The travel industry is waking up to the needs of disabled travellers. Travelling with a mobility challenge should not stop you from enjoying your holiday abroad. With increasing numbers of travellers, the travel industry is ensuring that destinations are aware of accessibility regulations and are implementing them accordingly. While this sounds promising, it’s not always easy to put into practice, especially in foreign countries where regulations differ.
Choose a destination that can cater for your disability, and opt for travel insurance that will cover you in case of an emergency.
Below is a travel insurance checklist and general guide to ensuring you have the time of your life (stress-free) while you’re on holiday.
Get insurance:
- Opt for travel insurance that covers your condition.
- Ensure your travel insurance offers 24-hour medical assistance.
- Get adequate cover for any medical expenses you might incur.
- If you will be travelling with mobility aids, ensure your travel insurance covers repairs and replacements.
Travel tips:
- Plan in advance: researching your holiday destination well in advance, is the best way to find out about facilities and whether you’ll need to make special requests.
- Avoid connecting flights: if you have to take a connecting flight, make sure you have enough time to manoeuvre through the airport to your next flight.
- Carry extra medication: if you need to take medication for your disability, pack extra medication and keep it in your carry-on bag in case of an emergency.
- Check with your doctor: doctors often prescribe medication/measures to cope with long flights, limited medication accessibility and other challenges of travelling.
- Carefully plan your sightseeing route: avoid long routes and make sure there is enough time to rest before going on to the next adventure.