AccessibleGO, which describes itself as a “one-stop shop” for the travel needs of people with disabilities, has unveiled a range of enhanced services and products aimed at making travel more accessible during the booking process and beyond.
Miriam Eljas, co-founder and CEO of accessibleGO, said the booking engine is committed to doing all it can to assist travelers with disabilities.
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“We are excited about the progress we’ve made with our partners in the disability community and look forward to continuing to improve the travel booking process so people with accessibility needs and their companions can travel freely and confidently,” Eljas said.
The platform, which previously offered hotel bookings, will now offer users the option to book manually operated car rentals, flights, wheelchair accessible van rentals, wheelchair accessible concierge services, and transportation rentals such as scooters, Hoyer lifts, wheelchairs and hospital beds.
According to MMGY Global’s 2022 report, “Portrait of the Disabled Traveler: Mobility and Accessibility,” approximately 12.5 million people with disabilities traveled between 2018 and 2019. Mobility Disabled travelers take leisure trips nearly as frequently as able-bodied travelers, spending $58.2 billion annually. However, of the more than 2,700 people included in MMGY’s report (all of whom are disabled or use a caregiver or mobility aid), 96% said they faced accommodation issues while traveling.
As part of accessibleGO’s flight booking feature, customers can specify what assistance they need, and accessibleGO can then contact the airline directly to see what can be done to accommodate. When renting a car, customers can also request unique accessibility features, such as spinner knobs or car hand controls, which will be reviewed by accessibleGO within 48 hours of the request.
AccessibleGO’s hotel booking platform boasts unique accessibility information for over 6,000 hotels in over 125 U.S. cities, and members can receive certain hotel discounts when booking with accessibleGO.
AccessibleGO added that additional features will be released in the coming months, but did not provide details on what those new services will be.
Other travel companies focused on making travel more accessible have also gained recognition and funding in recent years: Wheel the World, named to PhocusWire’s Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2022, raised $6 million last year to increase accessibility, while platform Mobee raised €1.5 million in 2022.