Many New Zealanders putting their travel plans on hold

Imminent war in the Middle East and a mystery illness sweeping the world have persuaded many New Zealanders to put overseas travel plans on hold.

However, travel agents say people who have already paid for trips to Europe and Asia are still going because their insurance companies will not reimburse their travel costs if they cancel.

With war looming in Iraq and concerns mounting over a deadly pneumonia, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), most people are taking a "wait-and-see" approach before committing themselves to international travel.

Health officials are advising travellers to rethink non-essential travel to China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. The advice follows a global health alert by the World Health Organisation after growing numbers of deaths from the unidentified influenza-like illness.

March and April are typically busy times for the travel industry as people flock to the warmer Northern Hemisphere.

However, some agents are noticing a drop in bookings to Britain, the United States and Europe.

In Taupo, United Travel's owner Mark Wisniewski said a lot of older couples were delaying booking British or European tours.

Instead, they were choosing safer destinations such as Australia and the Pacific Islands.

Knocker Dean, owner of Rotorua's Travel Smart, conceded the volatile international climate meant many people's plans were "up in the air".

Until the Government issued official warnings to travellers to stay out of certain countries, insurance companies would not reimburse travel costs if people cancelled their trips.

Mr Dean said that meant a lot of people were continuing with their trips to Europe and Asia.

Harvey World Travel owner Scott Gagen said the threat of war meant there was a natural reluctance for people to travel to the Middle East or the United States.

However, people wanting to travel to Europe could still arrange flights avoiding "at-risk" countries.

Other travel agents said they had received few inquiries from people worried about the war or the fast-spreading pneumonia-like illness.

Holiday Shoppe staff said travel bookings were strong, especially to Australia.

"No one has taken any notice of the super-bug."

Melda Eddy, of Travel Trenz, said people were continuing to travel but were staying close to home.

"Kiwis don't stay still for too long. They like to travel," she said.

Flight Centre managing director Graeme Moore said the impending Iraq war and the mystery illness were "obviously big issues for us".

The immediate impact had been a "softening" in inquiries for long-haul travel destinations and an increasing interest in holidays closer to home.

Australia and the Pacific Islands were becoming much more attractive destinations.

- NZPA