Having a disability can make one anxious about travelling. What can people with disabilities, specifically wheelchair users, do to ensure they experience travelling at its best? Travel website Lonely Planet has released Accessible travel online resources. NOMFUNDO MBATHA reviews the content.
This is the kind of tool that may just give you or your loved ones the confidence to board that plane. The document includes listings of resources and accessible travel agents of 40 countries, plus key travel blogs and websites, among other things.
Lonely Planet is updated every two years: new content and sources are added, in order to meet the changing needs of readers. Anyone who has a business that caters for those with particular access needs, or anyone who wants to share information about websites and locations that can accommodate disabled people, can submit their information to the publication for possible inclusion.
Access travel online resources details comprehensive transportation options, which are readily available for disabled people, wheelchair users and pregnant woman. It provides accurate guidelines and maps.
The downside to this endeavour? It’s poorly publicised. It’s difficult to locate on the Internet, which seems to be the only place it is available, and requires intensive search skills! Once you find it, however, it is free – you can easily download it as a PDF document.
A suggestion for the publishers: it would be useful to include the link to the document on airline booking websites – especially during the holiday seasons. Hard copies are also a good idea – these could be promoted and sold at airports.
But it’s a useful publication, offering assistance to people with disabilities, people with chronic illnesses and pregnant women. Travellers don’t need to feel limited by their circumstances – no matter what those are.
