The Travel Medicine Growth Opportunity is Hiding in Plain Sight 

The 2025 travel season is here, and your patients are asking questions you might not feel prepared to answer. What if I told you that pharmacy-based travel medicine could be your pharmacy’s next big opportunity and that you already have most of the skills you need to get started?  

 Picture this: A regular patient stops by your pharmacy to pick up their maintenance medications. Casually, they mention they’re headed to Thailand next month for their honeymoon. “Do I need any special shots?” they ask.  

If you’re like most pharmacy professionals, you probably direct them to their doctor or a travel clinic. But what if you could help them right there, right then? What if your pharmacy could become their trusted source for comprehensive travel medical services?  

The numbers are staggering 

Approximately 30.7 million baby boomers are planning international travel in 2025—that’s 42% of the 73 million baby boomers in the US. These aren’t budget backpackers; baby boomers spend 20-50% more on travel than younger generations, with an estimated $157 billion spent annually on travel overall.  

Here’s what makes this even more compelling for pharmacy professionals? Baby boomers are your established patient base for travel health medicine. They trust you with their chronic disease management, their medication counseling, and their health questions. They’re also taking an average of 3.3 trips per year, creating multiple opportunities for travel health consultations.  

Yet many communities lack adequate travel health services, creating a perfect opportunity for forward-thinking pharmacies to serve this loyal demographic.  

Why Travel Medicine Make Perfect Sense for Pharmacies  

You’re already vaccination experts. You understand immunization schedules, storage requirements, and patient counseling. You have the clinical skills, the patient relationships, and the convenient locations that make pharmacy-based travel medicine health services a natural extension of your practice.  

Here’s what makes this opportunity even more compelling:  

• Your target market is already walking through your doors: Baby boomers most likely represent your core patient base for chronic medications and health consultations. 

• A Cash-Based Service: Travel vaccines typically aren’t covered by insurance, and baby boomers have demonstrated willingness to pay more for quality travel experiences. 

• Multiple touchpoints: With 3.3 trips per year on average, each baby boomer patient represents multiple consultation opportunities.  

• Trusted relationships: You’re already managing their complex medication regimens and health conditions.  

• Convenient access: Baby boomers value accessibility and are more likely to choose familiar, trusted providers.  

Get the Pharmacy-Based Travel Medicine Foundation You Need  

Understanding the Landscape  

Travel vaccines fall into three distinct categories, each serving a different purpose:  

• Routine vaccines – Making sure standard immunizations are up-to-date before travel. 

• Required vaccines – Mandated by countries for entry (like yellow fever for certain African destinations).  

• Recommended vaccines – Risk-based recommendations depending on destination, duration, and activities.  

The key is knowing how to navigate authoritative resources like the CDC’s Yellow Book, WHO guidelines, and ACIP recommendations. Modern digital tools and apps make this easier than ever, giving you instant access to country specific requirements and real-time health alerts.  

Common Travel Vaccines You’ll Encounter:  

• Yellow Fever – Required for many African and South American destinations.  

• Typhoid – Recommended for high-risk areas with poor sanitation.  

• Japanese Encephalitis – For rural Asia travel, especially during transmission seasons. 

• Cholera – Specific high-risk situations and humanitarian work.  

• Hepatitis A & B – Broader recommendations based on destination risk . 

Each vaccine has its own indications, contraindications, and administration nuances. Clinical knowledge is manageable and it’s about building systematic approaches to patient assessment and recommendations.  

Beyond Vaccines: Comprehensive Travel Medicine Services  

Smart pharmacy entrepreneurs don’t stop at vaccines. Pharmacy-Based Travel Health Medicine opens doors to expanded medication services that can boost both revenue and patient care:  

Travel-Related Medications:  

• Antimalarials (doxycycline, atovaquone-proguanil) – Prescription opportunities through collaborative practice agreements.  

• Motion sickness prevention (scopolamine patches) – High-margin specialty items.  

• Traveler’s diarrhea management – Both preventive and treatment options.  

