Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
38
8
SPECIALIZED TRAVEL RESOURCES
TRAVELERS WITH
DISABILITIES
Buenos Aires is not a very accessible desti-
nation for travelers with disabilities. Four-
and five-star hotels in B uenos Aires often
have a fe w r ooms designed for trav elers
with disabilities—check with the hotel in
advance, and ask specific questions. S ome
hotels claim to be equipped for those with
disabilities but still hav e one or two stairs
leading to their elev ator bays, making
wheelchair access impossible. American-
owned chains tend to be better at accessi-
bility. H otels with r ecent r enovations
sometimes will also hav e a r oom with
limited capabilities and pull bars in the
bathrooms. The tiny cr owded str eets of
the MicroCentro can often bar ely accom-
modate two people walking together , let
alone a wheelchair , and side walk cutouts
do not exist in all ar eas. Fortunately, there
are several organizations that can help.
Many trav el agencies offer customiz ed
tours and itineraries for trav elers with dis-
abilities.
Flying Wheels Travel
(
&
507/
451-5005;
www.flyingwheelstravel.com)
offers escor ted tours and cr uises that
emphasize spor ts and priv ate tours in
minivans with lifts.
Access-Able T ravel
Source
(
&
303/232-2979;
www .access-
able.com) offers extensive access informa-
tion and advice for trav eling ar ound the
world with disabilities.
Accessible Journeys
(
&
800/846-4537
or 610/521-0339;
which offers a w ealth of trav el r esources
for all types of disabilities and informed
recommendations on destinations, access
guides, travel agents, tour operators, v ehi-
cle r entals, and companion ser vices; and
the
American Foundation for the B lind
(
AFB;
&
800/232-5463;
www.afb.org), a
referral r esource for the blind or visually
impaired that includes information on
traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.
For mor e information specifically tar-
geted to trav elers with disabilities, check
out the quar terly magazine
Emerging
Horizons
($16.95 per y ear, $21.95/£15
outside the U.S.; www .emerginghorizons.
com).
SENIOR TRAVEL
Argentines treat seniors with great respect,
making trav el for them easy . The Argen-
tine term for a senior or r etired person is
jubilado
or
jubilada.
There ar e often dis-
counts at theaters and museums, too, or
3
even fr ee admission.
Aerolíneas Argen-
tinas
(
&
800/333-0276
in the U.S.; www.
aerolineas.com.ar) offers a 10% discount
on fares to B uenos Aires from Miami and
New York for passengers 62 and older;
companion fares are also discounted.
Members of
AARP
(formerly known as
the American Association of R etired P er-
sons), 601 E S t. NW , Washington, DC
20049 (
&
888/687-2277;
www.aarp.org),
get discounts on hotels, air fares, and car
rentals. AARP offers members a wide range
of benefits, including
AARP The Magazine
and a monthly ne wsletter. Anyone over 50
can join.
The
Alliance for R etired Americans,
8403 Colesville Rd., S te. 1200, S ilver
Spring, MD 20910 (
&
301/578-8422;
www.retiredamericans.org), offers a ne ws-
letter six times a y ear and discounts on
hotel and auto r entals; annual dues ar e
$10 per person or couple.
Note:
Members
www.disabilitytravel.com) caters specifi-
cally to slo w walkers and wheelchair trav-
elers and their families and friends.
Organizations that offer assistance to
travelers with disabilities include
Moss
Rehab
(www.mossresourcenet.org), which
provides a librar y of accessible-trav el
resources online;
SATH
(Society for Acces-
sible Travel & H ospitality;
&
212/447-
7284;
www.sath.org; annual membership
fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and students),
