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Moving beyond financial penalties, the Stevie® Award-winning brand introduces industry-first peer-to-peer matching for accessible, grieving, and LGBTQIA+ solo travelers—taking aim at the structural "Exception Tax"

ERIE, Pa., June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire-³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø/ --  the 2026 Stevie® Award-winning global travel technology company on a mission to End the Solo Taxâ„¢, today announced three new features—Helping Hand, Roaming to Remember, and Open Arms—making Roamate the first platform to offer peer-to-peer matching for accessible and grief-focused solo travel. Powered by Roamate's patent-pending matching algorithm, these three platform features are designed to help solo travelers find companionship and connection around accessibility needs, grief, and inclusion.

The rollout reflects Roamate's view that the Solo Tax is not only financial, but emotional, social, and structural. It manifests as the extra cost, effort, and uncertainty placed on people who travel outside the industry's long-standing default—a systemic penalty Roamate refers to as the Exception Tax.

"The current standards of travel were built for a specific type of default," said Charli Sharp, Founder and CEO of Roamate. "We are challenging that standard by recognizing that the barriers to traveling solo go far beyond higher pricing. For those outside the industry mold, the Solo Tax can become an Accessibility Gap for disabled travelers, a Disclosure Tax for LGBTQIA+ individuals, and an Emotional Burden for those who are grieving. We are building the infrastructure so that solo travelers are no longer considered the exception, but rather the default."

The urgency of this mission is underscored by shifting global demographics. According to the 2026 AARP Travel Trends, 15% of travelers aged 50+ now require specific accessibility accommodations. Despite this, a recent StatCan study reveals that nearly half (up to 46%) of travelers with disabilities are discouraged from booking trips due to a lack of support.

Roamate is closing this gap by integrating these new features directly into its Solo but Sharedâ„¢ ecosystem:

• Helping Hand (Accessible Solo Travel): Addresses a fundamental limitation in the global accessible tourism market. Blind, deaf, and disabled solo travelers can now use Roamate's compatibility engine to connect with peer-to-peer companions who can provide visual, hearing, mobility, or other practical travel support—eliminating the need to hire expensive professional assistance or cover the full cost of a second traveler.
• Open Arms (LGBTQIA+ Inclusion): Addresses the "Disclosure Tax." Instead of placing the burden on marginalized individuals to signal their identity, Open Arms allows allies to proactively signal they are inclusive companions. This integration enables LGBTQIA+ solo travelers to see inclusive and welcoming matches.
• Roaming to Remember (Grief Travel): Born from Sharp's personal experience following the loss of her sisters, Destiny and Shannon. Outside of expensive, structured grief retreats, the industry offers little support for travel shaped by loss. This feature creates a network for travelers to connect with others who understand that a trip is not always celebratory, allowing them to travel on their own terms.

"When you lose a partner, navigate a disability, or carry grief into the world with you, the industry often leaves you on an island," Sharp added. "Roamate has always stood for being solo but shared. Now, with our added product features, we are making sure travelers are also solo but seen."

Roamate plans to establish Roamate for All, a future nonprofit initiative created in honor of Shannon. Reflecting Shannon's connection to volunteering, the initiative will help fund travel for disabled, grieving, and underserved travelers who need financial assistance beyond peer-to-peer support.

About Roamateâ„¢

Named a 2026 Bronze Stevie® Award Startup of the Year, Roamate is the global travel technology company on a mission to End the Solo Tax™. As the architect of Solo but Shared™ travel, Roamate pairs a patent-pending compatibility engine with its signature Cleared to Roam™ criminal background checks to connect solo travelers. Roamate provides the global infrastructure to ensure every traveler is solo, but seen. Available worldwide on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Learn more at .

Media Contact

Roamate PR, Roamate, 1 7576756770, [email protected],

SOURCE Roamate