Disabled travel is becoming one of the fastest growing niche markets 

Welcome, fellow travelers. When last we met I told you that there were a few details we had to take care of before we could actually visit anywhere. The first detail we talked about was travel insurance. I told you where to get it and what to look for in the policies that the different agencies sell. Now I want to talk to you about travel agents. While there are hundreds if not thousands of agents that help able-bodied travelers arrange their vacations, there are relatively few of these agents that know how to help the disabled traveler. Truth be told there is a lot of information that needs to be known in order to provide effective assistance to the disabled community. A good place for agents to begin is to have some basic knowledge of disability issues and the limitations those disabilities can present. Many agents simply don’t have the time or the resources to collect that kind of information.

Let’s say, for example, that you have mobility impairment and you want to visit Paris.  Whether you’re traveling alone or with a companion you’re going to want information not only about accessible accommodations in the city, but also about access to public transportation to get from one place to another. You’re going to want to know which, if any, of the most famous tourist attractions are set up to accommodate people with your kind of mobility impairment. Are there steps? Are there elevators?  Is there access to a restroom? These are a few of the things that most travel agents won’t be able to tell you. 

Fortunately there is help available. With the advent of the Internet and on-line booking, and the lowering of commissions by the airlines; travel agents are looking to new markets in order to maintain or increase their current earnings. Disabled travel has become one of the newest and fastest growing niche markets. The downside is that there is still no certification program or licensing for agents who say they deal in disability travel.  Agents can opt to take courses but they don’t have to. No matter which agent you talk to ask for references, and call up those references. Ask the people you call about their travel experiences with specific travel agents. Ask the agent if they have personally visited the spot you wish to travel to, and if they have checked out both accessible and inaccessible attractions. Ask them if they have taken courses dealing with niche market travel such as the courses offered by The American Society of Travel Agents and The Travel Institute. A few of the agencies that specialize in making arrangements for travelers with disabilities are: Neverland Adventures; The Guided Tour; Access to Travel; Access Travel.

Next time we’ll look at one of the problems with air travel and I’ll discuss the law that covers travel for people with disabilities.