Accessible Everything - An accessible & inclusive travel blog for people with disabilities

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Lucas “LazyLegz” Patuelli

accessible.travel in the Travel Biz Monitor

By Craig Grimes

An article about accessible.travel in the Travel Biz Monitor (India)

accessible.travel, instant hotel booking engine for People with Disabilities likely to launch in India by year-end
By Khushboo Sahrawat | Mumbai

accessible.travel, the world’s first instant hotel booking engine for People with Disabilities (PwDs) was launched last month by Craig Grimes, Director, accessible.travel. Talking about the new initiative, Craig Grimes told TravelBiz Monitor, “The booking engine is different in terms of data provided regarding access and facilities for People with Disabilities at the hotels listed on the site. This has never been done before in a commercial way along with facility of instant booking.”

ITC Welcomgroup win the NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Award

By Craig Grimes

ITC Welcom have announced that they have won the NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Award 2008 in Category C:

“Companies/organization/institutions who share our vision and through their policies and practices demonstrate their belief in equal rights and gainful employment for persons with disabilities.”

“Instituted in 1999, the N.C.P.E.D.P.-Shell Helen Keller awards symbolise an equal playing field for people with disabilities. Every year, 10 role models are selected – those who have been doing exemplary work towards helping disabled people find positions of equality and dignity in the workplace.”

It is not the first time that ITC have won this award, ITC Windsor have won the award two years running in 2006 and 2007. They have not only trained and employed people with disabilities in their hotels, they have even produced a guide, “The ITC Welcomgroup Disability Handbook for the Industry.”

Congratulations to ITC Welcomgroup and keep up the good work.

Posted in Awards, India, News, Accommodation, Travel | No Comments

Accommodation Assessment - Marari Beach Resort, Cochin, India

By Craig Grimes

Accommodation Name: Marari Beach

Type of Accommodation: Resort/Cabins

Destination: Cochin, Kerala

Country: India

Parking:

Is there parking for guests with disabilities: Yes

Entrance:

Are there steps to the main entrance: Yes

How many? 3

Is there a ramp to the main entrance: Yes

Dimensions: 91cms wide x 106cm long

Is there a handrail by the ramp: No

Is there level access (with no steps or thresholds), or access by a ramp or lift:

To the bar: Yes

To the swimming pool: Yes

To outdoor facilities: Yes

Level access or via ramp to sports area, gardens and cabins. The paved access goes towards the beach but ends approximately 200m from the sea.

The Cabins

There is one adapted cabin at Marari Beach Resort which has a ramp with hand rails to the entrance. The en-suite bathroom has a level access shower which has height adjustable grab bars and seat. The WC also has height adjustable grab bars on either side. The furniture in the cabin can be re-arranged upon request and staff are more than happy to help.

Cabin entrance door width: 72cm

Bed type: Double bed

Widest free space at the side of the bed: 113cm

Height to the top of bed: 50cm

Max. height to bottom of bed base for hoist feet: 21cm

The Adapted Cabin En-Suite Bathroom

Bathroom door width: 88cm

Level access shower: Yes

Fixed shower seat: Yes (height adjustable)

Shower handrails: Yes (height adjustable)

WC seat height from floor: 41cm

WC handrails: Yes (height adjustable)

Widest floor space at side of WC: 90cm

Widest floor space in front of WC: 246cm

Emergency call system in the bathroom: No

Unfortunately, this hotel does not have any specific facilities for people with visual or hearing impairments. However, they do cater for vegetarians, have a non-smoking restaurant and the rooms do not have fitted carpets for those guests with asthma or allergies.

In Collaboration with Europe for All

Posted in Assessment, India, Accommodation, Travel | No Comments

Back in Nicaragua

By Craig Grimes

Well folks, after almost a month in Europe I’m finally back in Nicaragua and the weather is fantastic and hot to say the least. Whilst in Europe I didn’t have much time to update Accessible Everything, but now I should be back on the case.

