USA | A new study has highlighted the economic impact of adult travellers with disabilities, as released by the Open Doors Organisation.
The Open Doors Organisation (ODO) has released findings from its 2024 research study conducted with The Harris Poll, showcasing the significant economic impact of U.S. adult travellers with disabilities. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this market has rebounded and remains vital to the travel and tourism sector.
“Travelers with disabilities, including older adults, are a critical and growing part of the economy,” said Eric Lipp, ODO’s Executive Director
“This data provides the travel sector with information to create a business case that will help to justify and drive meaningful change.”
U.S. travellers with disabilities spend nearly USD $50 billion annually on travel. Including companions, their total economic contribution is estimated at over USD $100 billion annually. This reflects a decline from USD $59 billion in the pre-pandemic 2020 study but underscores a strong recovery post-COVID.
From 2022 to2024, 25.6 million travellers with disabilities took 77 million trips. While hotel stays saw a slight decrease (79 percent in 2024 vs. 84 percent in 2020), train travel gained popularity, rising to 13 percent usage, up from 10 percent in 2020.
Spending on cruises surged from USD $10.4 billion in 2020 to USD $18.5 billion in 2024, signalling strong growth in this sector. Eighty-one percent of travellers with disabilities used the Internet for trip planning and management, marking an all-time high in technology reliance.
Challenges persist across airlines (81 percent encountering obstacles), airports (84 percent), and hotels (74 percent). Specific issues for the latter include heavy hotel doors (33 percent), inconvenient room locations (27 percent), and insufficient shower benches (25 percent).
Reflecting on two decades of research, Lipp emphasised the need for further progress.
“When we began this work in 2002, we aimed to wake the travel industry up to the value of the disability market. While awareness has grown, much remains to be done to ensure equitable travel experiences. Everyone deserves a positive travel experience.”
The 2024 study continues ODO's legacy of providing actionable insights into travel trends, spending habits, and accessibility barriers, enabling businesses to better serve travellers with disabilities. This is the fifth such study since 2002.
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