We all look forward to our holidays, but trips can be challenging if you or your travelling companions are mobility-impaired or disabled. You need to know the trip will meet all your requirements for both accessibility without compromising on top-notch accommodation and service.
Amadeus IT Group has been researching travel industry trends since 1987. It recently published the report, Voyage of discovery: Working towards inclusive and accessible travel for all. In it, a survey discovered that 86 per cent of travellers would take more trips if travel information and services were made more accessible. There are plenty of agents that can provide luxury travel, but sustainable travel needs to be inclusive and accessible to all.
Here are four travel agencies, tour operators and websites that go the extra mile for you to have a fabulously accessible holiday, all year long.
1. Enable Holidays
Sheraton La Caleta Resort & Spa 5-star Canary Islands resort (Credit/Bedouk)
This Birmingham-based travel agency personally vets every accommodation listed, and travellers can choose from destinations in North America; Central and South America; Europe; Africa; and Asia and the Far East. They offer all-inclusive holidays, active holidays or adults-only. There’s plenty of luxury accommodation, and all are guaranteed to be accessible, right down to bed heights, door widths and ramps.
Enable representatives are based at most of the resorts, providing that extra bit of service to ensure a stress-free holiday.
2. Accomable
Accomable was founded in 2015 by childhood friends Srin Madipalli and Martyn Sibley. Madipalli and Sibley were both born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and found it frustrating to find accessible accommodation. They created Accomable to provide up-to-date information to make it easier for everyone to travel, regardless of disability. The business partners saw a gap in the market for travellers with more specific needs, and built their website model around Airbnb.
The London start-up, which had amassed over 1,000 properties in 60 countries, was then purchased by Airbnb in November 2017.
Guests weren’t getting the information they needed to find the right homes, nor the confidence that the home they selected would actually be accessible for them.
—Airbnb blog post
3. Limitless Travel
Angus was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when he was 23 (Credit/Able Magazine)
Shortly after being diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, Angus Drummond founded Limitless Travel. Drummond provides a service that doesn’t just getting in through the door. Limitless Travel wants to increase businesses’ understanding of disabled travellers. The travel and tour operator currently organises British tours as well as European beach and city tours.
Limitless Travel is not just a fantastic information source to make travelling easier for disabled people but also changing attitudes and breaking down unexplored barriers. Possibilities are Limitless.
—Limitless travel customer
4. Flight Centre
All major terminals in the UK have adaptations fitted for disabled access (Credit/Challenge Magazine)
Flight Centre is really one-stop shopping when it comes to planning a trip. This agency organises cruises, flights, hotels, resorts and all the little extras, like travel insurance and gift cards.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for with a Flight Centre rep, they can always tailor a holiday to meet your specific needs. The company recognises that many disabled travellers prefer guided tours or cruises, and these can customised based on individual preferences.
5. DLB Travel
CN Tower is the world’s highest outdoor walk with wheelchair accessible EdgeWalks (Credit/DLB)
David Lyons-Black is a Vancouver-based travel specialist who happens to also be a wheelchair. Having travelled 24 countries himself, David wants “barrier free adventures” for everyone. He rounds up accessible travel lists, favourite destinations and checklists to make every holiday. Sign up for David’s newsletter for travel tips and more about accessible travel.
6. RexyEdventures
Ed’s been held up by gunpoint and chased by a man with a machete—his blogs are never dull! (Credit/rexyedventures)
“Adventures of a Deaf and Handsome Luxury Backpacker Travelling the Unexpected” was enough to catch this reader’s attention! With categories like Adventure Travel, Blog, British Travel, Goofy Travel, Handsome Travel, Rexy Inspiration, Travel Articles, Unexpected Travel, Ed Rex provides an insightful outlook on what it’s like be deaf while travelling. The intrepid traveller writes about his troubles, his positive experiences and destination reviews.
Written By: Adriane Rysz