Imported diseases are infections that have been acquired during a travel or a stay abroad. Such infectious diseases may include cosmopolitan and potential re-introduction illnesses and tropical and re-emerging illnesses. The movement of populations affects the distribution and spread of communicable diseases globally. Today?s mobility and unnatural interaction of different races or otherwise geographically defined populations facilitate the emergence of contagious diseases in humans, animals or, even in plants. Some pathogens can be imported into a new area by travellers or immigrants in the absence of illness signs or symptoms. Many geographical barriers have now been breached by mobility and migration. The theoretical section of this thesis is mainly aimed to provide a description of the most common imported diseases according to their current epidemiological trends. Travel-related risks, risk groups of travellers and migration characteristics are also mentioned. In addition, it deals with domestic and international inbound and outbound tourism and includes a forecast of international tourism development towards 2030. The conclusion of the theoretical section aims to describe epidemiology of imported diseases and to provide an insight into systems of monitoring and surveillance of travel-related infections, such as GeoSentinel Surveillance Network, EuroTravNet, TropNet and the Czech Nationwide Epidat information system. The objective of this diploma thesis of the empirical section is to carry out an analysis of occurrence of imported infectious diseases in the Region of South Bohemia over the last five years. Data and information recorded into Epidat database from 2007 to 2011 shapes the target group. Methods of research are mainly based on descriptive statistics that describe most of collected data quantitatively. Moreover, seven hypotheses were designed that were tested via results using regression analysis, Pearson's chi-squared test and Student's t-test. A total of 190 cases from 46 world-wide destinations were imported between 2007 and 2011. Of those, 166 were imported by residents; 24 cases were brought in by foreigners. The most frequent countries of acquisition were European destinations (49%; n = 92), Asia (33%; n = 63) and Africa (16%; n = 31). Gastro-intestinal (GI) diseases accounted for 68.4% of illnesses, followed by blood-borne and vector-borne infections. GI conditions included campylobacteriosis (n = 38), salmonellosis (n = 33) and shigellosis (n = 30). Amongst blood-borne diseases, hepatitis B accounted for 21 cases (mainly in Vietnamese). Amongst vector-borne illnesses, 6 cases of malaria and 1 case of dengue were identified. Hypothesis H1 (further described only as H2, etcetera) "There is an association between numbers of travellers and occurrence of imported infectious diseases" was rejected. H2 "There is a different incidence rate among countries of acquisition" could not be confirmed because of the lack of the denominator data (numbers of travellers to specific destinations). H3 "The most frequent countries of acquisition are European countries" was confirmed and accepted. H4 "The highest rate of imported infectious diseases is in the České Budějovice District" was confirmed and accepted. H5 "The most frequent imported infections are gastro-intestinal diseases" was confirmed and accepted. H6 "There is a descending tendency of occurrence of imported infectious diseases" was rejected. H7 "There is a higher likelihood of presenting with a vaccination preventable disease in unvaccinated returned travellers" could not be confirmed due to the lack of data.

Several researchers have attempted to understand the tourism expenditure patterns from the traveler's perspective (Cai, Hong, and Morrision, 1995; Dardis, et al., 1981; Prais and Houthakker,1971; Sheldon and Mak , 1987; Jang, et al.,2003). However, an examination of the previous studies indicates that only limited understanding of the traveler's expenditure patterns has been provided either because of only anecdotal evidence in the studies, or because of their failure to examine the impacts of the factors affecting expenditure patterns. This study examined the effects of socio-demographic, travel-related, and psychographic variables on travel expenditures. The expenditure patterns included lodging, meals and restaurants, attractions and festivals, entertainment, shopping, transportation, and total expenditures. From a theoretical perspective, this study contributes to the body of literature in relation to travel expenditure by examining the variables under each of the three constructs identified in predicting travel expenditures. The results of the study provide a more comprehensive and holistic picture in the search of travel expenditures based on multiple independent variables. This study found that travel-related variables (i.e. number of adult(s) and length of stay) were the most influential variables affecting tourism expenditures per person per day. From a practical standpoint, this study sheds light by providing information about how the traveler's characteristic effects travel expenditure patterns and destination marketers may use this information to better segment their target market, allocate their marketing dollars more effectively, and tailor their products to compete for tourist's dollars. Since consumer dollars and tourism organizations' marketing budgets are limited, this study may provide information which will help tourism marketers to develop better strategic marketing tools to satisfy and fulfill those tourists' needs and understand certain reasons behind their spending patterns.

