[Travelandtourism] Discusssion Blind people can travel anywhere with the right planning

Fri Aug 2 19:24:46 UTC 2013

No John,
2 different clients. One already went to Israel about 2 years ago, the other person more recently that gave me the hard time.
Cheryl

Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST - #1018299-10 FL CST T156780Your old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child.  Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking https://nfb.org/vehicledonations or call 855-659-9314.Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. http://www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama

From: jptebock at earthlink.net
To: cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] Discusssion Blind people can travel anywhere with the right planning
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2013 13:28:59 -0500

Hi Cheryl:

Just responding back to your emails about the blind 
person who had a bad experience in Isrel.  First of all, they should have 
told you where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do.  With you 
being a travel agent, it makes it hard to plan a trip if someone doesn't say 
where they want to go or do, just say they want to go to Isrel.  In the 
past when I used travel agents, I had particular dates and where I wanted to go, 
so that made it easier for them to plan.

I don't know why this person says our division is 
failing.  We had a good turnout for the division meeting in Orlando, and we 
are doing trips to places that people would like to go like disney and the 
National Parks.  i don't know what this person's issues are.

John TeBockhorst

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: 
  cheryl echevarria 
  To: travelandtourism 
  Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2013 12:16 
  PM
  Subject: RE: [Travelandtourism] 
  Discusssion Blind people can travel anywhere with the right planning

  Oh 
  one other thing. This person also said this division is failing, whatever that 
  means.

  Disabled 
  Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State
  Leading 
  the Way in Independent Travel!

  Cheryl 
  Echevarria, Owner
  http://www.echevarriatravel.com
  631-456-5394
  reservations at echevarriatravel.com
  http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com

  Affiliated as an 
  independent contractor with Montrose Travel
  CST - #1018299-10 FL 
  CST T156780
  Your 
  old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child.  Donate your 
  unwanted vehicle to us by clicking https://nfb.org/vehicledonations or 
  call 855-659-9314.
  Echevarria Travel has 
  partnered with Braille Smith. http://www.braillesmith.com for all her braille 
  needs.
  Gail Smith is the 
  Secretary of the NFB of Alabama

  > From: cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
> To: 
  travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2013 13:14:22 
  -0400
> Subject: [Travelandtourism] Discusssion Blind people can travel 
  anywhere with the right planning
> 
> Hello all:
> I am 
  writing this post in reference to start a topic of discussion with 
  everyone.
> Someone from this list, and I will keep the person's name 
  off of it because it didn't turn out very nice, and I said thank you, and left 
  it like that, but this is a good discussion point for this division.
> 
  Someone sent me an e-mail a few days about about trips for a blind person. 

> So I asked more questions and gave the advise that blind people can 
  go anywhere with the right planning, yes I even ask about someones mobility as 
  well, in a way, that is not condescending, but I would do that for anyone 
  traveling. Also from experience, when I booked someone to Israel last year, 
  told me that they traveled the world all by themselves and only needed from 
  time to time verbal directions. But this was not the case at all, the person 
  was traveling by themselves, and as soon as they got to Israel wanted to be 
  hand-holding the whole time with the tour operator.
> So, I ask 
  respectfully. I say that blind people can travel anywhere in the world, and I 
  ased who, what, where, when and why (why because it might be a family reunion, 
  an anniversary and I can set up some extras at the point of where they are 
  going, same with birthdays, etc.)
> The response I got today was 
  basically not what I expected. I am not going to post the whole e-mail, but 
  was told that this person was looking for professional advice and not that 
  blind people can go anywhere in travel and that I was rude and condescending, 
  and this person says that the blind are more rude then the sighted. And that 
  they are a fellow NFB person and I should know better. 
> I should have 
  offered things like accessible museums, etc.
> But how can one offer 
  these things when one doesn't know where the person wants to go. They have 
  these things available all over the world and can be arranged for anyone, 
  anytime.
> Case in point, our trip to the National Parks in October that 
  this group is doing, also we are starting to plan for next year as well. 

> We also went to Walt Disney World as a division.
> I have also 
  taken the NFB of New Jersey back in April for a fundraiser to Bermuda, we had 
  accessible things for us. Been myself to St. Thomas, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, and 
  other places in the world.
> Now my question to all of you finally, and 
  this is for discussion. If the person who wrote the issues with this wants to 
  chime in as well.
> Now as people who are blind as myself, and this can 
  possibly help others like myself or Vice President Shackelford, as well as 
  Anahit LaBarre, who are all travel professionals help you more. We know the 
  questions to ask, the who, what, when, where and whys of the dialogue to help 
  people, and I have been doing this since 2009.
> How do you feel this 
  should have gone down?
> I am not going to post the original e-mails. 
  For respect of the other person involved.
> A few rules on this list and 
  on all NFBnet.org lists.
> No rudeness, no cursing, etc.
> Please 
  respect one another as well.
> Sincerely,
> Cheryl Echevarria, 
  PresidentNFB Travel and 
  Tourism631-236-5138www.nfbtravel.orginfo at nfbtravel.org
> 
> 

> Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in 
  Independent Travel!
> Cheryl Echevarria, 
  Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
> 
  Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST - #1018299-10 
  FL CST T156780Your old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child. 
  Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking 
  https://nfb.org/vehicledonations or call 855-659-9314.Echevarria Travel has 
  partnered with Braille Smith. http://www.braillesmith.com for all her braille 
  needs.Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama 
> 
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