17% of all U.S. travel parties include at least one traveler who will seek accessibility services.
That’s one of the key findings from the largest study ever conducted on accessible travel in the United States, from Longwoods International, TravelAbility, and the Destination A11Y Club.
The study analyzed more than 30,000 accessibility-related trips offering the most comprehensive picture to date of how accessibility needs shape travel behavior.
“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
- 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:
- 4 nights is the average trip length, compared with 3.7 nights for U.S. travelers overall.
- 3.3 people is the average party size, compared with 3.0 people for other U.S. travelers.
The opportunity is clear.
Accessibility is not a niche market. One in six U.S. travel parties includes someone who will seek accessibility services.
The question for destinations and travel businesses is how well they are prepared to serve them.
Want to see what the data means for you?
The full research will be presented at the 2026 TravelAbility Summit, November 9–11 in Tampa, Florida.
Join travel industry leaders for a closer look at the data, what it means for the future of accessible travel, and how destinations and businesses can turn accessibility into a competitive advantage.
This article brought you by SYTA partner TravelAbility.
Images courtesy of TravelAbility.
