Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SPECIALIZED TRAVEL
RESOURCES
Travelers with Disabilities
Most disabilities shouldn't stop anyone from traveling. There are more options and
resources out there than ever before.
Many Scottish hotels, museums, restaurants, and sightseeing attractions have
wheelchair ramps and toilets for people with disabilities. Recent changes in Scottish
law have also put the onus on all new premises to have wheelchair accessibility. At
historical sites, however, and in older buildings, access can be limited. Not all public
transport is accessible for travelers with disabilities.
Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with dis-
abilities. Among them are
Flying Wheels Travel
(
&
507/451-5005;
www.flying
wheelstravel.com),
Access-Able Travel Source
(
&
303/232-2979;
www.access-
able.com), and
Accessible Journeys
(
&
800/846-4537
or 610/521-0339; www.
disabilitytravel.com).
Avis Rent a Car
has an “Avis Access” program that offers
such services as a dedicated 24-hour toll-free number (
&
888/879-4273
) for cus-
tomers with special travel needs; special car features such as swivel seats, spinner
knobs, and hand controls; and accessible bus service.
Organizations that offer assistance to travelers with disabilities include
Moss-
Rehab
(www.mossresourcenet.org), the
American Foundation for the Blind
(
AFB;
&
800/232-5463;
www.afb.org), and
SATH
(
Society for Accessible
Travel & Hospitality;
&
212/447-7284;
www.sath.org).
AirAmbulanceCard.
com
is now partnered with SATH and allows you to preselect top-notch hospitals in
case of an emergency.
The community website
iCan
(www.icanonline.net/channels/travel) has destina-
tion guides and several regular columns on accessible travel. Also check out the
quarterly magazine
Emerging Horizons
(www.emerginghorizons.com), and
Open
World
magazine, published by SATH.
Gay & Lesbian Travelers
Bars, clubs, and hotels catering exclusively to gay and lesbian travelers do exist in
Edinburgh and Glasgow. For advice and information on local events, call the
Lothian Gay and Lesbian Switchboard
(
&
0131/556-4049
) or the
Strath-
clyde Gay and Lesbian Switchboard
(
&
0141/847-0447
). Scotland allows
civil partnerships, but gay discrimination does occasionally occur.
The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association
(
IGLTA;
&
800/448-8550
or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the
gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-
friendly travel businesses; go to their website and click on “Members.”
Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries specifically for gay and lesbian
travelers. Among them are
Above and Beyond Tours
(
&
800/397-2681;
www.
abovebeyondtours.com),
Now, Voyager
(
&
800/255-6951;
www.nowvoyager.
com), and
Olivia Cruises & Resorts
(
&
800/631-6277;
www.olivia.com).
Gay.com Travel
(
&
800/929-2268
or 415/644-8044; www.gay.com/travel or
www.outandabout.com) is an excellent online successor to the popular
Out &
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