Exploring Inclusive Tourism™

Amy and Louisa
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Travel isn’t equally inclusive for everyone - so we’re talking about it. Discover stories and practical tips for making travel more inclusive and accessible, with guests who have lived experience and people working in the industry. Plus, hear from us, a pair who love to travel and explore while navigating the challenges of our chronic illnesses and neurodivergent minds.

  1. 3d ago

    Why Accessible Holidays Need a Personal Touch (Ep 14, S2E2)

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Why Accessible Holidays Need a Personal Touch (Ep 14, S2E2)

  2. Oct 6

    Are Extreme Day Trips Accessible? (Ep 13, S2E1)

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Are Extreme Day Trips Accessible? (Ep 13, S2E1)

  3. Apr 21

    Hoists That Make Holidays Happen (Ep 12)

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Hoists That Make Holidays Happen (Ep 12)

  4. Apr 14

    Adventuring Our Way (Ep 11)

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Adventuring Our Way (Ep 11)

  5. Apr 10

    Curating Gîte Holidays with Empathy (Ep 10)

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Curating Gîte Holidays with Empathy (Ep 10)

  6. Mar 31

    Neuro-Inclusive Holiday Parks (Ep 9)

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Neuro-Inclusive Holiday Parks (Ep 9)

  7. Mar 24

    Our Airport Stories (Ep 8)

    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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Our Airport Stories (Ep 8)

  8. Mar 17

    Sensory Chaos to Calm (Ep 7)

    It's Neurodiversity Celebration Week 💚 and Episode 07 of the Exploring Inclusive Tourism™ Podcast couldn't have landed at a better time. The world is changing, fast. Customers want to buy from ethical businesses. People want to work for them. And the conversation around accessibility and inclusion is only going to get louder. This week, Amy sits down with Tania Gerard, ADHD UK Ambassador, TEDx speaker, and founder of Tania Gerard Digital UK, one of the UK's first consultancies dedicated to accessible marketing and neurodiversity in the workplace. Tania shares her own experience with ADHD and Autism, how it shapes her relationship with travel, and why she's on a mission to help businesses understand that accessibility isn't a nice-to-have. It's a no-brainer! Follow Tania on ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow Tania on Instagram. Find Tania's website ⁠here⁠. Access the full transcript ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inclusivetourism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Connect with Louisa on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Sensory Chaos to Calm (Ep 7)
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Travel isn’t equally inclusive for everyone - so we’re talking about it. Discover stories and practical tips for making travel more inclusive and accessible, with guests who have lived experience and people working in the industry. Plus, hear from us, a pair who love to travel and explore while navigating the challenges of our chronic illnesses and neurodivergent minds.

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