by James Ruggia
Last updated: 5:58 PM ET, Mon August 10, 2015
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
It's now been 25 years since Iowa's Senator Tom Harkin introduced the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, and the travel industry has pretty consistently been out in front trying to level the playing field for disabled travelers on the road. Now a new development will make it easier for them to find and book the lodgings that have taken them into consideration. Ireland-based DisabledFriendlyHotels.com has integrated with eRevMax, a provider of hotel online distribution solutions, to expand its network of disabled friendly (or accessible) room inventory.
Hoteliers using eRevMax can make real-time rate and inventory updates and receive bookings generated through the channel. DisabledFriendlyHotels.com is a booking channel which gives hotels an opportunity to sell disabled friendly rooms online. The integration with eRevMax will help it gain access to broader inventories as part of its growth plan in Ireland and the U.K.
"This XML connectivity with eRevMax will help us tap new hotel partners, thereby expanding our reach and visibility," said Philip Quinlan, Co-Founder, DisabledFriendlyHotels.com. "We aim to improve occupancy and rates for hotels' accessible room inventory thus improving profits so it is a win-win for everyone."
eRevMax solutions: RateTiger, Connect and LIVE - the web-based integrated management dashboard, are being used by over 20,000 hotels worldwide to increase revenue, streamline business processes and reduce booking acquisition cost. Based on dynamic pricing algorithms, eRevMax's automated channel management solutions help hotels update rates and inventory according to supply and demand changes across multiple sales channels in real-time.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that about 36 million Americans have some form of disability, some 12 percent. Operators such as Accessible Journeys have specialized in this sort of travel for 30 years. On the ground, new innovations have opened destinations that would have been unthinkable before, archeological sites in Italy, for instance. Disabled travelers can now view all of Italy's historic sites from a specially designed trekking-wheelchair, thanks to Rome and Italy Tourist Services.
Using a seat and frame with only one wheel, plus two arms in the front and back to support the chair when not in motion and allow for movement up or down hills, the chair is easily rolled and carried by two trained guides. 360-degree maneuverability around obstacles such as stones, holes, and steps allows visitors to safely navigate the country's ancient streets and steps; areas previously off limit to disabled travelers. Shock absorbers under the chair keep the ride smooth.
We have also seen airlines do more to make the prospect of boarding a plane friendlier to these travelers. Virgin Atlantic was out front with a specialized TravelChair, produced by children's charity MERU. Parents of children with disabilities aged 3 to 11 in need of special postural support can get that at Virgin Atlantic at no extra charge.
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