Overall, the preparation period was short and
surprisingly, the control group spent more time to
prepare the trip, though backpackers in the risk group
had a longer preparation time. These short preparation
times are considered to be associated with short urban
itineraries, a preference for group tours and resort
accommodations arranged by travel agencies, and also
business trips arranged by companies at very short
notice. The reasons that persons traveling to nonmalaria
areas spent more time getting pre-travel advice
compared to those traveling to malaria areas, are not
clear. Lack of knowledge about the danger and risk
of infection resulting due to lack of seeking pre-travel
medical advice may be one of the reasons.