Travel Counsellors is funding a ‘groundbreaking’ trip to the Middle East for a disabled brand ambassador to further educate its agents on accessible travel.
Nadia Clarke, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair and a communication aid to speak, has been brand ambassador for Travel Counsellors since 2017. This is her second trip funded by the homeworking agency.
She hopes the trip will encourage more travel firms to improve how they cater for disabled travellers.
Nadia began the trip this week and will visit Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi. Her activities include flying in a seaplane, a desert safari and sailing.
Nadia will meet representatives from the destinations and hopes to visit a school and end the trip at the Special Olympics World Games, in Abu Dhabi.
She will create videos, write blog posts and, after returning, educate Travel Counsellors agents on the possibilities available for disabled clients.
Travel Counsellors said the trip would highlight Dubai’s accessible tourism facilities.
It is also championing accessible travel by educating its own agents and suppliers.
Nadia told Travel Weekly: “I want to work with Travel Counsellors to improve services for all disabled people and I am hoping other travel companies will follow their lead.”
She hopes to highlight ways companies can make small changes to improve travel for those with disabilities, as well as inspiring disabled holidaymakers to travel.
Nadia went on her first accessible-travel trip as a customer of Travel Counsellors in 2010, when she was 17, after her mum contacted agent Richard Thompson, an expert in the field, for a holiday to Spain. In 2016 she spoke at a Travel Counsellors conference, taking her first trip as an ambassador to the Golden Triangle in 2017.
