Some travel agents didn't warn customers of Bali alerts

People attend a candlelight vigil outside one of the restaurants which was bombed on the weekend in Kuta. Picture / Reuters

Two of the country's biggest travel agencies had stopped advising travellers against visiting Bali despite serious government warnings remaining since the 2002 bombings.

Up to 27 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the latest blasts on the Indonesian island on Saturday. One New Zealander was injured, but not seriously.

The official Government travel warning for Bali recommends New Zealanders defer "non-essential trips or tourist travel".

But yesterday Holiday Shoppe general manager Digby Lawley said people should "be reasonable" about official warnings, which he likened to cautions of possible malaria outbreaks in Africa or wind-chill in Antarctica.

"There is a whole lot of places in the world where there might be Muslims hiding - it's almost like an obligatory thing for the Government to do. It's a free world - customers can travel to where they want to," Mr Lawley said.

"Let's say someone got burnt off an electric toaster three years ago. Should we have warnings and tell everyone? You have to be reasonable."

Flight Centre communications director John McGuinness said many Flight Centre staff and clients had been to Bali since 2002. It was seen as a good destination again despite the warnings.

"There has been a little complacency set in with these warnings, people have got comfortable with Bali as a destination again."

However, in light of the weekend attacks, an immediate advisory was being sent to all Flight Centre staff.

An Auckland woman who booked a holiday to Bali without being told there was a specific warning of terrorist attacks has urged travel agents to tell clients about security threats.

Ann Yates said she and her friend were never told the Government had issued specific advice telling tourists not to go to Bali because a terrorist attack was being planned.

She and a friend booked their holiday in August through Flight Centre. Her questions about security were dismissed.

"I didn't grill her. I'd have expected that if there was a specific warning, I'd have been told by the people that sold me the tickets," she said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman Emma Reilly said the advisory's stance on Indonesia had not changed since before the 2002 Bali bombs, "so we've been saying for three years plus to defer non-essential and tourist travel".

She said the ministry used a wide range of information - including advice from other governments and information from ministry people in other countries - to help make decisions about risk for travellers.

"The advice provides information for people to make informed decisions about where they travel, but it's down to the individual to make that decision."

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday said she supported the strong advisory.

"One cannot be clearer than that," she said.

House of Travel was the only travel agent spoken to yesterday which said that since the travel warnings were issued in 2002 it had not actively promoted Bali as a holiday destination.

House of Travel retail director Brent Thomas said the company had a responsibility to customers and Bali was only offered as a destination if requested.

He said travellers were made aware of the warnings but it was up to them whether they wanted to book.

Harvey World Travel also said it was not promoting Bali, but chief executive Neil Gestrow said it was because it was not a big destination for them.

He said if people wanted to go they would sell them a package but their itinerary would offer warnings and often insurance agents would not cover them, he said, which should raise people's awareness.

New Zealand's Ambassador to Indonesia, Chris Elder, has flown to Bali and joined two other diplomatic staff monitoring hospital casualty lists for New Zealanders.

One New Zealand man suffered minor injuries in one of the blasts.

His father has told officials he does not need help and will not be cutting his holiday short.

Consul Heather Garven said yesterday that no New Zealanders had sought help to return home early after the blasts.

NZ advisories

* Some risk: Exercise caution. Parts of the UK and the US are in this category.

* High risk: Consider deferring non-essential travel. Bali has been high risk since 2002.

* Extreme risk: Don't go. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises New Zealanders to leave these places. Includes Colombia, parts of Malaysia and Pakistan. Currently 33 countries or regions are classed as extreme risk.

- additional reporting, Derek Cheng