50 Times Designers Absolutely Nailed Their Task And Deserved All The Praise (New Pics)

When we reach out to Tarryn Tomlinson, we aren’t surprised to hear that she’s on her way to speak at an event. Her work has taken her around the world, and her passion for inclusive and accessible design keeps her very busy. As a leader in her field, Tomlinson is often found on stage, educating the hospitality and tourism industries on the needs of travelers with diverse abilities. Tomlinson kindly agrees to make time to chat to us once she’s off stage. 

As the Liveable Group website states, the company’s founder “has a background and passion for social development, design, marketing, and travel which she now uses to contribute positively towards creating more inclusive tourism.” Tomlinson wears many hats. She's a member of the International Association of Access Professionals, a spokesperson for the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa, and the winner of the WTM- Africa, Responsible Tourism Awards for Diversity and Inclusion, a television presenter, author, and businesswoman.

"I'm firstly a human rights activist who is passionate about uplifting the marginalized," says Tomlinson when we finally get to chat. "My company Liveable Universal Access Consultants advocates for accessible environments for all, especially persons with disabilities, in the hospitality and tourism industries."

The 42-year-old became a wheelchair user at the age of 18, after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. But she refused to let anything stand in her way. Since then, she's summited Mount Kilimanjaro, holidayed solo in Europe, sky-dived off Table Mountain, gone shark-cage diving with great whites, been a guest speaker at global events, hosted television talk shows, and made a name for herself as an international consultant in the accessible design arena.

We ask Tomlinson what led her down the path of design. "It started with my love of art, and the fact that my father was a draughtsman and I grew up looking at his technical drawings," she replied. "Then, as I became a wheelchair user, inaccessible environments impacted me, and I started to notice the barriers to access due to bad design. I also have a friend in the tourism industry who asked me to check accessible hotels for their clients and so it was a mixture of nature and nurture."