MEET THE MENTOR: SOPHIE MORGAN
HERE AT THE CONSCIOUS TRAVEL FOUNDATION, WE’RE ON A MISSION TO SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS AND THE WIDER INDUSTRY IN BECOMING EFFECTIVE AMBASSADORS AND CURATORS OF INCLUSIVE TRAVEL. HAVING MADE A LASTING IMPRESSION WHEN SHE JOINED ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT AND IMPACTFUL PANEL DISCUSSIONS TO DATE ON ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL BACK IN 2022, WE ARE THRILLED TO WELCOME THE INDOMITABLE SOPHIE MORGAN TO THE CONSCIOUS TRAVEL FOUNDATION’S MENTORSHIP TEAM.
PARALYSED IN A CAR CRASH WHEN SHE WAS EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD, TODAY, SOPHIE MORGAN IS A BROADCASTER, AUTHOR, CAMPAIGNER AND AWARD-WINNING ADVOCATE FOR DISABILITY RIGHTS. WITH A NEW MONTHLY INCLUSIVE TRAVEL COLUMN FOR CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER, SOPHIE IS ALSO THE CO-FOUNDER OF RIGHTS ON FLIGHTS, A CAMPAIGN AND MEMBER ORGANISATION WHICH PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY AND EMPOWERS DISABLED TRAVELLERS, GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR CAN-AM, AIRBNB AND PADI, AND - AS YOU WILL READ - AN AVID TRAVELLER. WITH HER CONTAGIOUS CAN-DO ATTITUDE AND INSPIRATIONAL OUTLOOK ON LIFE, WE ARE EXCITED TO WORK ALONGSIDE SOPHIE TO HELP DRIVE MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION.
Sophie - welcome to The Conscious Travel Foundation! Can you tell us a little bit about your story?
Thank you! I believe my story truly begins on the day I was paralysed in a car crash when I was eighteen years old. It was the same day I collected my A-Level results, the last day of my childhood. Everything I knew about my life changed after the crash, and it has been a wild rollercoaster of a journey ever since. Despite the many ups and down and countless setbacks, today, nearly twenty years on, life is only getting better. I am a TV Presenter, Producer, Writer and Artist, living between London, Sussex and - soon - California.
What is your most extraordinary travel experience to date that you never thought possible?
Most of the trips I take could fall into the category 'I never thought I would be able to do this'. Since the day I rolled out of the hospital as a wheelchair user, I have been told repeatedly that the world was off limits to people like me, and it's hard not to ingest those ableist beliefs. I have had to find my own path of discovery and define what would be possible, and I am still working it out.
If I had to choose, the most extraordinary experience might have been one of the first trips I took post-injury - an expedition across Nicaragua alongside 11 other disabled people with the BBC. I was only 6 months paralysed, and yet I found myself camping in the depths of the jungle on the mosquito coast. It was as intrepid as I had ever imagined and set the bar for what would come next.
You recently travelled to the Maldives and stayed at the beautiful Amilla, historically a destination that may have been perceived as inaccessible. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience and how the team at Amilla made that possible?
Jason and Victoria at Amilla recognise first-hand the benefits of inclusion and have gone above and beyond to adapt to what would otherwise be a very inaccessible environment. Perfection is often the enemy of progress, and Amilla explains to their guests that they will do what they can to give all of their guests equality of experience but are transparent when access is not possible. The Maldives is paradise, and Amilla is spectacular in itself, but the people made it such an inclusive environment. They have set a precedent, and the industry should sit up and take notice.
Whilst in the Maldives, you completed your PADI Open Water dive course with the help of Dive Butler - can you tell us about that experience?
I've been paralysed for nearly twenty years and have always wanted to learn to dive, but it wasn't until I met Alexis, and he showed me what was possible for someone like me, that I realised my life had been missing something. Alexis and the Dive Butler team went above and beyond to enable me to experience the joy of diving fully and empower me to be the best diver I can be. Nothing is too much trouble, and not only are they extraordinary teachers who make you feel safe and, therefore, empowered, but they also understand how to adapt everything - the equipment, the dive boat, the lessons themselves - so that, as a disabled person, you never feel at a disadvantage. Quite the opposite. They asked the right questions and listened to my individual needs. The dive butler team welcomes you like you are family and preempt what you need before you know it yourself! The personalised service takes scuba diving to another level. Everyone needs a dive butler!
Sophie diving in the Maldives with Dive Butler
Your stay in the Dominican Republic with TCTF Member ÀNI Resorts looked absolutely incredible. They are such a shining example of accessible design. What do you look for in a property when you're planning your travels?
For me, ÀNI is a utopia. Having been designed with a wheelchair user in mind because the owner is a paraplegic. Whilst at ÀNI, it is easy to forget the day-to-day struggles of being disabled and simply pack them away with all your other worries and simply relax! I always look for the standard legal requirements for disabled people when I book accommodation - step-free access, wide doorways, accessible bathrooms etc. - but I am searching for spaces that go above compliance and make you feel included. That is precisely what ÀNI does.
You've said in the past that authentic travel experiences are rarely accessible, but the team at Morocco Accessible Travel rose to the challenge to show you the best Morocco has to offer. What makes their approach as a DMC so unique, and what could other DMCs learn from them?
Eric and Jeremy are an example of true allyship. Neither have disabilities, but they don't let that stop them from learning about disability and working out the best ways to facilitate the impossible for those wishing to experience Morocco to its fullest. In some cultures, disability is still stigmatised, so perhaps it takes an outsider to challenge the norms and rewrite the rules. Trekking on a canal saddle in the Sahara was a pinch myself a moment. If any other DMC wants to emulate what they do, the first step is preempting what we might need. It's all about auditing for accurate information. They drove around Morocco to map and check so no guest would be disappointed. Attention to detail and courage to question.
Camel riding in the Moroccan desert with Accessible Travel Morocco
We spoke to you on the day your wheelchair was damaged on the flight back from LA, and you were understandably upset and frustrated. You've since launched the Rights On Flights campaign, which has had some phenomenal traction - what's next for the campaign?
We failed to get the UK Government to do more to support disabled travellers, so we are redirecting our efforts to work with the airlines to improve training and empower disabled flyers. There's considerable work to do, but we are on the precipice of change; worldwide, air travel is waking up to the need to improve the experience.
What are some of the other changes you'd like to see in the travel industry to bring equity and inclusion to travellers with disabilities?
Remove the fear, and list your accessible spaces; you don't have to be disability experts; we do that for you, so all you have to do is to ask us and listen. We will tell you what we need. If in doubt, feel free to contact me.
Could you let us know about some of your upcoming projects in the travel space?
I'm excited to have my monthly column with Conde Nast Traveler dedicated entirely to inclusive travel. It is such a privilege to have their support. I've lined up some exciting trips to Chile, Peru, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Norway this year. I'm also partnering with various travel experts to develop training materials.
And finally, are there any places or experiences on your travel bucket list that you'd love to experience?
Oh, don't get me started! Off the top of my head, I want to go to the Antarctic and see some whales. Find an adapted saddle and go riding with my mum in Yellowstone. Go sit skiing with my Dad in Austria. Road trip across the Rockies with my best friend and go adapted mountain biking. Visit the seven wonders of the world to see how accessible they are. Ride around the world on my bike. Go to space. You name it, I wanna do it.
