ACCESS-ABLE TRAVEL SOURCE NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 2 NUMBER 7
http://www.access-able.com
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INCREASED INTEREST IN TRAVELERS WITH DISABILITIES AS A MARKET - SATH and
Accessible San Diego will co-sponsor a west coast regional symposium for
travel professionals and others interested in this market.
The conference will be held July 23-July 25, 1999 at the Holiday Inn Select
in San Diego. It will start Friday afternoon with welcome speeches then
proceed with panels. The first, to be comprised of representatives from
several airlines and the second with representatives from the hotel
industry. Friday's activities will rap up with a networking session and a
wine and cheese reception.
Saturday's program will start with breakfast, then on to workshops for the
balance of the morning. In the first workshop delegates will gain a better
understanding of the needs and diversities of disabilities. A second
workshop will cover etiquette when communicating with a person with a
disability. In the afternoon there will be two more panels, one with
representatives from the cruise industry and the other with representatives
of ground transportation including Greyhound and Amtrak. The conference
will wrap up Sunday with an accessible cities program put on by Accessible
San Diego.
For more information contact SATH at 2200 W. Commercial Blvd. Suite 105,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309. Phone: (954) 731-4600 Fax: (954) 731-5106
Email: sathwrld@bellsouth.net.
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NO MORE CHAIR DAMAGE DURING AIR TRAVEL - When one traveler related how
badly mangled her wheelchair was when it was retrieved from the baggage
hold at her destination, her friend decided to do something about it. The
friend's name is Florence Haseltine.
Haseltine thought there ought to be some kind of durable container in which
airlines could store wheelchairs, to protect them from damage during a
flight. She tried to purchase such a container for her friend, but was
unable to find one. So she decided to invent one.
The first of its kind, the Flyer€ offers the ultimate in wheelchair
protection. It is an extremely durable polyethylene case in which the
wheelchair remains secure during the journey. Polyethylene is as
lightweight as it is durable. This ensures ease of use for service
representatives who handle cargo and baggage. The Flyer's internal
strapping secures wheelchairs inside the case to ensure maximum travel
protection and its outside handle and wheels makes it easy to transport.
For more information check out their web site at
(http://www.haseltine.com/) or contact Haseltine Systems Corporation, 340
McKinley Ave, New Haven, CT 06515. Tel: 203-387-0450 Fax: 888-252-2902
Toll Free: 888-445-8751 Email: fhaseltine@aol.com
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TRAVEL WORKSHOPS - Just a reminder that we will be presenting travel
workshops at the upcoming Abilities Expo being held in Chicago, July 30 -
Aug. 1, 1999. The sessions are an hour long and are being sponsored by
Continental Airlines. Topics will include:
* The many options for travel
* How to find the information you need to plan a trip.
* Tips and your rights with regards to air travel.
* Tips to help assure that your accommodations really are accessible.
* Cruises - What you need to know before you go.
The workshops are free! We also have tickets available for free admittance
to the show. If you would like some just leave your address at
carol@access-able.com and tell me how many tickets you want. We would love
to meet you, so join us at one of the workshops or stop by our booth to say
hello. For more information and directions check out the Abilities Expo
site at http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/.
I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Continental
Airlines will be sponsoring all the travel workshops at the final three
Expos to be held in Chicago, IL; Chantilly, VA and Santa Clara, CA. More
information and dates on future What's News pages.
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CHARGING WHEELCHAIRS AND SCOOTERS OVERSEAS When using a charger overseas
always remember, just because the plug fits in the socket, doesn't mean
it's safe. The United States, Canada and most Western hemisphere countries
operate on 110 volt electricity, while most other countries operate on 220
volt electricity. Additionally, some countries have different plug
configurations. Therefore, you need both a converter/transformer (to
convert the electricity) and an adapter (to make the plug fit in the
Socket). The first thing you should do, is find out the amperage, wattage
and voltage of your charger. If you can't find this information on the
charger or in the owner's manual, just write down the make and model of
your charger. Armed with this information call the manufacturer (not your
dealer) and ask for tech support. Of all the calls I've made, I have found
these guys to be the most knowledgeable and helpful. They can usually tell
you exactly what you will need, and where you can get it.
Another option is to purchase a universal charger. These chargers are
designed to work at with either 110 or 220 volts, 50/60 cycles. Soneil
manufactures several models which can be adapted to fit most scooters and
wheelchairs. These units are small, 4.7" by 2.9" by 1.6" and weigh .5 lbs.
and cost between $250 to $290. To find a dealer near you, contact:
Soneil, 6033 Shawson Dr., Unit 29
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5T 1H8 Canada.
Phone: (905) 565 0360 Fax: (905) 565-0352
E-mail: info@soneil.com Website: http://soneil.com.
When purchasing a new power chair or scooter ask your dealer if the
manufacturer offers a universal charger as an option. More and more
manufacturers are making them available for very little additional cost.
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FEATURED DESTINATION - This month on our Featured Destinations page we are
showcasing several of the most popular National Parks in the U.S. These
parks also deserve high marks for their efforts to make their facilities
accessible to all visitors. Check them out at:
http://www.access-able.com/featuretours.html
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LINKS
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY ON CATALINA ISLAND - The Catalina Island Visitors
Bureau has an online access guide detailing access on the island.
http://www.catalina.com/access.html
ACCESSIBLE LUXEMBOURG - The site was put together by INFO-HANDICAP and
although only a small portion is in English symbols are used and is a good
place to start. http://www.socialnet.lu/org/info-handicap/uk.html
GALWAY, IRELAND - This site is an access report on what you will and will
not find in Galway. http://www.stud.uni-goettingen.de/~whuehn/Galwayaccess.htm
ACCESSIBLE VENICE - This site shows accessible areas of Venice and contains
other useful information.
http://goeurope.miningco.com/library/venice/aa980202.htm
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Regards,
Carol Randall
Access-Able Travel Source
http://www.access-able.com
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