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Welcome to Cheryl's Travel Blueprint! I’m a former Spanish teacher turned travel advisor, passionate about curating unforgettable experiences. My expertise lies in European adventures (with a special love for Spain), cruising, and all-inclusive Caribbean getaways. I specialize in creating tailored trips for families, multi-generational groups, and teachers—whether they’re traveling solo, with colleagues, or leading student groups.
In this podcast, we celebrate the joy of travel, uncover hidden gems, share practical tips and tricks, and embrace the spirit of adventure. Each episode features inspiring conversations with fascinating guests from all walks of life as they share their unique travel stories, lessons, and favorite destinations. Whether you're planning your next getaway or simply love to dream about the possibilities, this is your place to explore the world from wherever you are.
Let’s embark on this journey together! 🌍✈️
Cheryl K Johnson (00:01.122)
Imagine being halfway across the city when everything stops working. The elevator's out, the streets are uneven, and suddenly what was supposed to be a dream trip becomes a logistical puzzle that you don't know how to solve. That moment can change everything because it forces us to ask a question most travelers never think about. Who is travel really designed for? If you've ever felt like your trip didn't quite fit you or someone you love, this episode is for you.
Make sure you hit subscribe so you don't miss more conversations about designing travel that truly works for real people in real situations. Welcome back to Cheryl's Travel Blueprint, where we move beyond checklists and start designing travel experiences that actually feel right. I'm Cheryl, your travel advisor and experience designer. And today we're diving into a topic that doesn't get nearly enough attention, but it impacts more travelers than you might think. I'm joined by Mike Clapper from Able to Global.
an organization focused on making travel more accessible and inclusive. So how did your journey into accessibility begin, Mike?
Mike Clapper (01:01.559)
It's funny that you said across the city. Mine actually started across the world. So I was on a cruise and
Cheryl K Johnson (01:07.566)
Mike Clapper (01:11.031)
We docked in Reykjavik, Iceland. It was a wonderful 16-day cruise that my wife booked for us for our, or my birthday, And it was one of those situations, I'm sure you're aware, because you do this for a living, where you dock at a city, you spend all day off-board, you get back home from one final party, and then everyone disembarks the next day for the end of the trip.
The difference about this trip was that everyone had to get off that last day to do security sweeps with the Icelandic officials. And so we were gonna get off anyway, but we got all of our stuff together, got out of our stateroom, went down to the gangway to get off and...
I use a power wheelchair. Well, the gangway was inaccessible. It wasn't wide enough for my chair. And beyond that, it had spikes all the way down the gangway, I guess because of snow, but that was July. So it was actually pretty snow and ice, but it was pretty temperate at the time. And so we were stuck on board and...
I kind of looked around at the staff members and they kind of looked back at me and I said, now what? And they said, well, we can carry you down. And I said, that's not gonna work.
First of all, you know, it's too narrow of a space and my chair weighs about 300 pounds. This is not gonna work. And so long story short, we actually ended up having to call the first officer of the cruise to come down and figure out what to do. So while everyone else disembarked for the day, we were the only two, my wife and I were the only two travelers left on board.
Mike Clapper (03:14.713)
and
I looked at the situation. I've been traveling my whole life. So between business and pleasure, think I've traveled. I've totaled up like 500,000 airline miles, things like that. And I've always had problems, but it occurred to me that day, something needs to change, something needs to happen. And I realized something really important that day as well as the problem was empathy.
Everyone cared. Everyone wanted to do something. Everyone felt embarrassed by the situation. The problem was execution. Nobody knew what to do and everyone kind of got the deer in the headlights look on their face. And so that day I literally sat down and started figuring out, okay, how can I help the situation? And so that's what I do on a daily basis now. I love what you said about this not being a checkbox because it's not. This is not a compliance checkbox.
Cheryl K Johnson (04:09.966)
Thanks.
