Roundtable: Steps to Make Your Travel Company Inclusive & Accessible

Keri Pfeiffer (she/her)
2 min read

Join this roundtable discussion with 5 amazing experts from different backgrounds and learn how your tourism company can make real changes to ensure inclusive travel for all; both internally within your organization and externally with the services you provide.

Contrary to what many might think, accessible & inclusive tourism is not just about providing facilities that are wheelchair accessible or noting that your tours are LGBTQIA+ friendly on your website.

Senior travelers. Plus-sized travelers. Parents traveling with small kids. Travelers with allergies and/or non-visible impairments. The list goes on. These are all different types of travelers who have different degrees of accessibility restrictions, mobility requirements, and inclusivity is important on every level.

Just a few things this roundtable will cover:

  • Recommendations to make sure your tours & services are accessible and inclusive to all types of travelers + how to get started
  • Effective communication strategies
  • How has COVID impacted inclusivity & accessibility negatively and/or positively

Watch the webinar

 


Meet the panelists

Mikey Sadowski - GM of Global PR & Communications at Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel is a purpose-driven tour operator that is both the world’s largest adventure travel company and travel B Corporation. Mikey is involved in shaping the brand’s global positioning, advocacy, and communications as a leader in responsible travel. Outside of Intrepid, he is a contributor, invited lecturer, and advisory board member for a wide range of publications, organizations, and academic institutions. Mikey has visited all seven continents, with experiences ranging from living with Indigenous reindeer herding communities in Siberia to cycling across Tanzania.
 

Elena Nikolova - Founder of MuslimTravelGirl

Elena Nikolova is an international speaker, author, and editor of  MuslimTravelGirl.com, the largest Western Muslim-friendly travel site for Muslims. It helps Muslim travelers explore the world without
breaking the bank. She has over a decade of marketing and branding experience and her work has been featured by leading media outlets such as BBC, Travel + Leisure, Airbnb, Business Traveller Middle East, Thomson Reuters, and others. Coming from a diverse cultural background and traveling across the world Elena is passionate about working with companies that view Muslim travelers for who they are; recognizing their needs and providing services that complement their religion. As an influencer, her goal is to enhance future opportunities for Muslim travelers to travel and explore the world and be confident in their Muslim identity.
 

Juan Pablo Pinto - Head of Accessibility at Wheel The World

Juan Pablo is the Head of Accessibility for  Wheel the World and has been in contact with accessible tourism since 2006, where he was able to experience firsthand the different barriers that are out there. He is also a passionate and enthusiastic traveler, and as a physical therapist he has been mixing his knowledge with his travel experiences."
 

Amanda Ervin - Co-Founder of Chubby and Away

At  Chubby and Away, Amanda strives to inspire their audience to get out there and see the world no matter their size. They make it their mission to prove to the world (and themselves) that travel is possible for everyone, you just have to know how to do it. Through their videos & popular YouTube channel, they give you all the tips, tricks, and advice you need to make travel less scary, so you can go out there and follow in their footsteps.
 

Julio Cesar Calvo - Founder of Gay Costa Rica

Julio has more than 20 years of experience in the tourism industry working with FIT, honeymoons, wellness retreats, groups, and incentives. He is the CEO of Essence of Costa Rica DMC and  Gay Costa Rica Travel Agency. Additionally, he is the Founder and President of the LGBTIQ Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica and recently founded the  ID Foundation - a non-profit that advocates for diversity & inclusion with homeless LGBTIQ people in Costa Rica.