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Jake Steinman ’ s
highlights the importance of Accessible Travel
Today , more than ever , the needs of people with disabilities are taking center stage in discussions at home , in communities and boardrooms . It is becoming more evident that someone with a disability should be able to enjoy the world in every capacity like the able-bodied . With this heightened awareness , possibilities for an enhanced quality of life for them moves closer to being an every-day reality .
With the disability population of the world at 15 %, making travel accessible is a necessity . Enter Jake Steinman , the founder of TravelAbility , whose vision is fixed on
making travel easier for people with disabilities . His website , newsletters and conferences are geared to stimulate thought and generate discussion about disability travel . At TravelAbility ’ s recently held hybrid conference , innovators , thought leaders and travel industry professionals were brought together to learn from people with disabilities about the many ways better travel experiences can be provided for them . It turned out that implementing some much-needed accessible amenities are much easier than we initially thought .
In an interview with Mélange , Steinman admits that his transition into catering to the disability demographic was entirely serendipitous . In 1994 , he started a media and event company in the travel industry space called , North American Journeys . They had two newsletters , a tour operator website and events . Their business helped destinations , attractions and hotels attract international inbound tour wholesalers . He sold this business in 2019 , but his office was based in Sausalito , California , a suburb of San Francisco . In 2017 , the city of Sausalito presented Steinman ’ s company with an award , recognizing them as travel agent of the year .