INTERNATIONAL travel is continuing to grow at a rapid rate.
By 2024 travellers over 65 are expected to more than double their international travel to 180 million trips, accounting for one in eight international trips globally.
But in all the excitement of packing for an overseas holiday, it can be easy to forget about your health.
According to travel health specialist Sarah Chu, there are many ways to make sure health doesn't stop you from having a great time.
"The old adage 'if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel' holds true for any traveller," Dr Chu said.
"There is nothing worse than having an accident or serious illness overseas on top of the medical bills which come with it."
Dr Chu stressed that relying on travel insurance just isn't enough and urged travellers to check the fine print.
"Be sure to declare pre-existing medical conditions and check what is and isn't covered, for example, trip cancellation due to illness.
"Sometimes, not all travel health insurance claims are fully paid out by insurance companies and this can often be due to pre-existing illnesses and poor documentation."
She said many travellers are opting for travel insurance provided by their credit card providers.
But many of these products are not automatic and require the traveller to take an extra step to ensure it is activated prior to the trip.
"Some will have certain exclusions and not cover high risk pre-existing medical conditions, or high risk activities such as skiing, sky diving or scuba diving," she said.
"It is important to read the fine print and see what is or isn't covered and compare different policies."
Dr Chu said ensuring relevant vaccinations before travelling was also essential for a healthy holiday.
A recent report showed that 56 per cent of over 50 year olds surveyed did not think about getting travel vaccinations before their trip.
"The first step is to book an appointment with your GP at least six weeks ahead of your holiday," Dr Chu said.
The visit also gives travellers the chance to check whether they're fit for travelling, discuss medications and look at travel risks, such as deep vein thrombosis, heat stroke and dehydration.