Mike Clapper (04:16.153)
thing when it comes to accessibility for what I do. I help make sure that brands can execute well on accessibility.
Cheryl K Johnson (04:25.582)
And, know, and it's just like, I remember I was interviewing somebody about something totally different. And he made the point that you, you have to anticipate your client's needs before they become needs. And this is the same, this is the same kind of thing. You have to, you have to think ahead. You can't just wait until a situation, you know, presents itself.
Mike Clapper (04:38.881)
That's right.
Mike Clapper (04:50.356)
Yeah, it was mind blowing to think I was on board for 16 days and nobody thought about what to do with somebody in a power wheelchair when they docked it at Iceland. It just was shocking.
Cheryl K Johnson (05:03.542)
Because that couldn't have been the first time that that happened.
Mike Clapper (05:06.751)
Right. You would think not. Right. Yeah.
Cheryl K Johnson (05:10.264)
For sure. talking about that, what do you think it is that they just misunderstand that these brands misunderstand about accessibility?
Mike Clapper (05:18.295)
Well, there's a couple of things. Number one, I think you're so right that it's all about planning ahead. So many things are handled spurred of moments or unscripted.
I think that brands could do a lot better job of being prepared for unique moments like that. That's one of the things that we do at Able to Global is we help them prepare for those moments. So there are less of those kind of deer in the headlights looks on people's faces.
But to me, the biggest takeaway is the market size that they are leaving behind. So one in four people have a disability, as billions of people across the planet that have a disability. Here in the US alone, it's about $100 billion market per year when you factor in the people that travel with them. And so it just shocks me that there's...
Cheryl K Johnson (05:57.059)
Mm-hmm.
Mike Clapper (06:19.319)
a lack of consideration for such a large portion of the population, number one, and number two, a huge untapped market that nobody's really claiming. 94%, I don't mean to spit stats at you, but 94 % of travelers in a survey recently said that they didn't feel like their needs were fully met at a hotel.
And I can't imagine any other industry where you would have a 6 % satisfaction rate and be happy with that. So to me, it just seems like a no-brainer that this is a market that is underserved, but also can be really valuable for your organization.
Cheryl K Johnson (06:52.609)
Exactly.
Cheryl K Johnson (06:56.77)
Mm-hmm.
Cheryl K Johnson (07:04.95)
Right. mean, even if you even if even if it's not being altruistic, it's being it's just being smart for it, you know, and if you're doing it for the right reasons or just because you're greedy, it doesn't matter. It should still should be. It still should be considered. So whatever.
Mike Clapper (07:11.585)
Correct.
Mike Clapper (07:20.895)
Or I think those two things can work hand in hand. This isn't all about.
Cheryl K Johnson (07:25.006)
Absolutely.
Mike Clapper (07:26.199)
greedy capitalism. This is just being smart in business. You want to make your customers happy, right? And like I said, if your satisfaction rate with any group of people is 6%, you're falling down on the job. And so it's not just about the money. It's guest satisfaction. It's how they feel when they arrive to your property or are on board your ship, things of that nature. it just, again, seems like a no brainer.
Cheryl K Johnson (07:54.926)
Yeah. So what do you think is the reason? Is it just because the people that are making these decisions aren't affected by accessibility issues and therefore it just doesn't occur to them?
Mike Clapper (07:55.127)
from where I sit.
Mike Clapper (08:10.083)
There's a couple things that come into play. Number one is I think that when we talk about accessibility, everyone equates that with ADA compliance. so back to your checkbox analogy a few minutes ago, if they check those minimal boxes for ADA compliance, they think they've done their job, right? And so they feel like, okay, we're good, we're covered. The second thing is,
Nobody's really gone out there and worked with the industry to help them understand how best to serve these clients. think that, you you mentioned maybe they haven't experienced it. Well, if you look at one fourth of the population that has special requirements these days, everyone's affected by it. I just think people don't know how to handle it. And that scares them. And so they'd rather
You know, do nothing, then try and fail. At least that's what I see.
