Travel Health 2Go
Reason2Go ● Health Information for Travelers ● Spring 2017
Health Risks and Precautions for International Travelers
General Considerations
The number of people traveling internationally in-
creases every year. International tourist arrivals in the
year 2015 reached 1 billion, with arrivals expected to
reach 1.6 billion by 2025. Over half the arrivals were for
leisure and holidays, with business, religious pilgrim–
ages, and family visits cited as other major reasons peo–
ple travel (World Tourism Organization 19).
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International travel can pose serious health risks to trav-
elers, depending on the destination country, the nature
and characteristics of the trip, and the traveler’s physical
condition and overall health. Travelers might be ex-
posed to sudden and significant changes in altitude, hu–
midity, microbes, and temperature. Also, serious health
risks can arise in areas where clean water is unavailable,
sanitation and hygiene are inadequate, and medical ser-
Destinations where accommodation, hygiene, sanita-
tion, medical care, and water quality are of a high stand-
ard pose relatively few serious risks for the health of
travelers, unless there is a pre-existing illness. This also
applies to travelers visiting most major cities and tourist
centers and staying in quality accommodations, such as
a conference center or a resort.
In contrast, destinations where accommodation is of
poor quality, hygiene and sanitation are inadequate,
medical services do not exist, and clean water is una–
vailable may pose serious risks for the health of travel-
ers. Exposure to insects, infectious agents, and contam-
inated food and water, makes travel in many remote re-
gions particularly hazardous. Travelers who venture
into remote areas should take stringent precautions to
avoid illness, including receiving vaccinations and tak-
ing antimalarial medications.
