Abstract
This chapter discusses the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which posed unprecedented problems for certain destinations at the centre of the epidemic. After an introduction to selected health risks linked to travel, SARS and its consequences for tourism are examined with particular reference to Singapore. A brief review of crisis management literature provides a theoretical framework for the discussion of circumstances in the republic, and the chapter concludes with some general observations about the defining features of health-related tourism crises and the necessity for continued vigilance and preparation. The case of Singapore and SARS illustrate how disease has the capacity to seriously disrupt international tourism. It also reveals the challenges of devising and implementing an effective response.