Press Room

Disabled Americans

Between 43-54 million Americans have a disability.

8% of the people using the Internet have significant disabilities.

53% of Americans over 65 have a disability. This percentage will increase as baby boomers are nearing retirement.

Disability affects people of all ages. Some 31.6% of people limited in activity are 65 or older, 10.7% are 18 or younger, and the remaining 57.6% are of working age.

According to a report titled "Americans With Disabilities: 1997," based on the Survey of Income and Program Participation, among people 15 and over in 1997:

-- 25 million had difficulty walking a quarter mile or climbing a flight of 10 stairs, or used an ambulatory aid, such as a wheelchair (2.2 million) or a cane, crutches or a walker (6.4 million).

-- About 18 million had difficulty lifting and carrying a 10-pound bag of groceries or grasping small objects.

-- About 14.3 million had a mental disability, including 1.9 million with Alzheimer's disease, senility or dementia; and 3.5 million with learning disabilities.

-- About 8.0 million had difficulty hearing what was said in a normal conversation with another person (even when wearing a hearing aid); of these, 800,000 were unable to hear what was said in a normal conversation.

-- About 7.7 million had difficulty seeing the words and letters in ordinary newspaper print (even with glasses); of these, 1.8 million were unable to see words and letters in ordinary newspaper print.

Mature Americans

According to The Mature Traveler, 2000 Edition, many more domestic trips are taken by Mature travelers who have completed college, have an annual household income of $75,000 or more and who are more technologically savvy than five years ago.

Mature travelers took nearly 179 million trips in 1999, an increase of five percent over 1994, accounting for three in ten (31%) of all domestic trips*. In comparison, the highest share of domestic trips (45%) is by baby boomers.

The first members of the Baby Boom generation turned 55 years old in 2001. The travel industry needs to be prepared for a drastic growth in the mature consumer market.

Favorite trip activities by Mature travelers include shopping (29%), visiting historical places or museums (15%), attending cultural events or festivals (12%), gambling (11%), outdoor activities (11%), visiting national or state parks (8%) and going to the beach (7%). Three percent of all mature trips include golf/tennis/skiing.

Over half (53%) of trips by Matures are by retired travelers; just under half (45%) are by employed travelers.

Of all mature trips taken, those taken by Senior Matures (age 65 or older) make up roughly half, or 92.5 million trips. Senior Matures are three times as likely as Junior Matures (55-64) to travel by bus (6% vs. 2%). This group is also twice as likely to take a group tour (8% vs. 4%).