Over ons

The Long Trail was founded by Mr. Jos Wesemann, a hearing person born into a Deaf family. His entire extended family is Deaf, including his parents, late grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. Only he and his brothers can hear, so Jos grew up immersed in Sign Language and Deaf Culture. His father, Mr. Johan Wesemann, is a prominent figure in the international Deaf community, having held management positions at the Dutch National Association of the Deaf, the EUD, and serving on the board of the WFD. In 2010, Jos, together with his father and brother, founded Wesemann Travel, the Dutch Deaf travel company focusing on travel for and by Deaf people, emphasizing the inclusion of the Deaf community. In recent years, Wesemann Travel has become the leading travel company for Deaf people in the Netherlands, with growing interest from Deaf people from other countries. In 2024 Deaf.travel was established to connect a wide supply of travel services with the international Deaf community.

Since the founding of Wesemann Travel in 2010, Jos Wesemann and his colleagues have prioritized social impact for local Deaf communities. They have initiated several projects to support disadvantaged Deaf communities, primarily in East Africa. In addition to organizing tours and travel programs, The Long Trail specializes in community development programs for Deaf communities, with an emphasis on economic sustainability and Deaf Culture.

Deaf.travel and Wesemann Travel are brands of The Long Trail Travel BV, a subsidiary of The Long Trail Holding BV.