Wheelchair Travel Newsletter: A New Global Agenda for Accessible Tourism

Hey everyone,

October has been a wild and busy month — I have already taken ten flights this month and 108 this year. Here's a quick look at some of places I have been since the last true newsletter:

Seattle, Washington — All Wheels Up Global Forum for Accessible Air Travel
Athens & Thessaloniki, Greece — Fall 2025 Wheelchair Travel Group Trip
Turin, Italy — Destinations for All: World Summit on Accessible Tourism
Rome, Italy — Audience with Pope Leo XIV

During my time in Europe, I had the opportunity to fly four different European airlines — British Airways, Aegean Airlines, ITA Airways and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

Aegean and ITA Airways met most of my expectations, whereas British Airways sent me on an emotionally trying journey and the Dutch airline confirmed its position on my "No Fly" list. Read why I soured on KLM earlier this year, once my favorite European carrier, here:

Travel is much more than flying, though, and I am excited to dive deeper into the events and experiences that have had me jumping around the European continent and beyond over the past month.

All Wheels Up Global Forum for Accessible Air Travel

All Wheels Up is a non-profit organization committed to safer and more dignified travel for disabled people, most notably through advocacy for a wheelchair securement space on airplanes. The organization's annual forum attracts advocates, industry leaders, policy makers and regulators from around the world. The 2025 event was held at the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

John pictured with members of the panel he moderated.

I moderated a discussion entitled International Panel—Regulatory, Advocacy, Progress, and Challenges Regarding Accessibility, which included Christine Dwyer from Transport Canada, Chris Wood from Flying Disabled and Air4All, Jack Kavanaugh from Move the Needle, and Tetsuo Yasuoka from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

We had an engaging conversation (and ran over our allotted time) tracking both exciting developments and opportunities for future progress. I stressed the importance of recognizing the fact that each of our countries — the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan — have implemented programs and policies to advance accessible air travel, yet there continue to be significant barriers to equal access and we must work collectively to advance best practices across borders.

Fall 2025 Wheelchair Travel Group Trip to Greece

Following the conference in Seattle, I set off for Athens, Greece to meet the third group of Wheelchair Travel readers who have joined me there in 2025. Due to some last minute cancellations for medical reasons, this group was smaller than most, but it had a unique characteristic — it was a girl's trip! With the exception of myself and a couple of my team members, all of the travelers were women — a first in my experience as a tour leader.

Group photos of wheelchair users in front of Greek and Roman ruins.

We had an incredible time exploring the ancient ruins of Greece, including visits to the Acropolis of Athens, the Temple of Poseidon and the archaeological site of Dion, among others. Our trip was also a culinary journey and, in the second half of our tour (in Northern Greece), we enjoyed local meals prepared by a chef who I have previously referred to as my Greek grandmother.

Each Wheelchair Travel Group Trip brings together travelers from across the United States and oftentimes the world. With tours designed and led by me, you will benefit from my strict attention to detail and commitment to delivering unmatched accessibility. If you would like to join me and other readers on a tour like this one, check out the March 2026 Wheelchair Travel Group Trip to Greece, where just a few spots remain.

Destinations for All 2025: World Summit on Accessible Tourism

Last held in Brussels, Belgium in 2018, Destinations for All is the world's largest gathering of accessible travel advocates and professionals. The 2025 event, the third World Summit on Accessible Tourism (WSAT), was held in Turin, Italy and kicked-off with an opening reception at the world-class Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum), the largest such museum outside of Egypt.

John pictured with a colleague in front of the statue of Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II.

I was pleased to deliver two presentations at the WSAT. My first, entitled Wheelchair Travel for the Modern Age: Empowering Individuals, Families, and Communities, drew the largest crowd. I spoke alongside a powerhouse panel including Andrea Andorno, CEO of the Torino Airport; Giampiero Strisciuglio, CEO of Italian rail company Trenitalia; and Davide Drago from the Italian Civil Aviation Authority.

John speaking as part of a panel onstage in a large auditorium.

Although I had only a limited amount of time, I used every minute of it, making the following key points:

The current state of accessible travel is defined largely by a lack of consistency. Tourism products remain largely unequal and significant barriers restrict freedom of movement and spontaneity.
Positive trends include: Significant growth in accessible travel demand; disabled travelers finding a voice to demand accountability; and there are a wider range of stakeholders involved in accessible travel discussions than ever before.
Negative trends include: “Progress” often detached from a vision for universal design (think rideshare, autonomous vehicles, aircraft seating, etc.); Rise of dubious credentials — verifications, certifications, badges, awards, honors that deceive disabled travelers; and disability representation in government and industry continues to fall short of 15%-25% benchmark.

I outlined five key principles for the future of accessible travel:

Consistent — Adoption of human-centered design principles
Barrier-free — Accessibility standards met without exception; no requirements for advance notice
Intuitive — No need to ask; transparency of information
Inclusive — Accounts for all types of disabilities across the human spectrum
Local to Global Focus — Each community is a destination, even if only for its own residents

If you would like to read more or review my slide deck, check out the following article: Wheelchair Travel at the 2025 World Summit on Accessible Tourism.

Without support from readers like you, I cannot travel to conferences like the World Summit on Accessible Tourism. Please consider supporting my efforts to make travel accessible for everyone by upgrading to a paid subscription today.

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Talking baseball with Pope Leo

Back in 2022, I met Pope Francis during a trip to Rome, Italy — my favorite city in the world. I wrote about that experience and how I managed it as a mere layman here:

Since the World Summit on Accessible Tourism in Turin was just a short distance away from Rome, I decided to visit the Eternal City and try my hand at meeting Pope Leo.

John seated in his wheelchair shaking hands with Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City.

I was successful, and had the opportunity to talk with him for about a minute following his General Audience. We shook hands, I introduced myself and, as a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan, expressed my relief that the early reports of his fandom for the Chicago Cubs were inaccurate (he's a White Sox fan). He shared that his late father was a Cardinals fan and I wondered simply, "what happened?" 😛 I also expressed my desire for a more accessible Church.

Look for an update to the "how to meet the pope" article in the near future.

Looking ahead

In the next newsletter, I will cover yet another conference that I recently attended, the 7th Annual TravelAbility Summit, held this year just outside of Bend, Oregon. I was able to bring Stevie and Robert along on that trip, which made for a fun week in the Pacific Northwest. We saw our first snowflakes of the season there!

The next few weeks will be focused on catching-up, as I have a lot of content to share from the road. Keep an eye out for new articles on the Wheelchair Travel website, as well as some premium content for paid members.

Talk to you soon,
— John