Saturday, July 19, 2008

Halifax Survey Reveals Worst Country for Food Poisoning

In a recent survey by Halifax travel insurance, Spain has come top of destinations where travellers experience food poisoning. Spain beats Greece, Turkey and Egypt to win this unwelcome acclaim.

The survey goes on to describe that thirty-eight percent of holidaymakers lose two days of their holiday when suffering illness originating from food poisoning. For travellers embarking on a two week escape to paradise, this would be an unwelcome medical issue. However spare a thought for travellers destined for a cheap weekend city break, and the impact is even more significant!

The findings also reveal how many holidaymakers suffer from food poisoning in Spain to the extent that they require medical help. Now this could arise from complications, dehydration, or other factors such as age or pre-existing medical conditions, but it is a further cost which does not usually form part of a holiday budget.

Vicky Watson from Halifax Travel Insurance commented:
“Our study shows nearly one in five Brits had to visit a hospital when on holiday as a result of food poisoning.”

Does this tell us about the behaviours of only Britains on holiday? Or could this be applicable to other Western nations like Germany, France, Portugal, and Poland? It is interesting that tourists' behaviour and attitude are known to alter somewhat when subject to a change of climate, and why should this be? The people remain the same, it is only the food which has changed.

Perhaps the explanation to the increase in food poisoning could lay in the fact that a more luxurious and perhaps ill-advised diet and intake of beverages combines to lower the travellers' general health, leaving the body less able to beat food poisoning abroad, and thereby necessitating medical assistance.

This serves as a reminder to take out adequate travel insurance before going on holiday, because as this Halifax travel insurance survey has demonstrated, even simple and common illnesses can ruin a holiday experience, and leave holidaymakers out of pocket.

In terms of preparing for and minimising the impact of getting food poisoning abroad, there is some useful advice in this linked article about medical travel insurance.


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