Equally Welcome - About Us

Equally Welcome was set us as a non-profit organisation, this means that any funds we make or generate will be re-invested into the organisation to further the aims and objectives of Equally Welcome.

I am sure many people with a disability will be aware just how difficult it is to make travel arrangements in this situation, finding out about access and overcoming the common response from travel companies "We are not specialists in disabled travel" when trying to gain simple information to ensure suitability before making that booking.

While this website does not aim to be the definitive guide to disabled travel we do aim to try to help by bringing together common sources of information to help those trying to make travel plans.

Above all I would like to work with agents, operators and suppliers to achieve a way of working together and communicating well to make booking simple, I have turned up at a distant airport on many occasion to find problems because of lack of communication, the most memorable was the comment on arrival in Mexico when the airport staff told me when I was seeking my accessible transfer, "we never knew you were coming" only to find I had no transfer, no room and no holiday!

The only room available had a bathroom upstairs, the resolution was for me to climb the stairs to the bathroom on my bottom, wash sitting on the floor, and during the course of my travels I have seen this on many occasions.

Individuals have little power to change this practice or to show these problems to those who have the power to change it, here at Equally Welcome, we can collect this data and demonstrate how much of a problem it really is.

The solution is really simple, listen to the client, work with them and communicate well, us hearing the comment "it is a request and not guaranteed" when seeking an accessible room is just not acceptable anymore.

Most hotels, and I have spoken to many hoteliers, DO guarantee these rooms and can "Block" then to a specific client without a problem provided they are informed and will even confirm this in written format to the agent / operator or client.

I would love to hear your comments or suggestions and hope we can work together to make travel fun and enjoyable for everyone regardless of ability.

The Equally Welcome Team

Equally Welcome is a Not-for-Profit organisation registered in England.

Company Registration Number: 06014174