Exploring Inclusive Tourism™

This episode is our last of season one, and we're so excited to share it with you. It's been estimated that less than 70 rooms in the entire UK have ceiling hoists. Yes, you read that right.For families with complex disability needs, that number tells its own story.In this episode, we sit down with Claire and Steve Welsh, founders of Holistic Thinking Holidays, a business providing accessible holiday accommodation across England and Wales for families with complex needs. They share why the holiday sector is so far behind, and why the purple pound, worth a casual £14.6 billion to UK tourism, is going unspent simply because there's limited places for people to spend it.The demand is there. The need is there. It just needs the industry to catch up.We're talking ceiling hoists, profiling beds, wet rooms, dogs welcome, the works. This episode has some shocking facts, some home truths and it will stay with you. Holistic Thinking Holidays (HTH), founded by Claire and Steve Welsh, provide affordable and well-equipped holiday accommodation on holiday parks across England and Wales for whom "wheelchair access" just isn't enough. They now provide a stress-free holiday option across 13 locations that cater for the whole family without an inflated price ticket, in an environment that provides something for everyone in a multi-generational group, regardless of their complex needs.Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Claire on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Steve on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Holistic Thinking Holidays on LinkedIn.Find Holistic Thinking Holidays' website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

This week, we sit down with Cheryl Everitt, founder of A Wheel and Away, a travel consultancy empowering people with disabilities to explore the world with greater independence.Cheryl is a mum to two children, both of whom use wheelchairs, and together they’re a family who truly embrace travel. From Morocco to Vietnam to America (and everywhere in between), she shares their adventures, the spontaneity of it all, and why travel has always been a non-negotiable for them.Cheryl shares why the smallest changes can have the biggest impact for disabled travellers. And why so many businesses are still missing them.Whether you're a traveller, a family carer, or part of the tourism industry, there’s so much to take away from this conversation.Cheryl is the founder of  A Wheel and Away, an absolute passion project designed to support people with disabilities to travel more independently and adventurously. She is also a proud mum to two young people, Molly and Stan. Both use wheelchairs due to a neuromuscular condition and it was their own family travels that were the catalyst for the business. She gets excited about finding new and interesting destinations and ensuring that travellers have the right tools to make informed choices about their own adventures.Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Cheryl on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Find A Wheel and Away's website ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠. ⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

This week we sit down with Kathy, a gîte owner... who also happens to be Amy's mum! In Episode 10, Kathy shares how a little awareness and curiosity has helped her create genuinely welcoming experiences for all of the guests at her French gîtes, and how little things make a huge difference. Kathy, an ambulatory* wheelchair user herself, also shares the destinations on her own travels that got accessibility right, the cities that still have a long way to go, and how slowing down her pace of life in France has had a bigger impact on her health than anything else.Warm, honest and full of brilliant travel insight, we cover quite a few topics, and learn a lot. Kathy is a former NHS Nurse and Midwife, as well as a daughter, mum and wife! She and her husband Mike left Kent in October 2024 to begin a new adventure in France as Gîte owners. She has fibromyalgia and other chronic health and pain conditions, and has found her health has gotten so much better being out of the hustle and bustle, and into the French living. She loves to travel and as an ambulatory* wheelchair user, she has had to adapt her travelling to fit her needs, and has seen some great and less great examples of accessibility along the way, making her passionate about bringing empathy into her own holiday business. Find out more about accessibility at their gîtes: https://www.gitesdumarigne.com/accessibility*An ambulatory wheelchair user uses a wheelchair part-time to manage pain, fatigue or safety. Note: This episode was recorded in Summer 2025 . Kathy's health has continued to improve since recording and she relies on her wheelchair much less now! Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kathy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠Find Kathy's website ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠. ⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

What would it mean to finally find a holiday where your family felt truly safe and welcome?It's Autism Awareness Week 💚 and this conversation couldn't be more timely.In this episode we chat with Karen Mason, founder of My Safe Place Southern, who is pioneering sensory-conscious, neurodiverse-friendly holiday accommodation in the UK holiday park sector.Karen shares why millions of neurodiverse families are being left behind by the UK holiday park sector right now, and what she's doing about it. Karen grew up in Hertfordshire as one of six siblings and went on to build a 35-year career in the holiday park sector. Alongside her professional life, Karen supported three neurodivergent family members and cared for her father through dementia—experiences that profoundly shaped her perspective, and inspired her to create change. She founded My Safe Place Southern, bringing together her deep industry knowledge and personal passion for inclusion.Access the full transcript ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Karen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠Find Karen's website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

Special assistance isn't just for physical disabilities. But how often does it actually feel that way? One person can make or break a travel experience. And in Episode 08, we're talking about exactly that, as we share many stories about our airport and airline experiences.We're getting candid about the frustrations, the wins, and why staff training and genuine empathy can change everything for travellers with disabilities, visible or not.Access the full transcript ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

