Porthole Cruise Magazine Names Special Needs Group Winner of Its Editor-in-Chief Awards 2012 'Best Travel Assistance For Cruisers With Disabilities' Category

2012 marks the first year that Porthole has included the category "Best Travel Assistance For Cruisers With Disabilities" as part of its annual Editor-in-Chief Awards. The awards are determined by Bill Panoff, the magazine's editor-in-chief, based on his personal travel experiences. They are presented to pay tribute to standouts in the travel industry.

"After personally traveling with a family member who required extra assistance, I turned to the experts at Special Needs Group," said Panoff. "The experience couldn't have been easier or more convenient. The company truly made the difference in our cruise vacation."

"We are pleased that Porthole has created this award category and are honored to have been chosen as the best in our field," said Garnett. "The publication has acknowledged that the accessible travel market is an important segment of the population that should not be ignored.

"Many people, even some travel professionals, think that it's not possible for individuals with special needs to travel, or that a trip would not be enjoyable for someone with a special need," he continued. "That could not be further from the truth. At Special Needs Group, our mission of 'Delivering an Accessible World' starts with awareness." 

One way Special Needs Group is achieving that mission is with its powerful, unprecedented online Accessible Travel Advocate Certification Program, launched on Nov. 14, 2011. The program educates travel agents about the size and scope of the market, the various types of equipment available, and how to work with anyone who has a special need. As of the beginning of 2012, 325 travel professionals successfully completed the program and achieved their Accessible Travel Advocate Certification.  

Twenty percent (62 million) of the U.S. population has some form of disability, and the number of these individuals is increasing daily. Studies show that 24 million disabled Americans would travel/travel more frequently if their special needs were met. The accessible market also includes Baby Boomers and mature adults who may be "slow walkers" and do not consider themselves disabled, but who could benefit from special needs products and services.

For more information about Special Needs Group, visit http://www.specialneedsgroup.com.

For travel professionals interested in learning more about the SNG Certified Accessible Travel Advocate program and how it can benefit travelers with special needs, contact Special Needs Group at 1-800-513-4515.


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