The article "Multi-Sensory Travel" (reprinted below) appeared on March 12, 2005 at the Travel & Disability section of Suite 101.com. For a complete list of articles see the column to the left or go to the welcome page at http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/travel_with_disabilities
Jackie Hull has hospitality in her veins. Since eighth grade, when her parents ran a little country inn in northern New Jersey and her favorite subject was geography, she has been a natural for the industry. Here she speaks with Travel & Disability editor, Scott Rains, on her experiences creating Outta Sight Travel � a unique resource pioneering multi-sensory travel.
You have been involved in the travel industry for a long time but not always with a clientele of blind and visually impaired travelers. What inspired you to become an expert in inclusive travel?
In 1999, I met Gary Metzler through our mutual involvement in the local LIONS club. Gary is totally blind and also uses a hearing aid. The LIONS are noted for helping the blind and I felt it would be hypocritical for me to not help one of our own, so I offered him my assistance if needed. We started "seeing" each other and got married in September of 2000.
Shortly after we started going together, I was invited to the inaugural celebration of the Carnival Triumph. Our party was sitting in the theatre enjoying a beautifully orchestrated show - the costumes were magnificent, the choreography was fabulous, they featured lasers and pyrotechnic displays, and the stage set was phenomenal. All of a sudden it felt like I was slapped on the face and it dawned on me that Gary would not be able to appreciate any of this. That's when I realized that it would be necessary to start "looking" at things differently.
Travel agents often have questions about serving clients with disabilities. I have heard from some who are genuinely puzzled why anyone who can't see would go "sightseeing." How do you educate travel agents and suppliers about the needs of your clients?
Gary started to travel more and more with me. One afternoon he was sharing his experiences with a counselor at the local blind resource center and she asked why he wanted to travel when he couldn't "sight-see." That's when we decided that it was necessary to go beyond "sight-seeing" and experience the world with a multi-sensory approach.
Gary enjoys the sounds and smells of the destinations. He thoroughly enjoys experiences - things like riding in a Cable Car in San Francisco, the streetcars in New Orleans and the double-decker buses of London. We have one particular story - it's funny now, but at the time it was a very horrific experience.
We had transportation passes for the buses and trains in London. We had an extremely busy day and were pretty tired so we decided to take a double-decker bus several blocks rather than walk. I was assisting Gary onto the bus when the bus took off. He was on the platform; I was on the curb. I was too tired to walk the distance, but adrenaline allowed me to run after the bus until its next stop. Meanwhile, I was scared that I would lose him. I realized that I never told him the name of the hotel or its address. A passenger assisted Gary at the next stop and we clung to each other sobbing uncontrollably.
The travel industry has changed recently but you seem to have discovered a way to fill an unmet need and thrive.
After 9-11, the travel industry took a major hit.
Less than two months after, Gary went to Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, Florida where he was teamed up with Dr. John, a beautiful yellow Labrador retriever. Our travel experiences started to take on a new twist.
Shortly after this, the brick and mortar agency that I was affiliated with for many years closed, and we started OUTTASIGHT Travel. This is when we realized that in the United States we, as service animal users, are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are allowed to travel with a guide dog virtually anywhere we would like to - as long as we're in the US. However, once we leave the country, the protection of the ADA does not go along with us as an umbrella. This is when we realized that different countries have different laws and we started to research the requirements to enter other countries.
Give us a sense of the things you look for as you plan an itinerary and select suppliers.
Many major companies have been extremely proactive in adhering to accessibility standards. Cruise lines are providing Braille signage and many have departments that deal exclusively with accessibility issues. It is important to find destinations that go beyond sightseeing. When selecting a motor coach tour, you may want to stay away from companies that drive by and see. You want to select a company that will stop so that the traveler can experience the destination. When selecting a cruise, you want to make sure that a service animal team is allowed into the country and what documentation may be necessary in order to get there. Why would you choose an itinerary that won't allow you to disembark when you get there?
