| The
last quarter of the present century has seen a considerable
increase in the scale of international tourism, the consolidation
of long-haul tourism and the emergence of tourism in developing
countries throughout the world. These changes have led to
increased concern regarding the health dimensions of tourism,
and in particular the risks faced by increasing numbers
of tourists visiting tropical destinations. The WHO plays
a significant international role in identifying health problems
which individuals may face in travelling internationally,
and provides guidance on the advice that travellers should
receive to avoid health risks. Foremost among the problems
travellers may face are travellers’ diarrhoea, malaria
and sexually transmitted infections. The scale of these
problems is considered in this paper together with actions
needed to address them. It is necessary also to look towards
the future and attempt to anticipate new health challenges
associated with travel and tourism as we move into the twenty-first
century. The Healthy Travel and Tourism Initiative recently
launched by the WHO and WTO has identified priorities for
collaborative work in order to promote the health of tourists
and also to address the health impacts of tourism on communities
in tourist-receiving destinations. |
