Conversations That Start With Travel, and Go Deeper

Blind travel is rarely just about travel.

It is about systems, assumptions, and decisions that shape independence long before a traveler arrives at a gate, a hotel desk, or a destination. When those systems work, travel feels seamless. When they fail, the impact is immediate and often invisible to anyone not living it.

My speaking and media work grows directly out of that reality.

I speak and write from lived experience as a blind traveler, using real-world travel stories to help audiences understand how accessibility succeeds, where it breaks down, and why those moments matter. These conversations are practical, grounded, and designed to move beyond awareness into understanding and action.

Speaking Engagements and Professional Training

I speak to organizations and communities that design, manage, report on, or influence travel experiences. That includes hospitality professionals, accessibility teams, educators, advocacy groups, and institutions looking to better serve blind and low vision travelers.

These sessions are rooted in real scenarios drawn from airports, airlines, hotels, destinations, and cultural spaces. They focus on how blind travelers actually move through the world, how independence is either supported or undermined, and what small changes can create meaningful improvements.

Common themes include:

• How blind and low vision travelers navigate modern travel environments
• Where accessibility policies succeed, and where they quietly fail in practice
• Staff interactions that build trust and independence
• The role of technology, training, and communication in accessible travel

The goal is not inspiration. It is clarity. Audiences leave with a better understanding of how accessibility works on the ground, and why lived experience is essential to designing systems that function reliably.

Media Appearances and Press Experience

In addition to speaking engagements, I regularly contribute to conversations in media focused on travel, accessibility, and independence.

I am comfortable working with journalists, editors, and producers across print, digital, audio, and broadcast platforms. This includes interviews, expert commentary, feature stories, and ongoing coverage related to accessible travel, disability and mobility, guide dog travel, and the realities of navigating public spaces without sight.

My media appearances have included:

• Podcasts and creator-led platforms within the blind and low vision community
• Travel education programs, including Hadley’s travel series
• Veteran and service-member travel groups discussing independence and logistics
• Accessibility-focused interviews and panel discussions
• Television News and Magazine interview and articles

These conversations often center on how travel systems function in practice, what blind travelers encounter day to day, and how policy, design, and training decisions affect real people.

I am equally comfortable contributing to mainstream media coverage, offering context, lived experience, and informed perspective on accessible travel and disability-related topics.

See a list of my media appearances

Community Conversations and Ongoing Dialogue

Some of the most important conversations around accessible travel happen outside traditional media channels.

I regularly participate in discussions led by blind and low vision creators, advocates, and travelers. These conversations are often candid, practical, and focused on what actually helps, from guide dog travel to navigating unfamiliar destinations with confidence.

Not every appearance is formally archived, and that is intentional. Blind Travels values ongoing dialogue over promotion, and these exchanges continue to shape the work published here.

A Practical Perspective on Accessibility

My approach to accessibility is shaped by decades of professional experience working with complex systems, production environments, and user-focused design. That background informs how I look at travel today.

I approach accessibility as an operational challenge. Where does it fail? Who feels it first? And how can thoughtful design and training reduce friction instead of adding it?

This perspective resonates with audiences because it treats accessibility as a shared responsibility and a solvable problem, not a favor or an afterthought.

Who This Work Is For

My speaking and media work is well suited for:

• Travel and hospitality organizations
• Accessibility and inclusion teams
• Journalists and media outlets covering travel or disability topics
• Educators and students exploring inclusive design
• Veteran and community groups focused on independent travel

If your work intersects with people, places, or systems travelers rely on, the conversation will be relevant.

Let’s Connect

For speaking engagements, media inquiries, interviews, or training opportunities related to blind and low vision travel, accessibility, or independent exploration, I welcome the conversation.

Please reach out through the Contact page, or explore the broader work through Blind Travels’ travel guides and articles.

Speaker Bio

Ted Tahquechi is a blind traveler, writer, speaker, and accessibility advocate, and the founder of BlindTravels.com, a leading resource for blind and low vision travelers navigating the world independently. His work focuses on how travel systems actually function in practice, from airports and airlines to hotels, destinations, and travel technology, and how design and training decisions directly impact independence.

Ted regularly speaks with and contributes to media outlets, podcasts, and educational platforms covering accessible travel, disability, and inclusive design. His media appearances include conversations with blind and low vision–led podcasts such as Awarewolf and The Blind Chick, as well as travel education programs through Hadley. He has also spoken with veteran and service-member travel groups and participated in accessibility-focused interviews and panels discussing real-world travel logistics without sight.

Comfortable working with journalists, editors, and producers across print, digital, audio, and broadcast formats, Ted brings lived experience, clarity, and practical insight to discussions about accessible travel, guide dog navigation, and disability-inclusive systems. His speaking and media work emphasizes real scenarios over theory, helping audiences understand where accessibility succeeds, where it breaks down, and how meaningful improvements can be made.

Ted’s perspective is shaped by decades of professional experience working with complex systems and user-focused design, which informs his pragmatic approach to accessibility as an operational challenge rather than an abstract ideal. Through Blind Travels, his writing, and his media work, he continues to advocate for travel that works reliably, respectfully, and independently for everyone.