Zika Not Deterring Older Travelers, Destination Weddings

Brittany Jones-Cooper
·Reporter
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Health workers spray insecticide to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo: AP)

As Zika continues to spread, the Centers for Disease Control has issued travel notices for several countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

One group not heeding that warning is travelers over the age of 60.

According to a survey conducted by Travel Leaders Group, 93 percent of travel agents reported no cancellations from clients 60 and older. Five percent reported older travelers canceling their plans, and a mere three percent have had their more mature clients delay trips.

To put it into perspective, 74.1 percent of travel agents reported no cancellations for their clients in 20s or 30s, and 89.8 percent stated no cancellations from clients in their 40s and 50s.

But older clients aren’t the only ones deciding to travel to Zika zones.

94.5 percent of travel agents have had no cancellations for their destination wedding clients. Similarly, 93.3 percent have had no cancellations for their honeymoon clientele.

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Pregnant women have been advised to avoid travel to areas where the Zika transmission is ongoing. (Photo: Thinkstock)

While anyone can contract Zika, the CDC has specifically advised women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant not to travel to areas where the Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

Zika is spread by mosquito bites and can also be sexually transmitted. The virus is possibly be linked to birth defects in unborn babies.

Given the recent coverage of Zika, The Travel Leaders Groups admits that they were a bit shocked by the findings of their study.

“Even we were a bit surprised to learn just how limited the impact of the Zika virus has been on the overwhelming majority of our clients’ travel plans,” said Travel Leaders Group CEO Ninan Chacko.

According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 people infected with the Zika virus become ill.

The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis.

WATCH: 10 Things to Know About the Zika Virus

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