The term of "consumer engagement" is extensively used in the digital era. It is believed that engaged consumers play an important role in products/services referral and recommendation, new product/service development and experience/value co-creation. Although the notion of consumer engagement sounds compelling, it is not fully developed in theory. Different interpretations coexist, resulting in confusion and misuse of the concept. This study attempts to define consumer engagement and develop a conceptual framework of consumer engagement, addressing antecedents of consumer engagement in online context. Moreover, some situational and social media usage-related factors are incorporated into the framework. A set of propositions are presented based on literature review and the conceptual framework to illustrate the relationship between consumer engagement and related factors. To provide empirical evidence for the conceptual model, an online survey is conducted. Participants complete the self-administered survey by answering questions concerning their online experience with the travel-related social media website they visit most. Two-step structural equation modeling is employed to analyze the data. The results show that both community experience and community identification have significant and positive relationship with consumer engagement. Community experience is also a strong predictor of community identification. Attitude toward using social media and travel involvement influence the relationship between consumer engagement and its antecedents. With focus on the interactive and experiential nature of consumer engagement, this study expands current understanding of consumer engagement and provides insights for hospitality and tourism businesses regarding how to engage consumers through travel-related social media.

Inserida na Medicina Tropical, existe a especialidade denominada de medicina de viagem, que tem o intuito de diminuir os riscos de ocorrências médicas e mortalidade durante e após as viagens, desenvolvendo no turista a consciência para uso de medidas preventivas. Este estudo inicia por sintetizar o atual conceito da medicina de viagem e os órgãos de fomento ao desenvolvimento do turismo com segurança no Brasil. Continua por realizar um levantamento exploratório e uma compilação dos dados relativos à quantidade de viagens realizadas por brasileiros ao exterior e como são transmitidas informações sobre os riscos à saúde do turista nestas viagens, através de dados fornecidos por fontes oficiais públicas, além de publicações e sites do mercado turístico e da vigilância sanitária. Finaliza por realizar uma pesquisa de campo com professores que trabalham em instituições de ensino superior na cidade de São Paulo, com a intenção de conhecer e especificar as ocorrências médicas que aconteceram durante a sua viagem ao exterior. Resultados: tem-se que as ocorrências médicas durante a viagem afetaram 45% dos entrevistados, principalmente por problemas gastrointestinais/digestivos, circulatórios e cefaleia e destes, apenas 50% procurou assistência médica. Ao comparar com pesquisa nacional realizada em 2013, enquanto neste estudo 56,43% dos entrevistados possuíam doenças pré-existentes conhecidas, na pesquisa de 2013, o percentual era de 34,15%. Outro ponto importante de comparação foi que este estudo apresentou como principal ocorrência médica a gastrointestinal com 41%, enquanto em 2013, a maior quantidade de ocorrências foram as de ordem respiratória, com 13,6%. A proporção deste estudo foi semelhante aos resultados da maioria dos estudos internacionais. A realizar o cruzamento de dados deste estudo, os mesmos demonstram que os entrevistados que viajaram sozinhos tiveram 71% a mais de chance de terem alguma ocorrência médica do que quem viajou acompanhado e que, se este mesmo turista viajou para participar de um evento acadêmico, a chance de ocorrer alguma anormalidade foi de quase 1,4 vezes superior, em relação a quem viajou lazer, por exemplo. Igualmente, entrevistados com doenças pré-existentes apresentaram quase 2 vezes mais chances de terem alguma ocorrência médica, do que o turista sem histórico de doenças pré-existentes. Conclusão: é sugerido que se faça uma consulta por parte do viajante, à clinicas especializadas em saúde do viajante, principalmente para turistas com histórico de doenças pré-existentes que podem desenvolver outras morbidades durante a viagem. Já os problemas digestivos, por serem a maior quantidade absoluta e percentual de ocorrências médicas nesta e nas demais pesquisas internacionais, demonstra haver a necessidade de o turista ser mais seletivo na escolha dos locais e dos alimentos que serão consumidos em suas viagens ao exterior. Igualmente, sugere-se que agências e operadoras de viagens, empresas que enviam seus colaboradores para viagens ao exterior e a ANVISA, sejam mais proativas e orientem os futuros turistas, sobre os possíveis riscos deste deslocamento e o que esperar do local para onde se está viajando. / As part of Tropical Medicine, there is a specialized area called Travel Medicine whose purpose is to reduce the risks of medical incidents and mortality during and after travels, making the tourist more aware of preventive measures. This study begins by clearing up the current concept of travel medicine and the agencies that promote the development of safe tourism in Brazil. It follows by performing an exploratory survey and a compilation of data related to the number of trips made by Brazilians abroad and how information about the risks to the health