Largest U.S. Accessible Travel Study Finds 17% of American Travel Parties Include Travelers with Accessibility Needs

New Insights from Longwoods International Survey of 30,000 Travelers that had someone in their party that required accessibility services

SAUSALITO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The largest study ever conducted on accessible travel in the United States has found that 17% of all American travel parties in 2025 included at least one traveler who required accessibility services. The landmark research—conducted by Longwoods International and TravelAbility and their Destination A11Y Club—analyzed more than 30,000 accessibility related trips, offering the most comprehensive picture to date of how accessibility needs shape travel behavior.

Among those travelers seeking accessibility services:
• 60% had mobility-related needs
• 25% had vision challenges
• 23% had hearing loss
• 22% had cognitive considerations

“This study is a wake-up call for the U.S. travel industry,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International. “The fact that one sixth of all U.S. travel parties have a traveler who will seek accessibility services on their trips highlights both a need and an opportunity for those travel suppliers who promote and enhance their range of accessible services.”
Accessible Travelers Are More Loyal, Stay Longer, and Spend More

The study found that accessible travelers are among the most loyal visitors in the tourism economy:
• 91% of overnight accessible travelers are repeat visitors — 6% higher than the national norm
• 71% visited the same destination within the past 12 months — 9% higher than the national norm

They also contribute more economically:
• Average trip length: 4 nights, compared to 3.7 nights for all U.S. travelers
• Average party size: 3.3 people, compared to 3.0 for other U.S. travelers

Industry Implications
“Accessibility is no longer a niche —it’s a mainstream expectation,” said Jake Steinman, Founder & CEO of TravelAbility. “This data shows that accessible travelers are not only traveling more often, but they’re also staying longer, spending more, and returning more frequently. Destinations that invest in accessibility aren’t just gaining a point of differentiation, they’re preparing for the tsunami of baby boomers who will be aging into a disability.”

TravelAbility is an organization focused on advancing accessibility across the travel industry. It works with destinations and their industry partners to help make travel more welcoming for people with accessibility needs.

Longwoods International is a leading travel and tourism research consultancy with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio and Toronto Canada, and offices in Indiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. It conducts Longwoods Travel USA^®, the largest ongoing survey of American travelers, as well as image, advertising effectiveness, advertising return on investment, sentiment, and other custom research in 12 countries around the globe.

Jake Steinman
TravelAbility
+1 415-339-0578
email us here

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