TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

TravelAbility Report: March 2019

CDC Says Autism Rates Climbing Again in 2020

by

Young boy playing with lego blocks.

Data collected by the Center for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network shows an increase in autism diagnoses among children. According to the CDC report, 1 in 54 children have the developmental disorder, an increase from the rate of 1 in 59 reported just two years ago.

Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, told Disability Scoop that the higher rates of diagnosis are actually positive, because fewer children are falling through the cracks. “We know that the earlier children are diagnosed and the earlier they start intervention, the better their prognosis,” she said.

OUR TAKE: As the number of children diagnosed with autism increases, demand for accessible, sensory-friendly spaces is likely to increase. Businesses can get ahead of the curve by investing in these resources now, making it easier for families touched by autism to participate and take part in activities outside the home.

To read the full story, click here.

How a Blind Travel Agent (and 2019 TravelAbility Summit Speaker) Adapts to a Sighted World

by

Photo of Sue Slater.
Sue Slater, Owner, Presto Magic Travel

Sue Slater, owner of Presto Magic Travel and a speaker at the 2019 TravelAbility Summit, was recently profiled by TravelPulse.

The article describes her path to becoming a travel agent and how she has been able to build a successful travel business as a blind person. She’s incorporated technology like Aira and the JAWS screen reader software to ensure that she is always able to deliver for her customers. “If you’re going to be blind, the 21st century is the time because there is so much technology that makes it almost like you can see again,” she said.

2020 has been a difficult year for everyone in the travel industry, but it has been more challenging for Sue than most. In February, she was faced with the unexpected loss of her husband and business partner, Larry.

Despite the pandemic and the loss of her husband, Sue has adapted, remaining focused on the future. She has approached the uncertainty of 2020 with her ever-positive spirit, and told TravelPulse readers to “have a smile on your face, give yourself a virtual hug and go out in the world looking for a new adventure.” That’s great advice for us all as we approach what will hopefully be a much brighter 2021.

To read the complete profile on Sue Slater in TravelPulse, click here.

Visit Reno Tahoe Launches New Accessible Travel Landing Page

by

Visit Reno Tahoe is the latest DMO to unveil a new Accessible Travel Landing Page which shares the message that “adventure knows no bounds.” To celebrate their new accessibility push, Reno Tahoe released the following video:

The video establishes a welcoming tone, and the landing page provides additional information and resources for disabled travelers interested in visiting the region. The page lists accessible attractions, parks, trails and ski resorts, as well as information on accessible transportation providers and medical equipment rentals.

OUR TAKE: Visit Reno Tahoe has responded to TravelAbility’s call to lay out a virtual welcome mat for disabled visitors, and their new Accessible Travel Landing Page is an excellent first step towards an inclusive marketing strategy!

To take a look at Reno Tahoe’s new landing page, click here.

Marriott Creates First-Ever model for Hybrid Meetings featuring “Sanctuary Seating”

by

Marriott International hosted a hybrid event, with both in-person and virtual attendees, to showcase the company’s reimagined process for hosting conferences during and after the pandemic.

The event showed off a number of new features and developments, including:

  • Digital registration and pre-selection of “Sanctuary Seats” with a meeting room preview
  • Individually packaged amenities for each in-person attendee, including a face shield, hand sanitizer, and color-coated bracelets to showcase each attendee’s level of comfort (i.e. red for “please keep your distance,” yellow for “respect my space” and green for “elbow bumps welcome”).
  • Real-time interactive discussion and polling questions, multiple camera views for virtual attendees, virtual games with rewards, and Q&A sessions for both virtual and in-person attendees.

It remains uncertain when business travel will resume and businesses will need innovative solutions to adapt to the new normal.

OUR TAKE: Virtual conferences have made it possible for larger numbers of people to participate in events, and it seems important to continue providing that level of access even after we are able to meet face-to-face. Marriott’s investment in hybrid events shows us what is possible now and in the future.

To read more about Marriott’s Connect with Confidence showcase, click here.

The World’s First Detachable Wheelchair Wheel Makes Transfers Easier and Safer

by

Wheelchair wheel with a piece of about one-third size removed.

Trivida is a new wheel for manual wheelchairs which makes it possible to transfer to and from the chair in a barrier-free fashion. The wheel’s triatec technology makes it possible to detach a portion of the wheel to enable safe, lateral transfers between the wheelchair and an external surface, such as a bed, toilet, sofa.

OUR TAKE: Trivida’s new design will make transferring easier and could enable manual wheelchair users to remain in their chairs longer, postponing the transition to a powered mobility device. The innovative triatec technology solves a major pain point and should improve wheelers’ quality of life.

To learn more, visit the Trivida website.