of the tourist are passed before and during these trips; the survey is based on data provided by official public sources, as well as publications and websites of tourism market and health surveillance. It ends up conducting a field research with teachers working in higher education institutions in the city of São Paulo aiming at knowing and specifying the medical occurrences during their trip abroad. Results: The medical occurrences during the trip affected 45% of the participants, mainly due to gastrointestinal/digestive, circulatory and headache problems, and only 50% sought medical care. When compared with national research conducted in 2013, this study showed that 56,43% of the participants had known pre-existing diseases, while in the 2013 survey, the percentage was of 34,15%. Another important comparison point was that this study had the gastrointestinal medical occurrence as the main one (41%), while in 2013, the majority of occurrences were those concerning respiratory problems (13,6%). The percentages of this study were similar to the results of the majority of international studies. When cross-referencing the data of this study, we can see that the participants who traveled alone were 71% more likely to have a medical incident than those who traveled with a companion, and that if the person traveled to attend an academic event, the chance of some abnormality occurring was almost 1,4 times higher as compared to those who traveled at leisure, for example. Similarly, participants with preexisting diseases had almost 2 times more chances of having a medical incident than those with no history of preexisting diseases. Conclusion: It is suggested that the traveler be consulted at specialized health clinics, especially for tourists with a history of preexisting diseases who are prone to develop other morbidities during the trip. On the other hand, being the digestive problems responsible for the greatest amount and percentage of medical incidents in this and other international surveys, there is a need for the tourists to be more selective concerning the food they consume in trips abroad. It is also suggested that travel agencies, airlines, companies that send their employees abroad and ANVISA be more proactive and inform future tourists about the possible risks of travels and what to expect from the place where they are traveling to.

A pesquisa realizada aproxima as informações técnicas utilizadas pela ANVISA, sintoniza os turistas, os gestores das empresas e faz uma análise dos dados apresentados pelas instituições. Foram analisadas as questões relacionadas à saúde dos passageiros e acompanhantes depois de sua viagem e em sua escolha de um futuro cruzeiro, por consequência se os cruzeiristas tiveram algum problema em sua saúde e como isto foi conduzido; e se o atendimento médico será importante na sua futura escolha.A metodologia adotada foi uma revisão bibliográfica da literatura científica, em seguida um inquérito com objetivo de apresentar a avaliação das questões relacionadas à saúde dos tripulantes e se o atendimento médico será importante em sua nova escolha. Foram realizadas três perguntas abertas abordando os principais problemas de saúde durante o passeio e os riscos saúde percebidos durante à realização do roteiro.Como resultados da revisão bibliográfica obtivemos: a importância dessa atividade econômica; a necessidade de melhorar a infraestrutura portuária; a possibilidade e propagação de doenças pela água de lastro; o uso de um sistema de gestão preventiva dos riscos; atualização do controle de imunização e avaliação médica de todos os tripulantes. O inquérito demonstrou que 88,3% consideram a importância das condições sanitárias do navio em uma futura viagem, entretanto, 84,3% desconheceram a classificação do risco sanitário dos navios.As informações das questões de saúde serão decisivas na escolha de um navio de cruzeiro, com elas podemos promover a saúde dos viajantes, melhorar a satisfação do cruzeirista e gerar crescimento econômico. / The study approaches the technical information used by ANVISA, tune to the tourists, the managers of companies and makes an analysis of the data submitted by the institutions. Were analyzed issues related to the health of passengers and companions after their trip and their choice of a future cruise, by achievement if the cruise travelers have had some health problem and how it was conducted; And if the health care will be important in their future choices.The adopted methodology was a bibliographical review of the scientific literature, then a survey with the objective of presenting the assessment of issues related to the health of the crew and if heath care is important in their new choice. Were held three open-ended questions addressing the major health problems during the tour and the perceived health risks during the implementation of the itinerary.As results of the literature review we obtained: the importance of this economic activity; the need to improve port infrastructure; the possibility and spread of disease by ballast water; the use of a preventive risk management system; updating the immunization and control medical assessment of all crew members. The investigation showed that 88.3% consider the importance of the health conditions of the ship in a future trip, however, 84.3% did not know the health risk classification of vessels. The information on health issues will be decisive in the choice of a cruise ship, with it we can promote the health of travelers, improve the traveler satisfaction and generate economic growth.

