The Business Traveler

In 2017, an estimated 4.8 million US residents traveled overseas for business, and with an increasingly global economy, this number is expected to increase. Business travelers (also known as occupational travelers) include people traveling for work-related training, conventions, research, and volunteer work. Business travelers may fall into any of several different categories according to duration and purpose of travel (Table 9-1).

For international business travelers (IBTs), the likelihood of an adverse health event increases with the number of trips made to at-risk areas and the time spent there. Since most IBTs take multiple trips each year, travel health consultants should consider the cumulative risk to the traveler and not just the risks of the current trip.