The Accessible Travel Foundation raises awareness on the importance of accessible travel. Every other year the Awards of Excellence are given to companies, non-profits, travelers and others who stand out from the crowd when it comes to raising awareness or contributing to the world of accessible travel.
Open Doors Organization – United States
Eric Lipp is the Executive Director of Open Doors Organization, which he founded in 2000. His work is grounded in his personal experience with the challenges people with disabilities face in everyday life.
This motivation led him to establish ODO, where he now collaborates with some of the world’s largest travel, tourism, and transportation companies, including all domestic airlines carriers, many international carriers, and companies such as Lyft and Uber. He is also a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and serves on the advisory boards of various large travel-related businesses and airports, such as ORD, MSP, and Royal Caribbean International.
Open Doors Organization – United States
Know more about Eric Lipp and the Open Doors Organization, founded in 2000.
1. When did you start your work and why?
I founded the Open Doors Organization after personally experiencing the barriers people with disabilities face in everyday life.
Shortly after my 30th birthday, I was diagnosed with Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease and underwent surgery to remove a tumor in my thoracic spine. During the procedure, my spinal cord was severed, leaving me a T4 incomplete paraplegic. What could have ended my journey instead became the catalyst for my life’s work.
I faced fear, pain, isolation, and deep uncertainty during my recovery. At a time when it would have been easy to spiral into the unknown, Open Doors Organization gave me purpose. Building the organization became a lifeline—something that grounded me and gave me a reason to persevere.
Rather than allowing my diagnosis to stop me, it sharpened my focus on making travel, tourism, and transportation accessible for everyone. Travel is a vital part of life. Everyone deserves the opportunity to get out, explore, vacation, and experience the world regardless of their disability. My goal has always been to help make that possible.
With this mission at the center of my work, I’ve built strong relationships within the disability community. I have been able to both encourage people with disabilities to travel and ensure their lived experiences directly shape ODO’s training and consulting services. My personal journey informs my professional mission, and I’m proud of the impact this work has had on both the travel and tourism industry and the disability community.
With this mission at the center of my work, I’ve built strong relationships within the disability community. I have been able to both encourage people with disabilities to travel and ensure their lived experiences directly shape ODO’s training and consulting services.
2. Tell us a bit about your city and how do you experience it accessibility wise?
Chicago is one of the most accessible cities in the country, largely because it has long been a leader in disability advocacy. Historically, smaller cities often look to major cities like Chicago as a model, such as its curb cuts, accessible public rights-of-way, or public transportation.
Our bus system is highly accessible and makes it possible to get around the city reliably. While not all CTA train stations are accessible yet, there was significant progress when Chicago was pursuing the Olympic bid, which led to upgrades at several stations that otherwise might not have happened. Unfortunately, once that bid ended, some construction slowed—but many stations, including ones like Belmont, are now accessible as a result.
Overall, Chicago’s public transportation system still makes it one of the best major cities in the U.S. for accessible mobility. On top of that, Illinois has building codes that go above and beyond the requirements of the ADA, which further improves access in both public and private spaces. From my experience, the combination of strong advocacy, accessible transit, and higher building standards makes Chicago a city where people with disabilities can truly navigate and participate in daily life.
3. What is your favorite accessible destination?
Cruises are my favorite accessible travel experiences. The cruise industry as a whole has a strong understanding of the wide range of needs passengers may have and has made significant investments in accessibility across services and onboard experiences.
As for destinations, San Diego stands out as one of the most accessible cities in the United States. California’s accessibility laws go beyond the requirements of the ADA, and San Diego’s modern infrastructure means fewer older buildings that were constructed without accessibility in mind. These factors make the city easy to navigate for travelers with disabilities.
4. If you could spend 1 million on improving accessibility in your country, what would you do
I would invest in a national transportation dispatching platform dedicated to accessible vehicles, paired with targeted subsidies to help offset costs. The goal would be to ensure people with disabilities have reliable and on-demand accessible transportation in every city.
5. What would you like to share with our followers?
The more you travel, the easier it gets. If your first experience isn’t great, that’s okay, and don’t give up! Try again since every trip teaches you something new.
Traveling creates awareness. The more you do it, the more you learn—what to plan for, what questions to ask, and what mistakes to avoid next time. After a couple of trips, you’re better prepared, more confident, and more empowered.
Planning ahead makes a difference, but so does perseverance. You deserve to explore, experience, and enjoy the world so keep going!
