Travel providers can prosper with special needs
Travel industry trends can give a selling edge to providers who understand niches such as the fast-growing disability market, says Special Needs Group.
“One in five families has a family member with a disability. These individuals spend an average of $13.6 billion annually on trips and cruises, representing a large, underserviced pool of potential clients,” the site says.
Cruising is a particularly timely market.
As 2010 cruise season heats up, the trend curves of aging populations and increasingly larger cruise ships are boosting the numbers of persons requiring special needs equipment for cruising.
But there’s also the elderly. By 2015, the percentage of persons 65 or over is expected to jump to nearly one in five residents in the US. They tend to have their own special needs such as hearing loss, the site says.
“This translates to increased sales and added profits for agents who can accommodate the special needs and slow walker market,” the site says.
Groups such as Special Needs Group has delivery and pick-up capability within most of the world’s travel destinations like Ft. Lauderdale, Barcelona, Vancouver, and Sydney to mention a few. They can also accommodate "one-way" travel.
"Our goal at Special Needs Group is to remove all barriers to travel and to ensure that no one misses an opportunity to see the world or participate in a family vacation because of a physical impairment," says Andrew Garnett, founder and CEO.
For more information, visit the www.specialneedsgroup.com.
By David Wilkening
David
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