January 20, 2011
For over 35 years, SATH has been a world leader in advocacy and education for travelers with disabilities.
The Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH), founded in 1976, is an educational nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to raise awareness of the needs of all travelers with disabilities, remove physical and attitudinal barriers to free access and expand travel opportunities in the United States and abroad. Members include travel professionals, consumers with disabilities and other individuals and corporations who support our mission. (taken from www.sath.org)
This 14th World Congress was held January 20-24, 2011 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas.
Annually the SATH event offers numerous educational and networking opportunities to its members.
As the representative of Community Solutions Limited’s attendant travel service, “Linking People & Places,” the opportunity to meet with world leaders in accessibility is an educational tool which everyone in the industry of travel should be attending.
Bill Forester of TravAbility stressed that “accessibility is no longer a “disability rights” issue but it is an "economic imperative”.
Debra Ruh of TecAccess (druh@TecAccess.net) opened our eyes to the “must” in Marketing – social media – the use of the appropriate accessible website for all industries. We as Accessible Tourism industry leaders need to be an example to other businesses of what “must be” – not what “should be” on the website to be compliant.
Generation Bold bolted us into the future to see what is coming – The Boomers! Businesses have to be prepared for the influx of the generation that expects and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. Did you know that 44% are actively online and 94% over 55 years old use email! Over 65 are the fastest growing group on FaceBook!
Other topics included, of course – more marketing ideas, such as where to market your services. Information on the Air Carrier Access Act was made available by michell@travelinwheels.com. Great insight into the new rules and regulations for air travel!
Medical Tourism – a $100 billion dollar Global industry! This was of particular interest to Linking People & Places with our support services extending into this industry in 2010.
Hidden Disabilities and Travel
I was fortunate to share a room with Liz Hamill Scott. Liz is a Travel writer and lives with the personal experience of travelling with a hidden disability. Community Solutions has been providing support to individuals with Acquired Brain injury, which is often labeled as a “Hidden Disability”. Liz has a list of great ideas for those who travel, what to keep in mind, what to look for, how to plan for your trip. Watch for her new book coming out in April “The Imperfect Travelers – Travels with Pain” by Moon Books.
I came away from the 14th World Congress with this thought – we need to move away from thinking that as a business we must be “compliant” and do only what needs to be done – it is now imperative that the world be prepared for what is coming!
There is going to be a critical mass explosion of people with disabilities. I am going to call it the “Boomer Bomb” - a generation that “expects it and will get it!”
A catch phrase often heard at SATH was “TAB’s” – an acronym for “Temporarily Able Bodied”. I fit into that category…..for now!
The unknown future is coming for us all, and I know where I want to be – Travelling!!
Happy Travels!
Nancy Gagnon
Accessible Travel Specialist
“Linking People & Places”
For more information on travel support services, please check out this website or call me at 705-735-2169.