Cheryl K Johnson (09:08.302)
Okay. Very yeah. I'm sure you're right. can you explain your inclusion air framework to us?
Mike Clapper (09:17.527)
Sure, yeah, I'd be happy to. So I realized really early on in what I was doing that this, I can't just talk about this or that. There has to be a framework included in what I do to help the customers that I work with, the properties and cruise lines that I work with understand what I'm talking about here. So the inclusion of your framework is a three-part.
A process or I call them three pillars The first is design that includes so I talk a lot about universal design these days And the reason why is it's not just for the disabled community. It's for everybody whether that's families with strollers or you know Bellman that need to push those heavy carts, you know through the lobby or down a hallway when we design for everybody
When we design for the margins, it's to say, we design for everybody. And so what's really cool is that there's been this whole kind of...
revitalization, I guess, of universal design principles where we can build effectively without worrying about rising costs or things of that nature. So that's the first pillar, which is design that includes. The second is guest experience that elevates. So that's where we talk about training. We talk about making sure that when that guest arrives to the property or on that ship, they feel
included, right? And that is such an important thing. And again, these are things that every hospitality brand should be thinking about, whether their traveler or their guest is disabled or not. The third principle or pillar that I talk about is systems at scale. And so everything we do, there needs to be a system.
Mike Clapper (11:18.225)
a backbone behind it or it's all going to fall apart. So I hope my clients kind of build a system together that can sustain, that can evolve over time as needs and challenges arise. This is not a, you know, one time stop kind of gap. It's something that has to evolve over time. So those are the three pillars.
Cheryl K Johnson (11:44.11)
Mm Okay. And so what kind of what does that look like in when is that something that a person could see if they were to tour a hotel or something like that? Could I? What kinds of things would I look like look at?
Mike Clapper (12:03.381)
Yes, when we look at design, I'm not talking about major, you know, capital expenditures. So many times when I talk to hotel brands, they say, come and talk to me again in 2030. When I have my capital budget available, I'm talking about little things like door openers to bathrooms or braille signage in your lobby, things of that nature. Again, the guest experience part, the second pillar is all about
Cheryl K Johnson (12:27.886)
Mm-hmm.
Mike Clapper (12:33.305)
how you treat your guests, how you treat the people that come into your property. know, luxury brands incorporate that with so many.
Other aspects and it's time that they include the disabled traveler into that as well when it comes to systems Excuse me systems. I think that's something that you don't want to see systems run smoothly when They're in the background and no one knows that it's a system. It just feels like a natural, you know Process is taking place really organic. So that's probably something you can't see but you can feel it
Cheryl K Johnson (13:10.968)
Mm-hmm.
Mike Clapper (13:14.041)
but the second you walk into a property.
Cheryl K Johnson (13:14.858)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay. Very wise. so those are, so can you think of something, a small change that you've seen, that created a measurable impact?
Mike Clapper (13:29.097)
Yeah, yeah. So one of the things I was just working with a hotel recently and when you arrive, they have you fill out this really long kind of, I hate to say it, but archaic form, you know, with your name, your address. You think they would have all that in their system, but you're having to fill this out. And so.
Cheryl K Johnson (13:50.06)
Yeah.
Mike Clapper (13:55.672)
When I went to talk to the front desk staff, they got that kind of look in their eyes and I said, okay, now what? And they said, well, is there somebody with you that can help you fold this out? I said, well, I could fill it out myself with a little bit of help. So we worked on just a small thing, stepping outside the check-in counter and coming to the other side to talk to me.
And I heard back from the owner and operator of the property a few weeks later and said, you know what? We're not just doing that with disabled, yes, we're doing that with everybody now. And this is a four or five star property.
