We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kayla Castro. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kayla below.

Kayla, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

I became a special needs travel agent because I saw a need for this in my autistic community. My oldest son is autistic and it took a lot of research, trial and error to find resources, accommodations, and services that brands provided for guests with special needs. These brands do not advertise their accommodations. I truly feel that if special needs families knew about the resources out there for them, then they would feel more confident traveling. So I am continuously learning, continuously trying to expand my knowledge on different destinations and what they offer guests with all abilities that way I can share that with special needs families. I just want to give families hope & the confidence to travel and give their loved ones the experiences that they deserve, like anyone else.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I became a travel agent over 2 years ago and that is when I also received my Certified Autism Travel Professional certification. My oldest son is autistic and I saw a need for special needs travel agents within the travel realm. Most of my clients come to me for Disney related travel. I used to be a cast member at the Disneyland Resort in CA but now I live in Orlando and I am a Walt Disney World Passholder. Not to mention my family and I are part of the Castaway Club for our many sailings aboard Disney Cruise Line.

I am continuously gaining knowledge on destinations to share with clients. And more than the average travel agent. When travel agents research vacations for families, they are personalized but they are not as detailed as what a special needs family would need on top of the simplified personalization.

When traveling with special needs, autism specifically, you have to worry about food options, eloping, quiet spaces, accommodations, respite care, I could go on and on. So my job is literally to do all of this research for clients so they can sit back, relax, and enjoy the magic. Going on vacation can be difficult for a special needs family. My job is to create confidence and give them tools to be successful.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think the biggest thing that helped build my reputation within my market is my honesty. I do not sugar coat things on social media. Especially for special needs moms, they just want to be seen and heard that life is hard and we are all just trying to survive. I am completely transparent on social media. I have heard many times about not mixing personal with business but for me personally, it is what has built my community and reputation. Families see me, they get to know me and my family, they see my credability and then they feel confident enough to reach out and ask for help!

Have you ever had to pivot?

The moment I had to pivot in my career is when I transitioned from a regular based travel agent to a special needs travel agent. It was a pivotal moment for me personally and one I remember very clearly. Lots of people tell you that you need to find your niche, I didnt realize how important that was until I did it. What sets you apart from the rest? That is something to hone down into.    

Contact Info:

• Website: specialkindofmagic.com
• Instagram: @special.kind.of.magic
• Facebook: Kayla Castro- Special Needs Travel Agent
• Other: https://briarandmaintravelboutique.com/kayla

Image Credits
My photos were all taken either by ourselves or by a friend that went with us. No professional photographer used