Travelers with Visual Impairments
Travel tips and discussion for travelers who have visual impairments.
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10 tips for travelling when you have a visual impairment
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10 tips for travelling when you have a visual impairment
Hello everyone, I thought I would start a topic on here. My name is Holly, I am registered as severely sight impaired (blind). I love visiting new places and travelling.
I am a disability blogger and regularly write for Seable’s blog on a wide range of topics on visual impairment, disability and travel so I would suggest checking it out.
I thought I’d share 10 tips for travelling when you have a visual impairment, feel free to add your own.
1. Consider contacting travel companies that specialise in holidays for disabled people
Companies that specialise in holidays for disabled people can help you plan your perfect holiday, recommend accessible hotels and so much more. Some of these fantastic companies include Seable, Traveleyes, Enable Holidays and Limitless travel.
2. Research the local area and accommodation
Doing your research before you book a holiday and travel is key, then you have an idea on what the local culture and tourism is like. Read reviews on your accommodation and see what other people have said. In terms of reviews, TripAdvisor is a great website that offers information on a local area and often has reviews of accommodation. If you are staying in or visiting the UK then Euans Guide is a great website that has accessibility reviews, the reviews are all done by disabled people.
3. Book assistance in advance
Booking assistance in advance is vital then train companies or airlines are aware of your needs and know how best to support you. It is also a good idea to tell hotel staff in advance if you are needing assistance, then they can put this in place for you. Be specific about your requirement and tell them exactly what you need.
4. Ask for help when you need it
There’s no shame to ask for help, so don’t struggle on your own.
5. If taking a suitcase, make sure you put something on it so that you or a member of staff can identify it easily.
This makes the process of finding your suitcase so much easier, and you then know that you are getting your own suitcase.
6. Get your currency and essentials in advance
Preparation and organisation is key. If you do this in advance then you don’t have to worry about it when your holiday is fast approaching. It’s also a good idea to check the currency rates and see where you can get the best deal.
7. Plan what you are going to do whilst you are visiting a new holiday destination/city and look at the accessibility.
If you plan what you’re going to do, you can put some ideas together of what you will do when. Looking at the accessibility is also vital.
8. Look at travel discounts E.G rail card and buss pass.
You could save yourself a lot of money by doing this.
9. Sort your travel insurance
This is key! It is also a good idea to shop around and see where you can get the best deal and contact various companies to see what they can offer.
10. Download apps such as BlindSquare, SoundScape and Google Maps (but please note that these require an internet connection)
If you are in an unfamiliar city then these apps can be very helpful when navigating new places and finding certain destinations such as shops and restaurants.
That concludes my tips, do you have any to share?
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2 Replies
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Hello,
Thank you so much for the great tips!
I like the one about it being OK to ask for help – so true!
Keep the great posts coming!
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Hello Holly
I like your concern for this noble cause that you are disability blogger and helping out people with impairments. I have read all your tips and almost all the points are new to me, I never thought about contacting travel companies that specialise in holidays for disabled people. Thanks for this idea. I hope this post will benefits many people.
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