An Emerging Solution for Challenges Faced by Disabled Travelers - Becoming rentABLE

In this episode of “Pushing Forward with Alycia,” Alycia Anderson explores some of the significant challenges faced by disabled travelers in finding accessible lodging accommodations while traveling. She introduces an emerging solution via conversation with Lorraine Woodward, founder of Becoming RentABLE, and Adam Norko, a hospitality industry expert.

Key Moments:

2:30 - Challenges Faced by Disabled Travelers

5:00 - Introducing Becoming RentABLE

6:15 - Lorraine's Personal Story and Inspiration

9:45 - The Importance of Accessibility Features

12:30 - Adam's Perspective and Industry Insights

15:50 - Common Barriers and Solutions

20:10 - Success Stories and Positive Impact

25:30 - How to Support Becoming Rentable

29:00 - Pushing Forward Moment

Alycia Reveals Pitfalls of Traveling with a Disability

Alycia shares some of her personal experiences being denied travel related services due to her disability, and how the need for accessible accommodations is essential to ensure equal opportunities for employment and leisure.

Lorraine's Personal Story and Inspiration

Lorraine explains how she became aware of the widespread need for accessible rentals through her family's experiences with muscular dystrophy and similar interactions with hundreds of other families, which led to building a beach house in North Carolina and creating Becoming RentABLE.

Adam's Perspective and Industry Insights

Adam discusses the industry's need to embrace and address accessibility as a fundamental aspect of hospitality through his dual perspective as a vacation rental professional and a parent of a child with a rare genetic disorder.

Common Barriers and Evolving Remedies in Short-term Rentals

--Inconsistency in accessibility filters on booking platforms like Vrbo and Airbnb.

--Lack of detailed property information to ensure genuine accessibility.

--Need for standardized definitions and choices to improve the booking process for disabled travelers.

The Future of Accessible Travel

Adam, Lorraine and Alycia discuss the industry's need to move from education to certification, making accessibility a commonplace consideration in the next five years, and the opportunity for the industry to pave the way for greater inclusion.

How to Support Becoming RentABLE

Visit Becoming RentABLE to find certified accessible rentals, share your positive experiences and help expand the network.

Connect with Alycia:

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