OTC Travel Essentials:  

• Oral rehydration salts  

• Insect repellents (DEET-based products)  

• High-SPF sunscreens  

• Water purification tablets  

These services position your pharmacy as a one-stop travel preparation destination while creating possible revenue streams from a single patient interaction.  

The Travel Health Patient Assessment That Changes Everything  

The magic happens in the consultation. A comprehensive travel health assessment covers:  

1. Destination specifics – Not just the country, but regions, urban vs. rural, altitude. 

2. Travel timeline – Some vaccines need weeks to become effective.  

3. Activities planned – Adventure travel, medical missions, and business trips have different risk profiles.  

4. Medical history – Immunocompromised patients need special considerations.  

5. Current immunization status – Building on existing protection.  

This assessment process does more than determine vaccine needs, it positions you as a knowledgeable healthcare consultant who understands the complexities of travel medicine.  

Build Your Practice with Pharmacy-Based Travel Medicine Education 

Start Smart, Scale Systematically  

You don’t need to become a comprehensive travel clinic overnight. Many successful pharmacy travel programs start with:  

• Basic vaccine offerings – Focus on the most common recommendations first . 

• Partnership development – Collaborate with local travel medicine specialists for complex cases.  

• Documentation systems – Ensure you can issue International Certificates of Vaccination.  

• Marketing strategy – Let your community know about your new services.  [You’ll get access to a marketing toolkit when you sign up for the Pharmacy-Based Travel Health Medicine CE course.]

Workflow Optimization  

Efficient pharmacy travel medicine consultations follow a predictable pattern:  

1. Pre-appointment screening via phone or online forms . 

2. Systematic assessment using standardized tools.  

3. Recommendation development based on authoritative guidelines.  

4. Patient education and scheduling.  

5. Follow-up and documentation.  

Overcoming Common Travel Vaccine Implementation Challenges  

• “What about vaccine shortages?” Develop relationships with multiple distributors and maintain flexible protocols that allow for alternative recommendations when first-choice vaccines aren’t available.  

• “How do I handle vaccine hesitancy for travel vaccines?” Focus on risk-benefit discussions specific to their travel plans. Often, patients are more motivated when they understand the real risks of travel-related diseases.  

• “What if I’m not comfortable with complex cases?” Build a referral network with travel medicine specialists. Being able to identify when to refer actually builds trust and demonstrates clinical judgment.  

The Pharmacy-Based Travel Medicine Competitive Advantage  

While other pharmacies are competing on prescription pricing and convenience, travel health services differentiate you through clinical expertise and comprehensive care. You’re not just filling prescriptions—you’re helping people safely pursue their dreams of exploring the world.  

Consider this typical baby boomer patient journey:  

• Pre-trip consultation: Comprehensive health assessment, required vaccines, and travel medication planning.  

• Follow-up visit: Booster shots, final medication dispensing, and travel health counseling. 

• Post-trip check-in: Addressing any health concerns and planning for their next adventure (remember, they’re averaging 3.3 trips per year).  

That’s multiple high-value interactions with patients who have both the resources and motivation to invest in their health and travel experiences.  

Your Next Steps for Pharmacy-Based Travel Medicine Education 

The travel health opportunity won’t wait. 2025 travel is already planned, and patients need services now.  

Start with these concrete actions:  

1. Assess your current capabilities – What vaccines can you already provide?  

2. Identify knowledge gaps – Where do you need additional training?  

3. Research your market – What travel health services exist in your area?  

4. Plan your pilot program – Start small, learn fast, scale smart . 

The Bottom Line  

Pharmacy-Based Travel Medicine isn’t just another service—it’s a pathway to transforming your travel medicine pharmacy practice. You’ll provide genuine value to patients while building a profitable, differentiated business that leverages your clinical expertise.  

Your patients are going to travel whether you help them or not. The question is: Will they remember your pharmacy as the place that made their dream trip safer and more enjoyable?  

The world is calling. Your patients are planning. Your opportunity is now.  

Ready to dive deeper into travel medicine services? Our comprehensive 4-hour Pharmacy-Based Travel Medicine CE course covers everything from clinical protocols to business implementation, giving you the knowledge and confidence to launch your travel health practice successfully.