Dear Lynda,
My name is Sara. I am an academic who is studying Airbnb. We have recently written a book on Airbnb which contains a chapter specifically about travelers with disabilities. In this chapter, we would love to include a few of your quotes from this forum, because we feel that they give such a good description of the challenges some travelers face. Your quotes also illustrate very nicely how much more needs to be done to make sure accommodation of all kinds is truly accessible to everyone.
I am writing to ask your permission to use the following quotes of yours in the book:
“I am both a host and a guest. I find it incredibly difficult to find truly accessible accommodation. When listing, owners tend to tick the box “Wheelchair access” if they think a wheelchair can get through the back door. I’m not sure what we are supposed to do once we are there, if we can’t get into the bathroom, toilet, or even the bedroom!”
“There are so many disabilities, thus a large variety of needs for different people. If all the facts are presented then a person can decide if they can or can’t manage. It doesn’t have to be perfect but there are important issues. Are the doorways wide enough to take a wheelchair? Can the wheelchair access the toilet area? Is there a handle for support to transfer to the toilet? Is the shower accessible (wet floor, support handles, non slip flooring)? Can a wheelchair move to the side of the bed so a guest can transfer from the chair to the bed? If this information was presented to me, (and other disabled travellers) we could make an informed decision rather than having to ask the same questions over and over again”.
"I’m proud to say that our place … is fully accessible."
Of course, the quotes will link back to your post, so it is clear that these are your words, not ours.
Can you please let me know if you give your permission for us to use those direct quotes in our book.
And please let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you very much for considering my request.
Best wishes
Sara