Traveling is for everybody. Aside from the physical and mental health benefits, traveling allows you to immerse yourself in different cultures, try new things, meet new people, learn, and grow. 

But as much as traveling is for everybody, the industry isn’t as accommodating to individuals living with varying disabilities as it should be. Millions of people live with a disability, and more will emerge. Accessibility in the travel industry is a must.   

Accessibility in the Travel Industry 

Those living with a disability have full lives that include travel experiences, just like anyone else. As more and more of these individuals travel, accessibility in areas such as airports, hotels, restaurants, transportation, and public restrooms becomes that much more critical. 

It isn’t just about throwing an accessible stall in the bathroom and putting a ramp outside an entrance. Instead, every business in the tourism sector needs to care and account for the needs of individuals traveling with all kinds of disabilities, including physical, sensory, and communication-related.  

Thankfully, there are leaders in the travel industry doing precisely that — thinking about lights and sounds mindfully for individuals living with sensory challenges, making sign language and other specialists available on staff, designing physical spaces to accommodate mobility aids, and more. 

But still, something is lacking in the industry’s commitment to accessibility. 

What’s Lacking?

The Portrait of Travelers with Disabilities: Mobility and Accessibility report revealed that “Nearly all respondents (96%) say they have faced an accommodation problem while traveling, while 86% have experienced flight problems and 79% have experienced in-market transportation problems.” 

These statistics point to two significant issues for individuals traveling with a disability — lodging and transportation.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult for these individuals to book travel and lodging accommodations that fit their needs entirely. And when it’s time to get to their travel destination or get around once they get there, transportation options are limited, let alone comfortable. 

What’s also lacking is consistency. Visiting places like the Cayman Islands, known for their exemplary commitment to accessibility, is wonderful. However, people living with disabilities shouldn’t be limited to just a few places in the world that really care about what they need. 

Instead, these individuals should be able to travel anywhere and have every need met. But that requires consistency across the industry and a standard of accessibility excellence everyone can follow.  

Why It’s Important To Fix It 

Of course, getting a piece of the millions of dollars people living with a disability spend on travel is a blaring reason for fixing accessibility issues. However, resolving these issues is much more critical than the revenue, because travel should be inclusive for everyone.

People should be able to make travel accommodations, get to their destination, and thoroughly enjoy their experience regardless of ability or background. It bodes well for your company if you care enough to make strides to be as inclusive as possible. This not only looks good to people with disabilities, but it shows your character to all travelers. That’s more than enough reason to consider implementing the following potential solutions. 

Potential Solutions 

The goal is for every business in the tourism industry to be renowned for its accessibility, like those in the Cayman Islands. Although reaching that goal is an ongoing project, finding solutions in the following areas can be incredibly effective.  

Marketing 

Improving the travel experience for individuals living with a disability starts well before they plan the details of their trip. It begins in marketing. 

Much of the travel industry’s marketing materials are geared toward individuals who aren’t living with a disability. Obviously, this hasn’t stopped those who do from traveling. But at the same time, it isn’t making them feel as welcome and taken care of as they should. 

Introducing marketing materials, messaging, and concepts that resonate with individuals living with disabilities sets the tone for a real commitment to accessibility. 

Accommodations 

When the marketing becomes more effective, it will convince more people with disabilities to travel and make accommodations. But as mentioned above, much of this group has experienced issues in making their travel accommodations, and that can dissuade them from moving forward. 

If the travel industry wants to show it values accessibility, there needs to be a shift in how accommodations are made. It’s got to be as seamless as possible, whether someone is making their accommodations online, over the phone, or in person. 

Even if it means creating more teams to oversee travel accommodations for individuals living with disabilities specifically, the travel industry must step up regarding accommodations. 

Options 

Options can solve many of the accessibility issues the travel industry faces. People may be living with the same disability, but their experiences with that disability will be very different and individualized. Holding accessibility in high regard requires you to honor those individual experiences and needs. How do you do that? Options. 

If the travel industry spent more time learning about different disabilities and how people navigate them, it could offer more than the most common solutions. Thus, making more of these individuals genuinely happy and willing to spend money traveling. 

A great example of this is transportation. Many people living with a disability require or want other people to help them get around. So, cabs, ride-sharing services, and public transit are always there.

But what about those that want to drive themselves? These individuals need access to accessible cars and modifications that make traveling on the road possible for them. But unfortunately, these cars and modifications aren’t readily available. 

Perhaps, with some planning and persistence, one could ensure an accessible car with the necessary modifications is ready for them when they reach their destination. But it shouldn’t have to be this hard. 

Whether it’s transportation, fun things to do, restaurants, or something else, give those traveling with disabilities options. 

Moving Forward

Traveling should be an all-inclusive arena. There shouldn’t be a person out there excluded from enjoying all that traveling has to offer. If the industry can turn its focus to those living with a disability and put their needs at the forefront of everything, we can get there.