When Karen Harvey takes a holiday she has a longer-than-average list of things she needs to check before embarking on her trips — and it can be quite consuming. 

Ms Harvey lives with paraplegia and has to find out the accessibility for every single part of her journey, including how wide the doors are or whether there is enough room to move around a facility. 

She told Stan Shaw on ABC Radio Perth it was more than just having ramps and lifts for people in wheelchairs.

Businesses needed to think about how to consider the needs of people of all ages and abilities, including those who needed to travel with support people or guide dogs, or those with low vision. 

"Do you have a high counter, how do you manage that?" Ms Harvey said.

"When I go to a business and there's a high counter I prefer that someone steps out to talk to me rather than try look over the top of the counter because that in itself is really disempowering." 

Ms Harvey has been working as an access and advocacy officer at Spinal Life Australia, trying to educate tourism operators and businesses on how they can improve. 

A recent survey commissioned by the Tourism Council in WA found one in three West Australians has an accessibility requirement when travelling.