Accessibility Consultant Launches New App To Help People With A Disability Travel With Confidence

Accessibility consultant Shelley Cowan has launched a new web app to help people with a disability find and book accommodation that meets their access needs.

TravelEase is the latest initiative from Shelley Cowan, a tech founder and accessibility consultant whose work is rooted in lived experience and data-driven research.

The platform has been developed in response to widespread barriers within the travel and tourism sectors. Based on Shelley’s own experiences as a wheelchair user and her postgraduate research into accessibility in hospitality, the app introduces a user-friendly grading system that helps travellers understand whether a venue meets specific needs such as step-free access, hoists, under-bed clearance and other essential features.

“Travel should be an opportunity for exploration, enjoyment, and freedom, yet for millions of people with a disability, it remains an exhausting and frustrating challenge,” Shelley said.

“TravelEase, an innovative new app, is set to change that by making fully accessible accommodation easy to find, book, and verify.”

According to Shelley’s research, 90 percent of people surveyed were unable to find suitable destinations or accommodation, and 100 percent reported challenges when travelling. For those with complex disabilities, it takes an average of two months to source adequate accommodation, requiring extensive research, phone calls, and uncertainty.

“While pet-friendly accommodations are widely available, fully accessible accommodations remain extremely limited,” Shelley explained. “This lack of options forces many travellers with accessibility needs to either compromise on their requirements or abandon travel altogether. The result? Missed opportunities for both individuals and businesses.”

Shelley, who previously spent more than a decade using a wheelchair, said the issue is deeply personal.

“As a person with a disability, I have faced countless barriers, including the need to purchase a £1,200 portable hoist just to be able to stay overnight safely,” she said.

TravelEase is designed for a wide range of users, including people with reduced mobility, older travellers, and those with young children. It is built to support informed decision-making and reduce the risks associated with inaccessible or misleading accommodation listings.

Driven by her findings, Shelley has developed a grading system that enables people with reduced mobility to easily identify accommodations that meet their specific needs. “Whether someone requires a hoist, step-free access, or under-bed clearance, TravelEase ensures that accessibility is not an afterthought – it’s a guarantee,” Shelley explained.

Shelley’s work through TravelEase is part of her wider mission to improve accessibility through advocacy, education, and business consultancy. She is the founder of Access Avenue, an accessibility consultancy that supports organisations to better understand the needs of people with a disability and implement practical, meaningful improvements.

Through Access Avenue, Shelley advises public, private and third-sector organisations on inclusive design, accessibility grading, and service provision. Her work is grounded in lived experience and supported by academic study, including a first-class MSc in International Business.

Shelley is also Northern Ireland’s first Purple Tuesday National Community Ambassador. In this role, she promotes the importance of inclusive customer experience and works alongside the global campaign to raise awareness of the barriers people with a disability face when accessing services.

“Travel non-participation due to accessibility barriers is costing the economy millions and preventing millions of people from living a fulfilling lifestyle,” Shelley said. “Businesses are missing out on the Purple Pound – the spending power of people with a disability, currently valued at £274 billion annually in the UK.”

Shelley’s wider advocacy work is supported by her growing career as a keynote speaker. Represented by the Self Made Speaking Academy, she regularly delivers talks across the UK and internationally, sharing insight on disability rights, accessibility, innovation, and lived experience. Her keynote topics are shaped by personal and professional insight, and include themes such as her journey from adversity to advocacy, the untapped potential of accessibility for people, businesses and society, and the human impact of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.

Shelley has addressed audiences including International Rotary Clubs, community transport conferences, hospitality forums, and International Women’s Day events. Her talks are informed by more than 30 years of lived experience as a person with a disability and are grounded in research and practical understanding of accessibility challenges.

She was previously selected for Ireland’s TechFoundHer programme, a tech pre-accelerator for women-led start-ups. Her story has been featured in awareness campaigns such as Hear Us Roar and Island Voices, and she continues to contribute to conversations around disability, innovation and social change.

“Accessible travel is not just about meeting basic needs – it is an opportunity for innovation, economic growth, and social inclusion,” Shelley said. “While the tourism industry has embraced pet-friendly travel, it’s time to prioritise accessibility with the same commitment. By failing to accommodate travellers with accessibility needs, businesses are turning away a multi-billion-pound market.”

The launch of TravelEase is the latest step in Shelley’s ongoing campaign to challenge inaccessibility across sectors and support businesses to become more inclusive. As both a consultant and campaigner, she continues to call for greater transparency, industry standards and structural reform across hospitality, tourism, transport and public services.

To find out more about TravelEase, keynote bookings, or accessibility consultancy through Access Avenue, go to accessavenue.co.uk.