A Special Message for Travel Agents

As chair of the Travel Industry and Public Education Committee of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) Travel Health Services’ Medical Director Dr. Connor moderated two meetings in June and October, 1996 which resulted in guidelines for the travel industry on travel health advice. Termed the North American Charter for Travel Health, this document received the full support of the meetings’ attendees which included representatives of travel medicine, public health and the travel industry including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization, Laboratory Centres for Disease Control (LCDC) Canada, The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA), the Association for Canadian Travel Agents (ACTA), the Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA) and representatives of Delta Airlines and Air Canada. The consensus statement, adopted in 1996, is being considered for legistative support in the next calendar year. With the travel industry being the final common link in all travel, the goal of the consensus document is to provide a minimum comfort level for the travel industry in dealing with issues of health and travel.

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North American Charter for Travel Health

A Consensus Statement on Providing Travel Health Advice
- October 22, 1996 -

With a goal of ensuring that North Americans who travel widely travel wisely, representatives from the U.S. and Canadian travel industry and medical professions, by consensus, have agreed that there is a need for greater emphasis on health advice for travelers and that providing it should be part of the travel industry service.

By consensus also, health issues were identified, information priorities were set, and the following guidelines for providing travel health advice were agreed to:

1. Required Immunizations
Travel professionals should advise the traveler of required immunizations (those required for entry into a country according to international regulations).

Because there may be destination-specific health risks, travel professionals should advise their clients to seek expert advice from a healthcare provider concerning recommended immunizations (e.g., hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus, polio, etc.).

2. Malaria
Travel professionals should advise clients to consult with their health care provider or travel medicine expert to obtain destination-specific advice about malaria risk.

3. Healthcare Provider
Travel professionals should advise clients to consult with their healthcare provider or a travel medicine expert to obtain health advice about foreign travel.

4. Additional Issues Which May Need To Be Addressed
With healthcare professionals: food and beverage precautions, personal protection against insect bites, measures to avoid injuries and accidents, and caution concerning risky behavior such as casual sex, drug use, etc.

With travel professionals: travel insurance.

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