And they're feeling so much more catered to, so much more tailored to, because we're stepping from behind the check-in counter and actually interacting with our guests instead of just handing them a clipboard. So that's just one small change that I've seen, but there are a bunch of examples that I could talk about.
Cheryl K Johnson (15:00.896)
Mm hmm. I'm sure. Well, for me, as someone who plans multi-generational travel, I see that, you know, accessibility affects not just one person, but the entire family. is there, how should travel advisors think differently when they, when they make plans for travelers that
Mike Clapper (15:06.827)
Hmm.
Mike Clapper (15:17.879)
You know, that's a great point. We haven't even talked about the aging population yet, which is, you know, growing ever more every day. Right. So I think it just making sure that travel planners understand everyone that is traveling. Right. Whether that be I have a 18 month old baby. Right. So he has different needs than say his grandmother who's 75. But.
Looking at each guest individually is so important when you say we have a party of six, right? That's coming on onto a Cruise, you know that Everyone has unique Needs and opportunities to experience something a different way. So if that travel advisor is asking those questions Okay, what are the age great? What's?
If anything, could we do to make this trip better for each of those travelers? I think the other thing too is that there are so many hidden disabilities these days. People with autism, with cognitive disabilities, something as simple as, can we get them a room further away from the elevator so they can kind of decompress and be alone? Could be a huge, huge deal.
To wrap that all off into a bow, so to speak, I just say treat each traveler as an individual and think about their individual unique needs.
Cheryl K Johnson (16:54.486)
Okay, good advice. What are some of the biggest misconceptions that people have about accessible travel?
Mike Clapper (17:02.665)
Yeah, think that it's a really good question. The first thing I would say is that accessibility is all about mobility needs. So it's wheelchair accessibility, it's rolling showers, it's things of that nature. But as I mentioned a second ago, there are hidden disabilities these days. There are dietary restrictions. There are...
Travelers that are blind or have low vision who could really benefit from like I mentioned Braille signage in the lobby So I think one misconception is it's not just about mobility there are you know a myriad other things we could do to improve the experience for all sorts of people with all sorts of unique needs, right
The second thing is what we talked about earlier is this is such a huge untapped market that's just sitting in plain sight and waiting for someone to say, hey, we hear you, we understand you, and we'd like to make you a part of our everyday lives here at this property or this cruise line. And we've thought about you before you even arrived. So those to me are two things that I think people don't really think about all the time.
Cheryl K Johnson (18:27.948)
Yeah, and to help people not feel invisible too. Just detreating people, everybody, because as you mentioned, with the example about the multi-generational families, taking into consideration everyone, keeps everyone from becoming invisible. If you think about every traveler.
Mike Clapper (18:31.883)
Correct. Correct.
Mike Clapper (18:39.947)
Mm.
Mike Clapper (18:46.101)
That's correct. Yeah. Yeah, I think oftentimes we look at the extreme, right? Either travelers feel invisible.
or they feel like they're being hovered over all the time. I know I experienced that a lot as well, where it's like, how can we help you? How can we help you? How can we help you? They don't really have any answers, but they kind of hover and they ask questions and they assume. So finding that happy medium between the invisible traveler and the kind of, you know, they talk about helicopter parents, the helicopter guest services
Cheryl K Johnson (18:56.994)
Mm-hmm.
Mike Clapper (19:23.927)
folks I think is a huge deal. And again this is not just unique to people with disabilities. I think people feel that as soon as they walk into a property, as soon as they go on a tour, as soon as they you know board a cruise ship, whatever. So these are principles that can be valuable for every single traveler.
Cheryl K Johnson (19:44.142)
Absolutely. And so I wonder what is the emotional impact when when those kinds of things happen or when you have these barriers or it has to be, you know, emotionally draining sometimes.
Mike Clapper (19:59.99)
You know, it's interesting to me. I was born with a disability, so I've had to adjust my entire life. I've had to deal with these things my entire life. It's my wife that really gets frustrated during these situations. She's the one that was always saying, we need to make this right. This is not right, Michael. Just, know,
something as simple as getting a room with a rolling shower. I'm always like, that's okay. He was always the one that said, no, this is important. And then...
