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Illness associated with "package tours": a combined Spanish-Scottish study
Bulletin of the World Health Organization
|January 1, 1978
Summary
Package tour travelers experienced significant illness, with 65% reporting sickness and 52% suffering respiratory symptoms. This study highlights travel health risks and the need for better international tourist surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Travel Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- A 1973 outbreak of illness and death occurred among package tour tourists in Benidorm, Spain.
- This event prompted an investigation into travel-related health risks and contributing factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the health experiences of package tour holidaymakers.
- To identify factors influencing illness among international tourists.
- To assess the risks associated with package holidays.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study comparing ill tourists with a control group.
- Data collection on illness incidence and types of symptoms.
- Analysis of predisposing factors in fatal cases.
Main Results:
- 65% of 252 package tour tourists reported illness, with 52% experiencing respiratory symptoms.
- Three deaths occurred, all linked to lobar pneumonia and predisposing factors.
- A control group staying elsewhere had lower rates of illness (53%) and respiratory illness (38%).
Conclusions:
- Package tours may present unique health hazards, particularly for inexperienced travelers.
- There is a need for improved health surveillance systems for international tourists.
- Respiratory infections were a significant component of the observed morbidity.