Stopover sting as gastro claims surge in Asian transit hubs

Australians swapping Middle Eastern stopovers for Asian transit hubs are packing an unexpected - and expensive - travel companion: a severe case of gastro.

Gastro-related insurance cases are rising in Asia, and experts say it's directly related to the number of Australians stopping over in Asian cities.

Bad tummies in Asia represented 85 per cent of gastro-related claims during the first four months of the year, up from 80 per cent last year, according to Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI). The costs per claim is rising, too.

Chief customer officer, Jess Strange, says there is a clear correlation with Aussies changing their travel routes.

"As more travellers choose to break up their long-haul flights to Europe with a stay in Asia rather than the Middle East, they may encounter a different set of health risks," Strange says.

"Gastro might sound like a common travel inconvenience, but our data shows it can be a significant financial hit.

"From intravenous drips in a Bali clinic to missing a connection to London, the 'stopover sting' is a real consideration for the 2026 travel budget."

While Indonesia remains the most dominant hotspot for gastro-related claims among Aussie travellers, transit hubs across Asia are becoming "increasingly significant," says Strange.

This includes Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Manila, where "exposure is broadening as more Australians build stopovers into their long-haul travel plans."

The average cost of a gastro claim has risen 16 per cent year-on-year to $1100 per claim, with severe cases that require hospitalisation and ambulance transfers reaching as high as $5600, Strange says.

Kuala Lumpur is the most expensive for gastro cases, with the average claim coming in at $1462.

Comparatively, the average claim in Thailand costs $1228, in Manila it's $1231, Singapore costs $930 and Bali $630.

Strange says a fairly standard stomach bug can escalate into a "costly travel disruption" fairly quickly.

A recent SCTI claim came from a family who had been transiting through Singapore en route from Manila to Melbourne, when the husband began showing symptoms including sweating, nausea and diarrhoea, when boarding the flight in Manila.

"They made the decision to board, but during the flight his condition worsened, and by the time they landed in Singapore both his wife and daughter had also become unwell," Strange says.

The family sought the assistance of their airline lounge, an on-site doctor was called, and the family spent several hours being treated at the airport clinic for vomiting, nausea and dehydration. They were declared unfit to fly and stayed in a hotel overnight.

Their travel insurance pay out was more than $2000.

"The takeaway from this is that it wasn't the gastro itself that created the financial burden, but the domino effect of being medically unable to board a critical connecting flight," Strange says.

"A 24-hour illness at home is inconvenient. A 24-hour illness in the middle of an international transit can very quickly become a multi-thousand-dollar claims event."

The insurer's highest payout for a gastro case in Asia was $7000 in Indonesia in 2026. The traveller became ill with a case of food poisoning which escalated to the point where they were struggling to breath.

The claim included a hotel doctor call-out fee, an ambulance to the hospital, specialist medical treatment, rebooking costs and onward travel.

Australian Medical Association ACT president, Dr Betty Ge, says rigorous hand washing, and choosing food and drinks wisely, can help Aussies lower their risk of contracting gastro during an Asian stopover.

"Avoid raw/undercooked food - such as salads, runny eggs or undercooked meat," she tells Explore.

Some common medications prescribed during pre-travel consultations include oral rehydration formula for electrolyte imbalances, loperamide, to treat some of the symptoms of diarrhoea, and a wafter to assist with vomiting.

"Ondansetron is an anti-emetic to help settling down the nausea and vomiting. Very useful if you have young kids who are suffering or refusing oral intake due to the vomiting as they can dissolve underneath the tongue or in buccal area," Ge says.

Canberra Health Services infectious diseases specialist, Dr Fabian Chiong, says most gastro in travellers is spread through contaminated food, water or poor hand hygiene.

"The highest-risk situations are buffet food sitting at room temperature, raw seafood, salads washed in unsafe water, ice of uncertain origin, and food from places with poor turnover or hygiene standards," he says.

A spokesperson for the Australian Centre for Disease Control says no destination is 100 per cent safe when it comes to preventing these illnesses, which are predominantly caused by infectious agents such as parasites, bacteria and viruses.

"Travellers should check Smartraveller for the latest travel advice and check in with a travel doctor or other healthcare professional before they go."