HEIs have, over the recent decade, been involved in internationalisation of their academic programmes and in the delivery of their degrees in international locations. Internationalisation is associated with the incorporation of international facets into the composition of curriculum, faculty, and students through a combination of activities and policies. One such activity associated with internationalisation is transnational education, in which the degree students are located in a different country than where the institution delivering the education is based. Transnational education is often categorised in many forms: franchise, twinning, articulations, double degree programme, partnership, distance education, and international branch campus. Hospitality and tourism programmes have been identified as having been involved not only in internationalising their degree programmes, but also in delivering their degrees internationally in branch campus locations. However, even though the narrative has been on the start-up, operations, and management of these IBCs, less is known about the impacts the international branch campus has on the exporting hospitality and tourism programme. This research, based in management, tourism, and international education, and viewed through a post positivism and critical realist perspective, presents an understanding of the effects that exist between hospitality and tourism programmes in HEIs and their IBCs. This is achieved through developing a typology of the influences that overseas expansion has on the exporting hospitality and tourism programme. To address the objective of this research, a case strategy approach was used to support the exploratory and descriptive nature of this topic of study. The methodological design consisted of a mixed-methods approach, exploring three hospitality-tourism programmes in the United States delivering their degrees at international branches campuses. A conceptual framework based on elements associated with overseas expansion of both firms and HEIs and the theoretical foundations regarding internationalisation, guided data collection and analysis. The significance of this study is twofold. First, it contributes to greater understanding of IBCs from the perspective of the home campus. Much of the literature surrounding exporting education through IBCs broadly focuses on three themes: market entry, risks and benefits, and quality control issues. Understanding these influences back at the home campus programme contributes to an underdeveloped area in the transnational literature. Secondly, the research contributes to the topic of internationalisation specific to the academic field of hospitality and tourism management. Although there is much consensus that academic programmes should prepare students for an international industry and a global marketplace, it is unclear the role that exporting hospitality and tourism degrees on IBCs has in internationalising the exporting degree programme specific to students, faculty, and curriculum. Greater insight was gained regarding IBCs and internationalisation by assessing the influences of IBCs through the experiences of home campus faculty and staff. Additionally, findings may also prove useful to organisations, both academic and commercial, seeking to expand internationally. Findings of this research demonstrate that delivering a degree internationally is motivated by both internal and external factors, but home programme leadership combined with pull factors from the international location may be the catalyst in the decision to expand internationally. Additionally, the justification for international expansion and the outcome of this activity appears to be most associated with expanding the programme's brand and credibility in the area of international education. Impacts on faculty, students, and curriculum diverge somewhat when considering the mobility between both the home campus and international branch campus. Students at the home campus experience internationalising influences based on two factors. The first is their study abroad experiences at the branch campus, and the second is their interactions with foreign students who transfer to the home campus. Similarly, faculty who engage with the branch campus onsite in the international location are in some cases gaining international exposure that allows them to internationalise their perspective on the industry and their students. Faculty and staff at the home campus identify the challenges of supporting both the necessary resources of the international branch campus, and the requirements to serve the changes associated with the home campus environments.