Accessible travel concierge service, Able2Travel, will promote accessible tourism in South Africa at the fifth edition of the AccessAbilities Expo from October 9-11, one of the most significant events in Dubai that cater for the needs of people with disabilities.
The expo, born out of the UAE Government’s vision of making the country the world’s friendliest country for People of Determination, is expected to attract more than 12 000 attendees from around the world, with more than 50 countries represented, providing a platform to showcase South Africa as an accessible destination for travellers with disabilities.
Tarryn Tomlinson, founder of LiveABLE Access Consultants and Able2Travel, says: "We want to highlight the fact that people with disabilities can explore and enjoy all that our country has to offer in terms of destinations, accommodations, restaurants, tourism activities and wildlife. We aim to create awareness of the need for accessible travel and to show that, with proper planning and preparation, travel is possible for everyone, regardless of ability.”
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 15% of the world's population lives with disabilities – around one billion people worldwide.
In South Africa, with a population of around 60 million, according to Statistics South Africa's 2019 General Household Survey, 7.5% (4.5 million) of the population have a disability.
“It is worth noting that disability statistics can be challenging to gather accurately due to various factors such as underreporting, differences in definitions and classifications, and other socio-economic factors that may affect the willingness of individuals to disclose their disabilities, so these numbers could be higher,” adds Tomlinson.
Despite the large population of people with disabilities worldwide, the travel industry has been slow to tap in to this market, with many people with disabilities facing significant barriers when travelling.
These include inaccessible transportation, accommodations and attractions, as well as a lack of accessibility information and staff training.
“By promoting South Africa as an accessible destination, we hope to bridge this gap by providing accessible travel options and services tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, along with inspiring others to create similar opportunities for disabled travellers and to make travel more accessible for everyone.
"We hope that our participation in the AccessAbilities Expo will help to raise awareness of this important issue and encourage the travel industry to step up, become more inclusive and accessible and, by doing so, tap into this unexplored, niche market of travellers with disabilities,” says Tomlinson.
Partners sought
Able2Travel is actively seeking partners to exhibit with them at the AccessAbilities Expo and invites hotels, tourist attractions and other travel-related businesses to showcase their accessible facilities and services alongside them.
Various packages are available to cater for partners’ needs, ranging from booth space, static and digital, to complete travel packages.
“By partnering with other travel-related businesses and showcasing South Africa's accessible destinations and services, we hope to inspire others to follow suit and make travel accessible to everyone, regardless of ability,” concludes Tomlinson.
