Fodor’s Travel Feature: The Top Companies Helping Travelers With Disabilities See the World

Author

GOMO Travel

For more information about the author, click to view their website: Gomo Travel

Posted on

Feb 11, 2025

Book/Edition

Florida - Southwest

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Travel is inspiring, offering glimpses of new cultures, exciting adventures, and the ultimate in relaxation. As travelers, we are often asked to step outside of our comfort zone to enjoy those experiences. However, if you need accessible travel, it’s rarely easy.

It’s normal to arrive at a destination as a wheelchair user and find the accessible room given away or discover there’s a step to get into the restaurant. Tour providers might deny access based on ignorance and limit options out of fear of litigation. Even your wheelchair is at risk. In August of 2024, over 75,000 wheelchairs and scooters were damaged on flights.

There’s a need for accessible travel options that are clear and reliable. A 2022 study by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics found that over 18.6 million Americans over the age of five self-reported having disabilities that limited travel. Certainly, if more opportunities existed that safely offered inclusive travel, that number would shrink.

Here, we’ve listed a few companies that are determined to change the landscape of accessible travel.


Nurse Companions: GOMO Travel

Founder Kerri Johnson wanted to age fearlessly and never stop traveling. After meeting her biological father in 2017 and realizing he couldn’t travel alone, she combined her years of RN experience and an executive MBA to open GOMO Travel, a company that offers experienced companions to assist travelers who need a little extra help journeying.

“I wanted to own a company that could make a difference. I knew my father wasn’t the only one in that situation. We’ve been able to help countless individuals for various reasons, and it’s been really rewarding,” said Johnson.

With a global reach, there’s no limit on the places that GOMO can go, for any travel needs. There are currently 25 GOMO travel companions throughout the United States, and the business is expanding. They are located near large travel hubs, but if a client needs assistance in another area, they just pay a price based on cost and time to get a GOMO representative to them.

GOMO offers literal door-to-door companionship, mostly with registered nurses. Having a travel companion helps travelers with mobility needs take on unexpected issues during travel, like weather emergencies, flight delays, and traffic. These circumstances can disrupt even the most carefully planned trip.

“When I started this, I didn’t realize the enormity of it. Everybody wants to continue to travel, but many are fearful,” Johnson said. “Our goal is to normalize assisted travel across the globe. There’s no FOMO with GOMO.”


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