Aussies with the “travel bug” must be careful to avoid catching a bug while travelling, with new research from Compare the Market revealing 73% of holidaymakers have experienced illness or injury while on vacation.
A quarter of people surveyed said they had experienced gastro, which in serious cases can lead to severe dehydration and may even require hospitalisation.
One in four people had also come down with a lurgy – either cold or flu – which can be disappointing when holiday activities need to be cancelled.
Concerningly, almost one-in-five Australian tourists had experienced food poisoning. Other Australians also reported insect bites, COVID-19 and heat stroke.
Australians’ top travel illnesses
| Holiday illness or injury | Proportion of responses |
| Gastro (vomiting, diarrhoea) | 29% |
| Cold/influenza | 26% |
| Food poisoning | 17% |
| Motion sickness | 12% |
| COVID-19 | 8% |
Source: Compare the Market
Generation X (30%) and Baby Boomers (30%) were most likely to experience gastro, while millennials (38%) have had food poisoning more than any other generation.
Some people reported serious injuries including third-degree burns (2%) vehicle crash wounds (2%) and broken bones (1%).
Compare the Market’s travel expert Catriona Rowntree said often our worst accidents occur when we finally let our hair down.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve heard: ‘it was the last run on the ski slope’ or ‘we were just about to head home when’… at the end of the day when we are tired, things inevitably go wrong,” Ms Rowntree said.
“Trust me on this one. I’m speaking from experience.
“And why is it our nose always starts to run when we get on the plane? There is some science to it. When our stress levels decrease, our cortisol levels reduce, leaving us open to all sorts of bugs.
“It’s no wonder we always get sick on holidays when we need the break the most. That’s why I recommend taking your Vitamin C a few good weeks before take-off.
“It can be devastating when illness or injury disrupts the holiday you’ve been planning weeks, months or even years for.
“That’s why travel insurance is crucial. It provides some financial peace-of-mind in case you need medical treatment or need to cancel your plans. And it doesn’t need to be expensive.
“Travel cover is often a small fraction of your holiday budget. When it could save you from expensive hospital and health bills, that can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars, it’s money worth spent.”
When referencing this research, please attribute: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/travel-insurance/
Disclaimers
Compare the Market commissioned PureProfile to survey a nationally representative sample of 1,016 Australians in September 2025.
Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) to check for the inclusions, exclusions and restrictions before purchasing and determine if the policy is suitable for you.
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