It's Neurodiversity Celebration Week 💚 and Episode 07 of the Exploring Inclusive Tourism™ Podcast couldn't have landed at a better time.The world is changing, fast. Customers want to buy from ethical businesses. People want to work for them. And the conversation around accessibility and inclusion is only going to get louder.This week, Amy sits down with Tania Gerard, ADHD UK Ambassador, TEDx speaker, and founder of Tania Gerard Digital UK, one of the UK's first consultancies dedicated to accessible marketing and neurodiversity in the workplace.Tania shares her own experience with ADHD and Autism, how it shapes her relationship with travel, and why she's on a mission to help businesses understand that accessibility isn't a nice-to-have. It's a no-brainer!Follow Tania on ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Tania on Instagram.Find Tania's website ⁠here⁠. Access the full transcript ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

No two disabilities are the same. Everyone's needs are unique. And not every challenge is one you'd notice from the outside. This week, Louisa and Amy sit down with Julie Jones, joining us all the way from Australia 🌏Julie is the co-founder and editor of Travel Without Limits magazine, and one of the most passionate voices in accessible travel today. Her journey into inclusive tourism started with her son Braeden, and what began as a personal blog. "Have Wheelchair, Will Travel", has grown into a thriving community amplifying the voices of travellers with disabilities worldwide.In this episode, we chat about how far inclusive travel has come, how far it still needs to go, and why building a community around shared experiences is one of the most powerful tools we have. Follow Julie on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠.Read Travel Without Limits magazine here. Find out more about "Have Wheelchair Will Travel" ⁠⁠here.⁠⁠Access the full transcript ⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

Eliza and Nathan know firsthand how much surroundings matter when travelling with a neurodivergent child. Beyond their personal experiences, they've learned that 20% of the UK population are neurodivergent. Yet only 5% of public venues are designed with them in mind.That gap? That's exactly what Eliza and Nathan are working to close.In this week's episode of the Exploring Inclusive Tourism™ Podcast, we chat with Eliza and Nathan, the founders of NeuroPlaces, about the moment their daughter became the spark behind something so much bigger than themselves.We explore why better awareness and training among travel industry staff is crucial for neurodiverse adults, children, and the families supporting them every step of the way.Follow Nathan on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.Follow Eliza on LinkedIn.Find out more on Neroplace's ⁠website⁠.Access the full transcript ⁠here⁠.Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

In this episode, we explore our hidden disability travel toolkits, discussing essential items like the sunflower lanyard, radar key, and access card. We share personal experiences and recommendations for tools that aid in navigating public spaces and attractions.Access the full transcript here.Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

Travel is often presented as effortless and inspiring - but for many families navigating disability, it requires planning, advocacy, resilience, and a great deal of grace. From theme parks to public spaces, inclusive bathrooms to customer service missteps, the journey is rarely straightforward.In this episode, we’re joined by Tom (full-time carer, fuller-time parent, and ICF-accredited life coach) who shares his experience of travelling with his 16-year-old son. Tom speaks openly about family trips to Disney, the realities of accessibility on the ground, and the importance of telling organisations what you need rather than assuming they understand. He offers thoughtful insight into what true inclusion looks like from a parent’s perspective.Alongside his role as a parent and carer, Tom works with adults in midlife to reconnect with who they truly are and what matters most. With over a decade in design and years navigating the complexities of family life, he brings clarity, empathy, and grounded wisdom to this conversation - reminding us that inclusive travel isn’t just about infrastructure, but about listening, learning, and making space for every family’s reality.Follow Tom on LinkedIn.Find out more on Tom's website.Access the full transcript here.Follow us: ⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.⁠⁠Join our mailing list⁠⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

In a world that sometimes overlooks the needs of individuals with disabilities, Wetwheels South East is making waves by providing an inclusive boating experience that empowers people of all abilities. This unique initiative not only allows individuals with complex needs to enjoy the beauty of the sea but also fosters a sense of community among families and caregivers.In today's episode we're joined by Elspeth Dunn, who is closely involved with Wetwheels South East, playing a key role in Finishing the Dream - the 2024 Around Britain Challenge that took Wetwheels South East with Geoff Holt at the helm around the UK to bring accessible boating to wider communities, break down barriers, and help more people experience the water, leaving disability at the dockside. She has also spent eight years running Dunn Virtually Ltd, delivering reliable behind-the-scenes support with care, organisation, and heart for small businesses. Above all, Elspeth is a mum, balancing work and family life with the Workstyle ethos, bringing big ambitions with determination and warmth, often with her kitten, Mumble, close by. Follow @wetwheels_se on InstagramFind out more on Wetwheels' website.Access the full transcript ⁠here⁠. Follow us: ⁠@inclusivetourism⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠.⁠Join our mailing list⁠ to be notified when episodes go live!

Welcome to our first episode! Discover what Exploring Inclusive Tourism is all about, and what you can expect from this new podcast hosted by Amy Walters and Louisa van Vessem.Access the full transcript here. Follow us: @inclusivetourismConnect with Amy on LinkedIn and Instagram.Connect with Louisa on LinkedIn and Instagram.Join our mailing list to be notified when episodes go live!