Foodborne diseases in travellers.

It is encouraging that the problem of food- and waterborne disease in travellers is being increasingly recognized, but it is disappointing that to a large extent there is little effective action being taken. It is essential that the problem be recognized across government departments and joint programmes developed, particularly between ministries of health and tourism. Foodborne disease will always be a risk to travellers but this risk can be reduced by relatively simple programmes. The initial stage is to recognize the problem not just as an inconvenience to travellers but as an important economic factor which, unless controlled, can have severe effects on local, national and international trade.