Drop in number of Bali visitors

The October 2002 bombings caused a drop in the number of visitors

The number of Britons visiting Bali is likely to take another dip after the terror attacks on the island, according to a travel industry chief.

The number of Britons visiting the Indonesian island is already well down after the October 2002 bombings there.

"This will depress UK visitor levels again," said Keith Betton, corporate affairs head of the Association of British Travel Agents.

Tour operators will consider whether to offer alternatives or refunds.

Bali has not been such a popular destination for Britons since the October 2002 attacks and this will depress UK visitor levels again Abta

At the time of the 2002 bombings, up to 3,000 Britons were on the holiday island compared with an estimated 500 now travelling there on package holidays.

There was also an estimated 500 people travelling independently from the UK, comprising mainly backpackers.

In the latest attack, the authorities in Thailand had said 26 people were killed. They now believe the number of dead to be 22 - including the three suspected bombers.

Mr Betton said Bali had not been a popular destination for Britons since the October 2002 attacks.

He said Bali had only been reinstated as a holiday destination by some UK tour operators last year following the 2002 bombings.

"One of the things that makes people go to an area is talking to travellers who have already been there.

"As it was off sale for a time, Bali has not come back up very quickly," he said.

'Quieter than normal'

But the British ambassador to Indonesia, Charles Humfrey, said so far people were taking a measured response to the attacks.

"It's not the impression we've had that people are trying to leave the country," he said.

"There's been some people leaving but it's not been a panic exodus."

Mr Betton said most Britons seemed "fairly happy" to carry on their holidays.

"I don't think there's any mass return of people," he added.

Some Britons staying in hotels in the beach resort of Kuta said they were determined to stay on despite the bombings.

It hasn't made me think about coming home, I've got a couple more months and I want to continue Nicholas Haigh

Nicholas Haigh, 31, from Southampton, is staying about 600 metres from the scene of one of the bombs.

"I heard a couple of almighty bangs and I thought straight away 'that must be a bomb'," he said.

"People haven't really been talking about it very much although the place is a lot quieter than normal.

"It hasn't made me think about coming home, I've got a couple more months and I want to continue."

The penalty-free amendments to booked holidays being considered by holiday companies were offered following the Sharm al-Sheikh bombings in Egypt in July.

The resilience of the travel industry has been highlighted by the fact that Egypt has remained a popular destination for Britons.