Are you a visually impaired person who loves to travel? Here are some useful tips

Travelling is a great way to learn and understand the world we live in. Everyone should travel according to their means and interests and regardless of whether you are disabled or not, it can be made easy and comfortable if you keep a few things in mind. Here are some to remember if you are a visually impaired person.

The charm of travelling hold good for all of us. The joy of being at a new place, the feeling of adventure and the thrill of meeting new people makes the troubles bearable and even part of the fun.

Over the years, the travel industry is making an effort to reach out to a number of visually impaired people. This is great because it creates greater awareness about how to make travel accessible and helps build inclusion.

Organising dedicated trips for blind travellers is not uncommon these days and there are lot of options to choose from. These inclusive trips are created considering the comfort, safety, entertainment, and enjoyment of people with visual impairments.

If you are a first time traveller, some anxiety is natural. So, here are some tips from the veterans. Aruni Sharma from Lucknow says the right attitude is what matters.

Stay positive and excited about the journeys to make them fun and memorable. Step out of your comfort level and try new things as it is important for mental peace and happiness. Aruni Sharma, College professor

Here are some ideas to make travelling easier if you have visual impairments.

– Plan in advance.

– Some anxiety is normal provided you don’t let it overwhelm you.

– Try and travel in a group, especially if you are visiting a new place.

– Keep required documents handy. Carry soft copies as well.

– Carry a cane with you particularly in crowded places, as it lets other know that you are a person who is blind or has low vision.

– Carry your assistive gadgets with you.

– Travelling with an escort is also an option.

– Be mentally prepared for the challenges on the way or for people to be unhelpful.

– Carry as little cash as possible. Use digital payment options instead.

– Let the airline or hotel know in advance about your disability and ask questions about accessibility.

– If travelling abroad, understand about local transport and currency and contact support groups for blind people.

– Do not take unnecessary risks and trust your instincts.

Penav Mota, a law student from Mumbai recently travelled to Dubai and had an extraordinary experience.

“The airline was very helpful and the journey started off very comfortably without any delays. I really liked the way the airline staff showed care, friendliness, sensitisation and empathy. I went with a tour and everything was taken care off in the best possible way. I would definitely advise people with visual impairments to travel and have some wonderful experience.

Book a trip:

If you are visually impaired and wish to travel, here are a few companies that can help.

Rising Star Tours & Travels is a travel company that specializes in trips for visually impaired people. The company website is risingstarkhiltechehre.org . For more details reach out to Amit Jain at +91-9811141952 or write email to amit@traveldham.com.

BAT Travels also organizes inclusive trips for people visually impaired people. The company website is battravelsonline.com. For more details reach out to the team at +91-9920058200 or write email to hello@battravelsonline.com.

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