Top Influencers to Celebrate Traveling with Disabilities
December 03, 2024
The Situation
December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a time as important as any to acknowledge the challenges this community faces when traveling.
Approximately 54 million people in the U.S. are living with some sort of disability. Nearly a quarter of adult Canadians – roughly 8 million – also have at least one disability, twice the number from a decade ago.
Disabilities, however, are extremely diverse, meaning it’s important to take a more inclusive approach, even when marketing to a niche group. One of the best ways to show that your destination welcomes travelers of all abilities is through multiple influencers who have already cultivated meaningful relationships with their audience. Consider a few cases of DCI’s successful influencer partnerships.
Case Study 1: Lasting Relationship Across Platforms
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@curbfreecorylee
Cory Lee is dedicated to helping those in wheelchairs travel the world and live their best life. With a popular website celebrated by Condé Nast and more than 44,000 followers on Instagram, he’s a strategic partner for destinations who want to tap into the right community and show travelers that they are welcomed and embraced in their wheelchairs.
In an effort to build out and raise awareness of the state’s accessibility resource hub, VISIT FLORIDA partnered with Cory Lee to highlight the accessibility of several destinations across Florida as well as positioning the state tourism board as a solid resource.
VISIT FLORIDA worked with Cory Lee over the years, establishing a relationship that extended beyond the parameters of the partnership. Cory participated in PR activities, serving as a VISIT FLORIDA spokesperson alongside National Mobility Awareness Month in May, and he organically included Florida as an accessible destination when he was interviewed for CNN Travel.
Case Study 2: Multi-Generational Reach
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@emma_c_bailey and @realchelseabear
Emma Bailey inspires travelers of all abilities to get out, travel, and live their dreams. Following a spinal injury, she gets around in a wheelchair, but she’s anything but limited in her adventures. She connects with more than 35,000 followers on Instagram who seek out her advice and gorgeous content as she experiences the world.
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Chelsea Bear lives with Cerebral Palsy and shares her daily life and world travelers with an audience of more than 360,000 on Instagram. She shares YouTube videos that showcase her challenges and triumphs as she travels the U.S. and beyond, proving that accessible travel is more than realistic.
So when Chattaonnoga decided to highlight the destination’s accessible outdoor adventure offerings, a partnership with both Emma and Chelsea was a smart one. To bolster awareness, Chattanooga Tourism Co. partnered with both to highlight the range of activities that are disability-friendly and showcase the destination from the perspective of travelers with different needs and abilities.
As a Gen Z, Emma shared her experience traveling with her family and sharing with her Gen Z-based audience, while Chelsea shared her travels with her millennial-based audience, to ensure the message was reaching a wide range of prospective travelers.
Case Study 3: Accessibility and Family Connections
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@oursignedworld
Zach, Courtny, and Madi are a family that is both hearing and deaf. Their content, with more than 950,000 TikTok followers alongside a robust YouTube channel and Instagram presence, unpacks the daily challenges of living with mixed ability family members. They are strong partners to reach both family and accessible travel audiences.
VISIT FLORIDA worked with Zach and Courtney for the Families Campaign, highlighting the state as a family-friendly destination from the perspective of a mixed ability family, rather than focusing solely on accessibility. Zach and Courtney’s shared social page has an audience base that reaches as many family-interest travelers and it does accessibility-interest travelers, so it was a key opportunity to share how Florida can cater to all families.
Other Players to Know
Feeling inspired? Here are six more accessibility champions to consider partnering with to connect your destination with disabled travelers
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@accessbytay
Hailing from Canada, Taylor Lindsay-Noel may be paralyzed, but she embraces being on the move to show how accessible travel can be. With more than 50,000 followers on Instagram and another 120,000 on TikTok, she’s a well connected advocate for your destination’s accessibility efforts, especially if you’re hoping to connect with the Canadian market.
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@blindishlatina
Catarina Rivera is a top influencer who never shies away from a challenge. Both deaf and blind, she creates content that smashes stigmas about people with disabilities traveling just as much as anyone else. She’s willing to work with destinations who want to showcase how accessible and inclusive their attractions really are to her 28,000+ followers on Instagram.
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@natashacaudill
Natasha Caudill sees the world in black and white, bringing her colorblindness to the forefront of her travelers. This top disability advocate and traveler based in Chicago has more than 1.3 million followers on TikTok alone and posts regularly about accessibility issues, highlighting visual disabilities that are not always obvious.
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@noellefoley
Having a disability doesn’t always mean having an immediately noticeable obstacle when traveling. Noelle Foley knows that. This self-described “invisible illness warrior” deals with issues from a concussion, and makes sure her content is sensory-friendly. She is a valuable ally to showcase your destination in a way that ensures no one is alienated.
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@roll.with.cole
This influencer, based in Los Angeles, highlights his journeys living with quadriplegia through his engaging video content, reaching more than a million followers between TikTok and Instagram. His content speaks to audiences traveling via wheelchair, helping spread messages of accessibility for anyone with mobility disabilities.
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@therollingexplorer
Jessica Jordan Ping is an active accessibility advocate from Chicago who never shies away from an adventure. She lives with one arm and had a leg amputated due to an extremely rare genetic condition, but has gone on to build a beautiful brand celebrating her uniqueness. Travelers are drawn to her charisma, making her an influencer that destinations will want to connect with this year.
Travel influencers with disabilities are important and powerful allies for destinations looking to spread messages of inclusion and accessibility. Contact Ashley Kotar at ashley.kotar@aboutdci.com to learn about partnering with any of these top influencers to boost your destination’s brand, because influencer marketing matters more than ever.