But I do know, I see all the advocates out there. I see all the people out there that are expressing their frustrations and their emotions online. So I do know it hits everybody. I just think maybe people that experience disabilities later in life or people that have had their life altered or changed, maybe express it more than folks like myself.
Cheryl K Johnson (21:09.614)
Okay. So if there's a hotel GM listening right now, what's a practical step that they could implement tomorrow?
Mike Clapper (21:18.443)
Boy, that's a really great question. I think the first thing I would suggest is to go to abletoglobal.com. I'm sorry, I can't help but pitch myself a little bit. abletoglobal.com. the best thing to do is get a little guidance on this. I think if there were a magic bullet that people could try tomorrow, everyone would be doing it.
Cheryl K Johnson (21:31.02)
And you should.
Mike Clapper (21:44.78)
But every circumstance is unique. Every property is unique. And so talking to an expert is the best thing they can do. if you want to talk about what's, you know, you know, book a consultation with me and do something, let's say that. I would say just treat every guest as an individual, right? Don't assume, don't hover, but ask the right questions. So.
and actually use the empathy to execute, not just feel sorry for somebody. So if you see a way to make something right, make it right. If there's an opportunity to give exceptional service, make it happen. I think that's one thing they could do tomorrow.
Cheryl K Johnson (22:36.782)
Absolutely. Okay, I love that. So if somebody is planning a trip for themselves or for a loved one who needs more accessible experience, what are the first two or three things they should think about before they book anything?
Mike Clapper (22:50.753)
Boy, that's another good question. But an important one. Number one is, do I have the full picture of wherever I'm heading? So if you're going to a resort,
Do I have all the information I need to make an informed decision? Right? So, you know, we see labels on websites all the time, accessible room, things of that nature. Sometimes that's not enough. We need to know what the bed height is. If I have sensory needs, what, you know, what, what systems do you have in place to, to help me or accommodate me? So that's number one is, is don't judge a book by its cover.
Don't judge an accessible listing by having an accessible tag on the room, right? Really do your research. Find a travel advisor like yourself who knows how to ask the right questions because I think that's so important. And the second thing is realize that there are going to be limitations and figure out ways to navigate that before you even arrive.
So just know, hey, everything's not going to go my way. That's frustrating. I acknowledge it upfront, but I'm still going to have a blast on this vacation. So I think that's so huge to realize that, you know,
Cheryl K Johnson (24:05.155)
Mm-hmm.
Mike Clapper (24:28.299)
there's an opportunity to really enjoy yourself if you set the right expectations going in.
Cheryl K Johnson (24:35.182)
For sure. Absolutely. You know, and one of the things that comes to my mind sometimes I've seen, you know, at work or just in when I'm in public, I've seen that just the impatience that people have with people that have accessibility needs. And so I think, you know, I think just the general public sometimes just needs some more education around it.
and understanding that everybody deserves to go on a vacation. Everybody deserves to be in public and to do things. And I think people sometimes forget that when they're able-bodied and they can do things that they take for granted. So a lot of frustration.
Mike Clapper (25:20.245)
Yeah, I see that. I see that a lot when I'm boarding an airplane and it takes me a little longer to get on board or, you know, things of that nature. take a moment to slow down, smell the roses, so to speak. Like you said, you're on your way to be your only way to vacation, you know? and, and yeah.
Cheryl K Johnson (25:29.198)
Mm-hmm.
Cheryl K Johnson (25:35.071)
What I think.
Yeah
Cheryl K Johnson (25:42.798)
Are you seeing any trends that are giving you hope that things are that you're making a difference with, you know, with the larger community like buying, you know, in a big grand scale?
Mike Clapper (25:55.639)
Yeah.