In the three years that Outtasight has been in business, we have gotten very active with the Society of Accessible Travel and Hospitality - aka SATH - and have continued to use resources available to us through the American Council of the Blind and Guide Dog Users, Inc. All three organizations assisted us when we were told by a (now defunct) cruise line that we could not bring our dog with us on the cruise - it was to leave from a US port and its destination was not a guide dog friendly port of call. We had to threaten them with the Department of Justice, and just days before our expected date of departure, they stated that they would allow us on the cruise.
Some destinations require specific paperwork, which will verify that the animal is disease and parasite free. Others have quarantine periods. Jamaica has a six-month quarantine; personally I wouldn't recommend Jamaica as a cruise ship port of call since the guide dog team can't leave the ship together. Even in some countries that allow the animals with no quarantine or restrictions, not all public places will allow them. We were denied a reservation at a Best Western hotel in the Bahamas even though a guide dog is allowed to go into the country with proper documentation.
I am sure you have the opportunity to put together dream travel packages for your blind clients. Can you tell us about that?
Everyone's dream vacation is different. Some may like beach; some may like mountains. Some may be active; others may be restful. Just as you would with a sighted client, you need to qualify your potential traveler. We have a blind friend who runs a minimum of five miles a day with her guide dog. She wouldn't be happy vegging out - and I know Gary would not be at all happy if we did a hiking, white water rafting vacation.
The dream vacation that has been the most rewarding has been cruising.
Not only does a cruise give you excellent value, but it includes, several destinations, super cuisine, sensational entertainment, a friendly and safe environment and familiarity. Once on board, everything is there for you.
You don't have to hail a cab to take you to the theatre or restaurant. You don't have to pack and unpack every time you get to a new destination. I have a few suggestions when selecting a cruise. To be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, it would be wise to choose an itinerary that embarks and disembarks in an American port. Your itinerary should include destinations that are accessible to the service animal team - suggestions would be an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, Canada and New England, Mexico or Alaska.
If cruising is not your cup of tea, my other recommendation would be to travel to a destination, base yourself there, then branch out. By doing this, you don't have to re-acclimatize yourself to a new hotel every day and the staff gets to know who you are.
What services or resources can you suggest that are especially helpful to blind travelers?
We have the great fortune of being able to provide information to our clients in "accessible format." Gary is a certified access technology specialist and has the ability to translate print into electronic format, large print and even Braille. Gary can be seen in the Cruise Line International Association video - "Selling Strategies" where he is shown using his Braille embosser.
There is an excellent resource tool, called Globetrotting Pets, a book written by Dr. David Forsythe, which lists almost every country in the world and what they require for a person to enter with their pets. This is a great reference because even though a service animal is not a "pet," it gives contact information for the government agencies in charge of importation of animals.
The Travel Institute has just added a course on Accessible Travel to their curriculum. This excellently presented material was prepared by Roberta Schwartz, CTC, the Director of Accreditation and Professional Studies of SATH. I would highly recommend any travel professional to take advantage of this educational opportunity.
Support can come from your local chapters of the American Council of the Blind or the National Federation of the Blind. These consumer groups know the market you are questioning and are a most valuable resource. The Guide Dog Users, Inc. is another group that specializes in issues that their members experience.
In my personal opinion, the best source of information available to the consumer, the travel provider, and the hospitality industry is the Society of Accessible Travel and Hospitality. SATH is a group comprised of well-traveled, educated, and caring professionals. If they don't have an answer, they will use their extensive networking system to try to find one. You can visit SATH at www.sath.org. In January of every year, SATH holds its annual Congress in Miami. This is the most dynamic travel industry event because not only are the participants eager to share - they are also a group who cares. Their motto, "Disability is Not Inability," says it all.
You make travel sound challenging � but worth the effort.
Why would a blind person want to travel when they can't "sightsee?" Once again, we go back to the multi-sensory approach to travel.
When you think of some of your favorite vacations, what are some of the things that come to your mind? Was it that great comedian that entertained you at a comedy club in Las Vegas? Could it have been that absolutely sumptuous meal that you experienced at Fisherman's Wharf, or the fish 'n chips in Londontown? Do you remember slipping into those down duvets and nesting into the heavenly beds? How about the thrill of Space Mountain? These are all experiences that have become fond memories, and none of them require sight.