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Getting advice from
the tour operator or tour agent is very
important for the disabled person before
starting the journey and choosing the correct
tour operator is even more important. There are
certain things that the disabled traveler needs
to find out to make the journey as hassle free
as possible. Always ask for a list of operators
whose program can be considered by a disabled
traveler. It is no longer hard for you to travel
with disability now. Awareness is the first step
towards helping the disabled. Respect and
acceptance from society is also essential.
Among the
information to check with the tour operator are
whether any special assistance are provided by
the hotel, tour group and transportation company
that the disabled traveler intends to use, the
type of accommodations needed throughout the
trip - whether it is car rental, organizing
seating on planes, coaches or cruises, whether
the special dietary needs will be satisfactorily
met at the restaurants of the chosen destination
and whether the hotel has toilets catered for
disabled person. If the disabled
traveler is renting a car, make sure that a
hands control car is made available and always
reserve the type of car needed as soon as you
confirm your traveling plans. Having a placard
indicating that the person is disabled is
essential and always find out from the tour
operator how to get a temporary placard for the
country the disabled person is visiting before
leaving.
Always plan early
for the trip and try to book as early as
possible and not at the very last minute in
order for the tour operator to accommodate your
various needs and also to give them sufficient
time to make the relevant preparations to
fulfill your requirements. It is much easier to
deal with problems at home rather than at a
foreign country whereby language problems could
be a major obstacle in getting people to
understand what you mean. Misunderstandings will
be minimized if the enquiry and booking are
backed up with a letter clearly stating the
client's needs and requesting written
confirmation that these requests can be met. Advanced planning will
save you both time and money.
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