Asian Business Travel - Sacrifice Money Now for Health Later?

The large influx in Western business ventures during the following years into The Orient has been phenomenal and has resulted in companies sending their employees half way around the world to negotiate, impregnate, and delegate their interests. Ranging anywhere from the weekly cross-the-globe traveler to the lifelong expatriate who must watch over the foreign factory, these people are spending lots of time in a new land.

Unfortunately, many are subjected to a downgrade in the sanitary living conditions of home sweet home. One of these factors includes a large increase in pollution due to a lack of government regulations which can then lead to breathing difficulties, some of which may result in permanent or temporary lung damage. This can even further irritate already existing allergies and asthma.
Let us take a look a Taiwan for example. Not twenty years ago it grew to be one of the top 30 economies in the world, quite the feat for such a small nation. However, today the government is focusing on cleaning up their rivers and more importantly their drinking water due to the rampant industrial pollution created in the process. Even the local population for the most part boils their water. The air quality has increased somewhat, but is still not on par with their western partners. Not to mention of the contributing factors for relief from their factories was their move into mainland China which still contributes to their overall pollution due to floating coal matter drifting in the atmosphere. China has increased its coal production at an astonishing rate in order to keep afloat with the power grid demands of the production processes. One assessment claims that one new coal plant is being created every ten days.

Drinking water and air quality are lacking in many of the Asian environments. These two elements are the basic necessities humans thrive on for clean health. However, many business travelers do not realize the staggering effect even a small period of time may have on their health. One glass of contaminated water can result in a sick absence from work rather quickly. Moreover, many travelers are experiencing a new phenomenon called the "Beijing cough" which is the result of heavy pollution being embedded deep inside the lungs. Finally, remember that Asia is one of the few havens still left for unregulated restaurant and bar smoking which can lead to the well known effects of second-hand smoke.

In conclusion, what can be seen is that business men and women, while receiving a higher paycheck, may be putting their health at risk down the road just because they decided to travel to an Asian. General advice should be taken to build up ones immune system, obtain all listed vaccinations, drink only purified water, eat at restaurants with good sanitary conditions, and use good common sense to name a few.