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Advancing Accessibility
JAMIE SANTILLO , OWNER OF ADVENTURES BY JAMIE , A TRAVEL AGENCY SPECIALIZING IN ACCESSIBILITY , OFFERS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS :
• Ask around in Facebook travel advisor groups for on-theground information for destinations you ’ re unfamiliar with .
• Seek out trusted vendors like Special Needs at Sea for resources such as wheelchair rentals or oxygen tanks .
• Get to know the people in charge of ADA compliance at destinations and hotels , who can answer questions about special-needs accommodations .
• Research travel insurance . In most cases , it should cover preexisting conditions , but policies can be confusing , so make sure both you and your client are clear on what is covered . ( Know that travel insurance doesn ’ t necessarily cover things such as wheelchair or prosthetics replacement .)
On the other hand , just because someone can do something doesn ’ t mean they want to do it on their vacation , Santillo notes .
“ I always remind others that you can never put one wheelchair user and another wheelchair user in the same box ,” says Santillo . “ We are not all created equal . Our needs are different when it comes to daily life and travel , of course .”
Santillo has clients watch YouTube videos ( like hers ) by travelers with similar ability levels and then asks follow-up questions to gauge their comfort level with specific activities . She also recommends that travel advisors sift through reviews of hotels and service providers and check out Brett Approved , an accessible travel site that she likens to the popular review site Angie ’ s List .
Leveling up your logistics game The most challenging part of accessible travel planning for many travel advisors is likely logistics .
“ If you don ’ t live this life , or if you don ’ t know somebody that does , you just don ’ t think about it because you don ’ t have to ,” says Santillo , referring to accessibility and accommodations .
When Clark planned a bespoke Virginia Woolf-themed trip to England for a client with vertigo , she walked through every step of the trip with vendors , hammering out details like “ the porter will literally meet her at the curb , walk her into the train
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