Exploring Inclusive Tourism™

How can you save money on holiday?Amy and Louisa are back with part two of their budget holiday tips, this time on luggage, flights, getting around, activities and free places to stay. The short answer: know what matters most to you on holiday, then save on everything else.They share how to fit a week of clothes into a small cabin bag, when flights tend to drop in price, and why ferries, trains and coaches can beat flying. They also cover city travel cards, free walking tours, free or discounted carer tickets, entering competitions, house sitting with Trusted House Sitters, and camping and shepherd huts. Plus stories from Holland, Switzerland, Copenhagen, Canada and a 21-day prize trip in Queensland.For anyone who wants to travel more for less, including disabled travellers and carers.Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

How can you save money on holiday?In part one of our budget holiday tips, Amy and Louisa share the travel hacks they use to make every trip cost less. The short answer: research before you book, book early with free cancellation, and make the local supermarket your friend.They cover saving on food and drink, from taking your own food through airport security to supermarket breakfasts and free drinking fountains in Switzerland. They also talk about budget accommodation, including hostels with private rooms and kitchenettes, plus hotel reward programmes, cashback sites, travel cards with no foreign transaction fees, apps for splitting costs and where to leave your luggage. Plus a few hostel stories that didn't go to plan.For anyone who wants to travel more for less, whatever their budget or needs.Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

What does it really mean to create travel experiences where people feel welcome, safe and able to be themselves?In this episode of Exploring Inclusive Tourism, Amy chats with DJ, co-founder of Dragged Around London - a London walking tour combining drag, queer history, games and plenty of fun.DJ shares how Dragged Around London began and what they’ve learned about making their tours more accessible and inclusive, from asking guests about their access needs before they arrive to recognising where barriers still exist.The conversation explores LGBTQ+ inclusion in tourism, some of the challenges trans travellers can face, and what tourism businesses can do to help people feel safer and more welcome. DJ also shares why creating genuinely inclusive experiences means listening to the people you’re trying to include rather than assuming you already know what they need.There’s plenty of joy too, as we talk about drag, travel, gender-neutral toilets in Mykonos and DJ’s dream travel destination. Whether you work in tourism, run tours and experiences, or simply want to understand how travel can become more inclusive, this is a warm, thoughtful conversation full of practical ideas, personal experiences and plenty of laughs.DJ (Daljeet Singh, or Maneeta when he's in drag) runs Dragged Around London, a drag entertainment agency that began with a single walking tour in 2017 and now provides all sorts of other experiences with drag performers including hen dos, birthdays, corporate pride events, Drag Herstory workshops, magic shows, reading stories to kids, and four different walking tour routes. He also designs and delivers AI training - he created Happy Ltd's flagship AI courses including an AI Culture Lead qualification funded by the Growth and Skills levy, and hosts his own free Collaborative AI Learning Lab - and runs longer-term programmes to nurture Appreciative Collaboration culture in organisations through ExEnEm, where he works with leaders who want more autonomous, empowered teams without losing performance. Across all of it he's doing the same job: helping people get comfortable being uncomfortable, whether that's a learning a new technology, adapting to a new leadership style, or a dancing in colourful sashes with a drag queen on the street.BSL Cafe Amy mentions: Diaglogue Express Cafe East LondonAccess the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow DJ on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Dragged Around London on ⁠⁠Instagram.⁠Follow Maneeta on Instagram.Find Dragged Around London's ⁠website.⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Why do accessible holidays need a personal touch?Louisa talks to Helen, co-owner of Our Bench, wheelchair accessible holiday cottages in the New Forest in Hampshire. Helen's answer: no two guests, wheelchairs or needs are the same. The only way to get it right is to talk to each guest and share honest information, so they can decide what works for them.Helen explains how caring for her mum, and later her son, shaped cottages with ceiling hoists, profiling beds and a changing stretcher, and how guests keep teaching her what to add next. They talk about why one inch matters to a power chair user, travelling with an autistic child, hidden disabilities and the sunflower lanyard, why so many tourism businesses lose disabled customers before they even arrive, and the holiday photos Helen now takes for guests and carers.For wheelchair users, carers, families with additional needs and tourism businesses who want to welcome them.Helen Renouf is the owner of Our Bench Accessible Holiday Cottages in Lymington, on the edge of the New Forest.Our Bench has been welcoming guests since 2001 and today offers three purpose-built accessible cottages, with features including ceiling hoists, profiling beds, wet rooms and specialist equipment provided at no additional charge.Helen is also a disability advocate and is passionate about improving communication between disabled travellers, carers and the tourism businesses that welcome them. She believes good accessibility starts with listening, being honest about what a venue can and cannot provide, and giving people the detailed information they need to make their own informed choices.Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Helen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Our Bench on ⁠Instagram.Follow Our Bench on Facebook.Find Our Bench's website.⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Can extreme day trips be accessible and inclusive? Amy and Louisa explore the growing trend of extreme day trips (EDTs - travelling somewhere and back in around 24 hours) and what they’re really like when you’re travelling with autism, chronic illness, POTS or additional needs.From finding cheap flights and choosing the right airport to managing sensory needs, energy levels, medication and unexpected changes, they share their own experiences of extreme day trips across Europe - including the trips that didn't go to plan.Discover practical tips for planning an accessible extreme day trip, why flexibility matters and how to decide whether an EDT is right for you.Access the full transcript⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.