Swine Flu Cause for “a heightened state of alert, but it’s not a cause for alarm”

by Bea Broda, President, SATW

I have been in Mexico (with my convention co-chair Elliot Gillies) for several days now - the first few days to dot “i’s” and cross “t’s” for the SATW convention in October.

For the past few days, we have continued our meetings in Acapulco during the Tianguis Turístico travel mart, where many of the destinations and suppliers are currently meeting, earthquakes notwithstanding.

I spent several hours in Mexico City airport, where everyone was wearing the standard blue mask that was issued free to all that wanted one. All over Mexico, tremendous efforts are being made to contain the flu and eradicate the situation, and the U.S. and Canada are doing the same.

I received an email from Roger Dow, the President of the U.S. Travel Association, and I’d like to reiterate some of his wise words here:

Dear Travel Colleagues:

As I’m sure you are aware, the swine flu situation is today’s lead story in every paper, the morning news shows and on every radio station. The possibility of travel restrictions is already being talked about by U.S. officials and the EU and a few other countries are already discouraging travel to Mexico and the United States. The U.S. Travel Association will take a lead role in addressing this challenge.

Just a few short years ago, the SARS and avian flu pandemics created an “infodemic” with media hysteria threatening air travel, lodging and meetings. We have learned important lessons from those challenges and must apply them in an effective, coordinated manner to this situation. While we in no way want to minimize the seriousness of the threat, it is important that our industry be vigilant about news activity and aggressively report the facts as the situation develops. As we reminded people during previous health scares, it’s important to “be prepared, but not panicked.”

I personally recall the time when SARS was a huge issue in Toronto, and how it stifled tourism needlessly for a number of years after.

President Barack Obama has reacted with similar words:

President Obama said on Monday that the growing number of cases of swine flu in the United States and abroad was “not a cause for alarm,” but he sought to assure Americans that the government was taking precautions to prepare for the prospect of a global health pandemic.

“We are closely monitoring the emerging cases of swine flu in the United States,” Mr. Obama said, speaking at the National Academy of Sciences. “This is obviously the cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert, but it’s not a cause for alarm.”

I was sent another statement that indicated that, to put things in perspective, around 4000 people die of the flu annually in the U.S. Also, The World Health organization maintains that Mexico “is not susceptible to establish a quarantine. In fact, there is no restriction to visit our territory from any latitude in the world. Mexico has been a model to manage the information in these types of situations.” “This is not an epidemic and preventive measures are being taken to reduce the risk of contagion.” (From the Mexico Secretary of Health.)

It is my sincere wish that we will always remember the sense of adventure that attracts us to travel the world, and that we will not be reactive when various issues like this one present themselves. The world is changing and there is one reason or another to avoid travel to many places, if we choose to look at it that way.