USTOA SIR Education Series - Accessibility in Tourism

Join Sarah Payne, Senior Director of Impact & Operations at the UnTours Foundation, alongside a panel of entrepreneurs driving accessibility solutions for a discussion about the numerous opportunities to make the travel industry more accessible and inclusive. 

Sarah will kick off the session by sharing how the UnTours Foundation is driving financial inclusion through the Reset Tourism Fund by making affordable and flexible investment capital more accessible to small tourism businesses, including businesses focused on accessibility in tourism.    

Sarah will be joined by a panel of investees who have received funding through the Reset Tourism Fund and will share their approaches to making the benefits of travel and tourism available to everyone:  

• Kelly Twichel is the founder of Access Trax, maker of lightweight, portable access mats designed for people with mobility disabilities to access the outdoors and recreation more easily. 
• Geoff Babb is the founder of The Onward Project and the creator of the AdvenChair, a human-powered all-terrain wheelchair designed to enable people with mobility challenges to experience outdoor adventures. 
• Agnes Abelsen is the founder of Travengers, a company providing neurodivergent young people with opportunities to travel while building social networks, skills, and confidence while educating others about autism and other hidden disabilities along the way. 
• John Sage is the founder of three accessible tourism companies (Sage Inclusion, Sage Traveling, and Accessible Travel Solutions) and has a depth of expertise in not only creating accessible tours, but also consulting with industry players to enhance their accessible offerings. 

This webinar is aimed to broaden the conversation around accessibility in tourism and to inspire USTOA members with new ideas about how travel companies can open up the world to people who have experienced barriers to access, whether to capital, outdoor spaces, or travel experiences.     

Panelists:

• Kelly Twichel (Access Trax)
• Geoff Babb (The Onward Project)
• Agnes Abelsen (Travengers)
• John Sage (Sage Inclusion, Sage Traveling, and Accessible Travel Solutions) 

Moderator: 

• Sarah Payne, Senior Director of Impact & Operations, UnTours Foundation