Making Accessible & Inclusive Travel More Meaningful, with Yock Song Law, Ludus Lab/Accessible Singapore

"For differently abled people, it can be frightening to travel overseas. There is often a gap in information about accessible services to help them plan and manage their trips." These challenges are exacerbated in South East Asia, where infrastructure and services are only starting to be optimised for travellers with accessible needs - and few specialist tour companies are leading the way forward. This week, Gary is joined by Yock Song Law, Co-founder & CEO of Ludus Lab, a Singapore-based start-up focused on accessible travel, training and development. Yock Song spent more than a decade with the Singapore Tourism Board, and is a board member for the Ras al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. We discuss why terms like 'Accessible' and 'Inclusive' travel are used interchangeably, but have different applications. Yock Song explains how he is developing training programmes for tour guides with disabilities, and what he has learned from the expectations of his clients from the US and Europe. We also address how ageing populations are altering travel service requirements in advanced economies, and the diverse challenges for travellers with physical and sensory disabilities in hotels, on public and private transport and at tourism attractions. Plus, what is the role of governments and tourism boards in designing travel experiences to be more holistic, inclusive and meaningful for all visitors? And do policies, regulations and certifications need revising to ensure tourism industry opportunities are available to everyone?