mobility device by Whill/ScootaroundPeople that rely on mobility devices will no longer have to stress about having to travel with a wheelchair because they will be able to rent a personal EV (through an app) at the airport and/or final destination, thanks to the merger of two cutting-edge companies. WHILL – makers of the cutting-edge Model Ci and Model A Intelligent Personal Electric Vehicles (EVs), which won the CES Innovation Award at the Computer Electronics Show in 2018, and Scootaround a leading wheelchair and scooter rentals solutions company servicing 2500 locations in North America. Together, they will be the first to provide a worldwide Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) model. “This will improve the current travel landscape for mobility device users by increasing their freedom and independence,” says Justin Gagnon, vice president of sales and marketing for WHILL/Scootaround. Gagnon offered TravelAbility Insider some interesting insights about the market:

  • Currently, the company is piloting six trials worldwide, two of which, Dallas and Winnipeg, are in North America. In Winnipeg, Delta Airline agents offer disabled passengers who are awaiting connections the opportunity to test drive a WHILL Ci so they can maneuver around the airport independently.
  • WHILL wheelchairs appeal to cruise line companies as they are smaller, sleeker and designed to maneuver around small spaces, which means they may also be used in non-ADA staterooms.

Our take: Vertical integration comes to the airport wheelchair rental market as the demand for motorized wheelchair rentals rises significantly. This disruption will not only require less staff but will also give travelers who need mobility options more independence.

photo courtesy WHILL/Scootaround