How to contribute to global health preservation during your holiday

One of the most important steps we can take is to indirectly support the local economy and, through it, the healthcare infrastructure of local communities. When we choose a family-run restaurant over international luxury hotels or global fast-food chains, or buy fruit from local farmers' markets, the money we spend stays directly with the locals.

Think about it: when you buy from a local vendor at a market in Thailand or Kenya, those few dollars directly help the seller provide clean drinking water for their family or pay for essential medicines and medical care for their child. Conscious spending is not just economic support but a cornerstone of improving the quality of life and physical well-being in developing regions.

There is another extremely strict side to responsible market shopping and dining: the transportation of food across borders. Many people think of bringing fresh fruit or meat products from home or a neighbouring country as a kind gesture or a good travel snack, but importing these items poses significant biological and health risks to the host country. Unregulated, contaminated, or substandard food can introduce invasive pests, bacteria, or viruses that can devastate local agriculture and trigger severe food safety crises.

For this reason, in many parts of the world, travellers attempting to bring fresh produce through customs now face severe penalties. In Japan, for example, authorities strictly monitor meat, vegetables, and fruits: anyone caught trying to smuggle or conceal such items faces hefty fines, potentially amounting to millions of yen, or even imprisonment in extreme cases. Similarly strict quarantine rules and heavy penalties are enforced in China, where the import of fresh fruit by foreign travellers is also prohibited to protect the domestic ecosystem from introduced diseases. To support SDG 3, the safest rule is to always buy and consume food where you are currently staying.

Another essential pillar of sustainable tourism is protecting our environment and critical water resources. In many popular tourist destinations, such as parts of Indonesia or India, the lack of clean drinking water and inadequate waste management pose serious health risks, spreading diseases and infections among the local population. For example, plastic waste accumulating in open areas and trapping rainwater creates ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry malaria or dengue fever.

By using our own refillable water bottle during our travels instead of buying 3-4 disposable PET bottles daily, we directly reduce this waste. Additionally, packing biodegradable solid shampoo and eco-friendly toiletries in our travel bag helps protect local rivers and groundwater from chemical pollution. This preventive action actively safeguards locals from chronic illnesses caused by a polluted environment.

Protecting our own health is closely linked to safeguarding the host country. Responsible preparation before travelling, such as getting mandatory and recommended vaccinations – like those for yellow fever, hepatitis, or typhoid – is a fundamental duty. This prevents us from inadvertently introducing or spreading infectious diseases in a region where the local population might be entirely unprotected.

Instead of renting a car at your destination, opt for local public transport, or explore cities on foot or by hiring a bicycle. This choice directly reduces fine particle and harmful emissions. Cleaner air helps prevent asthma and other respiratory illnesses among local residents, while walking or cycling effectively supports your own physical fitness and mental well-being.