September 13, 2005

Trekking Through the 2004 Adventures in Travel Expo

By Scott Paul Rains, Travel and Disability Editor

Attending the 2004 Adventures in Travel Expo in San Mateo, California was almost like heading out on vacation. That was partly because almost every region of the world was represented. It also had to do with the adventure involved in bringing you this story.

First there was “the landing.” Fortunately, the long taxiing ritual only took place in the parking lot near the San Mateo Fairgrounds. The car was safely stashed away and I joined the crowds.

Then there was a point at which my luggage was lost (and eventually recovered by an observant tour operator.)

And, of course, there were far too many tourist sites to visit once I got to my destination inside the event pavilion!

My hope was that I would be able to report something like, “Adventure Tour Operators Provide Unlimited Opportunities for Travelers With Disabilities.” The story is subtler than that. This is still the era of pioneers where bold, informed travelers with disabilities and those creating adventure opportunities are still fashioning new possibilities together.

The Expo layout was organized regionally. I entered through the Hawaiian section.

Here the aloha experts created an inviting space splashed with brightly colored images of the islands and scented with the occasional plumeria blossom and lei. There is no shortage of travel packages to Hawaii so I moved on down the aisle into the rest of the Pacific Island section -- Pohnpei, Palau, Tonga, Vanatu, Yap, Guam, Chuuk, and the Marshall Islands.

My first stop was at a booth where a young woman wore a white chef’s cap.

“Food tours? ” I asked. “No, the Cook Islands,” she replied. We chatted a moment about Captain Cook’s untiring explorations in the region. I recalled that two weeks earlier I was on a scuba tour. The folks at Dive! Tutukaka did an excellent job of accommodating me on short notice. The dive was around group of rugged islands that Captain Cook reportedly named the Poor Knights Islands. They sit about 23 kilometers off the northeast coast of New Zealand. This island cluster nature preserve blooms bright red each spring – the color of the jam on Captain Cook’s Poor Knight’s Pudding (known to us as “French Toast.”) while the sea below offers a labyrinth of eco-niches and a year-round visual feast for scuba divers. I made a mental note to look for a cruise that retraced some of captain Cook’s travels – hopefully with a more imaginative kitchen crew than he had!

So, I found myself studying the brochures of Cruceros Australis. - a cruise line offering trips through the Chilean archipelago of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Their ship, the Mare Australis, looks warm and comfortable. That seemed especially appealing as I looked at the glaciers and windblown peaks towering in the background of all their brochure photos. Somehow I get the impression that the early European explorers had a tweaked sense of humor. “Tierra del Fuego” means “land of fire.” I wouldn’t want to wander too far from the fire in that chilly terrain near Antarctica.

Just then the stage lit up and an entourage from Tanzania began to announce the “Trek for Life” charity climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Africa sounded more like my optimal temperature. And I knew I could make the summit after interviewing Jesse Owens, the first person to conquer the mountain in a wheelchair. After the presentation I spoke to the Chief Park Warden for neighboring Arusha National Park, Erastus Lufungulo. He enthusiastically took up the challenge to include the wheelchair route up the mountain at the Kilimanjaro website and recounted to me the logistical work he had done to facilitate Jesse’s climb.

Moving on through the pavilion it was encouraging to find the booth for an accomplished inclusive adventure supplier – Environmental Traveling Companions (or “ETC” to their friends). Their offerings include whitewater rafting, sea kayaking, cross-country skiing, and a host of community-oriented good works such as the annual “Day on the Beach” in Santa Cruz, California. ( http://www.dayonthebeach.org/photogaller... )

What I found next was equally encouraging. I discovered an industry ready to make the leap to serving the disability market.

As I raised questions of universal design and the accommodation of travelers of different ages and capacities I found that all the ski resorts present had adaptive skiing programs. Tour operators specializing in Russia, Africa, and the US all had contingency plans for serving this niche even if they had not yet accommodated a client with a disability. No one seemed ignorant of the untapped purchasing power and potential of this niche.

Two tour operators merit special mention.

It was nostalgia for my stint, pre-paralysis, as a ranch hand that made me stop in on Rock Springs Guest Ranch. Eva Gill, Director of Sales and Marketing, for this guest ranch in Bend, Oregon was forthright about both her desire to accommodate guests with disabilities and the constraints at the ranch. The thoughtful approach she has taken is evident at their web site. ( http://www.rocksprings.com/Guest_Ranch/A... ) I read it as respectful of the needs of their guests and as an honest assessment of their facility. I was particularly taken by the fact that she did not hesitate to speak highly of a neighboring equestrian center and to partner with them to provide a safe horseback riding experience. This openness to invest in something beyond simple self-promotion and engage in destination development for travelers with disabilities is a trend to watch for – and one to reward with your patronage!

The other tour operator of note caught my attention because I am drawn to the impossible.

Amazonia Expeditions displayed eye-catching photos of macaws, monkeys, and tranquil canoe scenes. A poster showed their lodge sitting on stilts overlooking a river in the Tamshiyacu-Tahayo Reserve of Peru. They also showed wide-eyed human beings careening along zip lines through the jungle canopy. If ever there was a place where my wheelchair didn’t fit, this was it!

Without question this was someplace I wanted to go.

To my surprise this out-of-the-way eco-lodge is outfitted for travelers in wheelchairs. The staff have accommodated both groups and individuals with disabilities there deep in the Amazon. Lodge access is ramped. Some of the boats are outfitted to allow wheelchair users to remain in their chairs. The owners demonstrated a grasp of the issues facing travelers with disabilities and recognized the uniqueness of the experience they are able to offer.

As if on cue, a family who had made the trip with Amazonia Expeditions enthusiastically greeted the staff as they approached the booth and offered their unreserved recommendation encouraging me to go.

I remained interviewing owners Dolores and Paul for quite a while impressed by their philosophy and competencies. It was only afterward that I learned the true extent of the quiet work they do for the people of the region ( http://www.perujungle.com/charitable.html ) Based on what I heard and saw, Amazonia Expeditions is worth looking into if a memorable, jungle experience is what you are looking for.

All-in-all the day’s whirlwind around-the-world sample of adventure tour options leaves me hopeful that the industry is slowly catching on and moving to capture a missed opportunity to design inclusive travel.

Links to article references can be found on this page: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/travel_with_disabilities/111982

Scott Rains is the publisher of www.rollingrains.com, a useful website with valuable tips and information for disabled travellers.