Travel Advice

Global travel trends have meant a huge increase in the numbers of people travelling abroad, and to increasingly remote countries. Travel is cheaper, and people generally have a greater proportion of disposable income. There is a greater awareness of different cultures through the medium of television and more opportunities to travel related to study or work.
In the 1960s international travellers numbered <100 million. By 2002 this number was closer to 715 million.¹
Between 1990 and 2000 there was 4.3 % growth annually in the tourism trade, with the largest growth in travel to the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific.

Many problems are due to ignorance, indiscretions, and lack of immunity, which are all at least partly amenable to forward planning. Accidents (± alcohol abuse) are the most frequent cause of problems in travellers.
HIV, malaria and cholera are the other great threats.

• EMIS customers may wish to use the regularly updated travel advice in the EMIS/UCL Hospital for Tropical Diseases travel database on the Travel section homepage.
• If in doubt the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) can be contacted on 020 7380 9234 or advice found on the web.²
• Another source of information is The Department of Health Booklet "Health information for overseas travel 2001" - 'The Yellow Book'.³ It is also available online, but requires registration.
  It provides comprehensive information on the following issues:
  • Disease risks and recommendations for immunisation and malaria chemoprophylaxis by continental group and country
  • Accidents, injuries and recreational water hazards ⁴
  • Prevention of travellers' diarrhoea and other food and water borne diseases ⁵
  • Prevention of malaria ⁶
  • Arthropod borne diseases (other than malaria) ⁷
  • Immunisation for overseas travel ⁸
  • Sexually transmitted and blood borne infections, including HIV and hepatitis B ⁹
  • Respiratory diseases ¹⁰
  • Environmental hazards: heat, cold and altitude ¹¹
  • Dangerous bites and stings ¹²
  • Medical considerations for the journey: travel by air, sea or land ¹³
  • Travellers with pre existing medical conditions ¹⁴
  • Pregnancy and travel ¹⁵
  • Travel with children ¹⁶
  • The returning traveller ¹⁷
  • Exemption from the requirement for an International Certificate of Vaccination ¹⁸
  • Useful addresses and telephone numbers ¹⁹