hile we're giving thanks this week, a
few words of gratitude are due the Society for the Advancement of
Travelers With Handicaps (SATH).
The educational organization, founded in 1976, has helped
disabled travelers with a wide range of information; lobbied
vigorously for the access portion of the Americans With
Disabilities Act, and assisted travel agencies and tour operators
in learning how to provide professional services to this segment of
the market.
The chairman of SATH, Stuart Vidockler, is carrying on the work
of his late father, Murray Vidockler, a travel agent who
spearheaded the formation of the organization and was a tireless
worker on its behalf.
SATH also benefits greatly from the work of other travel agents,
including Paul Alterman and Harold Berns, as well as from the
efforts of its executive director, Laurel van Horn.
Among SATH's valuable activities is an annual World Congress in
Florida that serves as a learning opportunity for travel
professionals who seek to serve this market.
The next Congress will be held Jan. 24 to 28 at the Fort
Lauderdale Airport Hilton and will commemorate the 25th anniversary
of the organization.
It was at the SATH congress a few years ago that Beverly Caine
of Tivoli Travel in Massapequa, N.Y., first began to learn how to
provide services to disabled travelers. Beverly and Stuart Caine
have owned the agency since 1986; they offer full-service travel
retailing and generate close to $2 million in revenue.
The commission caps caused the Caines to seek alternate sources
of business.
They began attending the SATH congress and discovered that there
was a great need for agencies to handle disabled travelers.
Beverly said the most valuable aspect of the meeting was the
ability to establish contacts among other travel professionals.
With their assistance, Tivoli Travel has entered this market and
has generated about $200,000 in additional sales.
Beverly said the business involves more than disabled clients;
it includes their families and friends and word-of-mouth referrals.
The agency says the new business involves a lot of cruises,
customized tours and some air ticketing.
Tivoli advertises in a newspaper that reaches the disabled and
exhibits at a trade show aimed at that market.
Although there is a higher level of awareness about the need to
provide services to the disabled, SATH officials note that much
remains to be done, particularly outside the U.S. The meeting in
January will include participants from nearly two dozen
countries.
Information about SATH is available at www.sath.org.