There's a couple of things. Number one is that over the last year or so, I am seeing this trend in accessibility becoming a business and loyalty driver. And I think that's so important because the number one thing that's gonna make somebody sit up and take notice is when you start hitting their wallet, unfortunately. I wish we were altruistic and we just wanted to do things to make everything nice for everybody. It doesn't always work that way. So I'm seeing these conversations take place where people
People are moving from frustration and anger into actually communicating the business case for this.
in other countries like the UK. The UK is driving change right now when it comes to accessible travel. I can't tell you how many people I hear from in the UK on LinkedIn or other social media platforms or allies that I've formed, alliances that I've formed in the UK. They're on the forefront of this. They get it. so that's encouraging to me because maybe they're kind of the
early adopters and then we can bring it over here stateside as well.
Cheryl K Johnson (27:14.668)
That would be great. I would love to see that. And this is where experiences really matter because once you get there, the right tourists can make all the difference between feeling overwhelmed and feeling supported. If you're looking for guided experiences that help take the stress out of navigating a destination, I always recommend checking out Get Your Guide. They offer a wide range of tours and activities, many of which include detailed descriptions, accessibility notes, and flexible booking options.
but as Mike meant, as you mentioned, it is definitely important to get more information. Even though, like you said, it says accessibility, but you gotta still do your research on those things. and I'll include my, in my link, the description so you can explore options that actually fit your travel style. So let's get back into the conversation. what I love about it is that it shifts how we think about travel, not about limitations, but the design. So, you know, as we've.
Mike Clapper (27:53.334)
Yeah.
Mike Clapper (28:09.309)
Mm-hmm.
Cheryl K Johnson (28:12.024)
been talking about. Can you share, do you have any stories about where accessible travel actually transformed someone's experience?
Mike Clapper (28:21.127)
Yeah, I have to go back a ways. Back to my childhood.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Walt Disney World really got this. They were the first to be on the cutting edge of accessibility. They understood what it meant to treat everybody as an individual. They were the first to be kind of on the forefront of accessibility when it came to room types and things of that nature.
So unfortunately, I have to go back in the past to really think about this. Now, I think people are making strides. I was on the Virgin Voyage's cruise a couple years ago. They did a tremendous job. So I'm not saying it's all doom and gloom, but we still have a long way to go.
Cheryl K Johnson (29:20.654)
Well, and I'm hoping it's, I hope it's getting better and better every day. So I think what stands out to me is this, that when travel is designed well, it doesn't just remove barriers, it creates connection. And that's really what this podcast is about. Travel that feels meaningful, not just possible. Yes, indeed. And I'm so thankful that you were able to come on and join me and I look forward to more conversations about this. So if this conversation resonated with you, here's your next step.
Mike Clapper (29:38.26)
so true.
Cheryl K Johnson (29:49.944)
Don't just plan your next trip. Design it with intention. If you'd like help creating travel experience that truly fits your needs or the needs of someone you love, I'd love to work with you. You can find my booking link in the description. And before you go, make sure you subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it and check out the Get Your Guide link to start exploring experiences that make travel easier and more enjoyable. And I'm going to put your information in the description as well so people can reach out to you as in addition.
Mike Clapper (30:18.049)
Great, yeah, the business side of what I do is at abletooglobal.com, but I have a whole other side. I have a podcast myself and a sub-stack page, The Inclusion of Your Lab, where I really talk about ideas and forward thinking. And so I would love it if people would follow and join in the conversation.
Cheryl K Johnson (30:41.986)
That would be great. And like I said, I'll put all of your information in my description as well. So hopefully people can find it both ways. Thank you so much for a great conversation.
Mike Clapper (30:51.424)
Awesome.
Mike Clapper (30:54.987)
Thank you, Cheryl, appreciate it.
Cheryl K Johnson (30:56.684)
I appreciate you. Take care.
Mike Clapper (30:59.02)
Yep.