Some of the things that I will be writing about will be:

Barcelona

A project with Play&Tour to create an MP3 Audio-Guide to Barcelona specifically aimed at people with physical disabilities.
GoCar, a 3 wheeled car GPS Guided Tour that can be used by people with physical disabilities.
A meeting with the Catalan Association of the Blind and Visually impaired with a view to bringing a small group of Spanish people with visual impairments to Nicaragua to undertake a responsible travel holiday.

United Kingdom

A review of a presentation that I did at Leeds Metropolitan University to Responsible Travel lecturers and Masters students about Inclusive Responsible Travel for people with disabilities.
A review of the Euston Premier Inn, London.
Although it’s been there for years, I also went on the London Eye for the first time, so I’ll be writing a short piece about that experience.

International

Traveling from the UK to Nicaragua with Continental Airways

Older stories that I never got around to Writing!

More about my trip to Guatemala Easter 2008
Hotel and destination reviews from India 2008

This week

Today I’m heading to Managua as tomorrow is the opening of the Central American Travel Market. More info to come in the next few days.

Posted in Guatemala, Spain, Conferences, Guided Tours, India, Blind, United Kingdom, Barcelona, Central America, Nicaragua, Flying, Public Transport, Accommodation, Travel | No Comments

ASTA India Chapter Presents a Seminar Series on “Inclusive Travel”

By Craig Grimes

The brainchild of Jani Nayar from Society of Accessible Tourism and Hospitality (SATH) combined with the support and organisational skills of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) India Chapter, we undertook a series of 4 seminars in New Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin and Chennai. Other supporters of the seminars also contributed in other ways such as the Seminar Partners; Indian Ministry of Tourism, Incredible India and AccessibleBarcelona, the host venues; New Delhi - Crowne Plaza, Mumbai - Mayfair Banquets, Cochin - CGH Earth and Chennai - Park Hotel. There were also Event Partners such as Air India, Jet Airways and Taj Palace Hotels.

The seminars were aimed at travel professionals such as travel agents, tour operators, venue directors, tour guides, transport companies and hotel management and staff as well as local Disabled People’s Organisations who also took the stand to give their views of the current situation and how the future of inclusive tourism should look. The seminars themselves were delivered by myself, Dr. Scott Rains of the Rolling Rains Report and Dr. Jani Nayar from SATH. They were designed to be an introduction to both disability awareness and also Inclusive Travel for people with disabilities. For more information about the seminar agenda please see Scott’s Blog.

All in all we had a very good turn out from the travel industry and a big thanks must go out to ASTA for all their hard work in getting people there. The work will now continue with planning for the future and working hand in hand with local disabled people’s organisations. I’ll be updating you on this periodically as things progress.

Posted in India, Course, Conferences, Travel | No Comments

Gimp Gear at the Taj Mahal

By Craig Grimes

Whist at the Taj Mahal Scott Rains was using Mark Felling’s Comfort Carrier from Gimp Gear to get up and down the stairs. Putting on the Comfort Carrier took a couple of minutes and was very useful for Scott to get up and down stairs safely, after seeing the photos below the British Embassy in Costa Rica have also put in an order for the Confort Carrier to help them evactuate wheelchair users and those with mobility issues safely in case of an emergency.

Please feel free to contact me for more information about the Comfort Carrier. Below usage instructions:

Comfort Carrier Instructions

Posted in India, Technology, Travel | No Comments

The Red Fort and Taj Mahal, Agra - India

By Craig Grimes

At the end of July I flew via Atlanta and New York to Delhi in India. I was invited to India by ASTA India Chapter (Association of American Travel Agents) and SATH (Society for Accessible Tourism and Hospitality) to give seminars on inclusive tourism for people with disabilities along with Scott Rains and Jani Nayar (SATH).

On our first day we went from Delhi to Agra and then after an over night stay at the ITC Mugal (review to come) after visiting the Red Fort. the following day we went to the Taj Mahal and we were accompanied by a group of design students from ICC college in Delhi.

The experience was amazing and even though we had to argue a little with the powers that be at the Taj Mahal we got to see everything even if we had to ba carried up and down a few flights of stairs.

More to come soon!

Thanks to Scott Rains for the photos.

Posted in India, Guided Tours, Conferences, Travel | No Comments