Demand for holidays in Pembrokeshire is soaring as worried tourists cancel overseas bookings.

The county's travel agents say Pembrokeshire's flying public are still jetting off to destinations they consider safe, including Spain and France.

But as the war against terrorism escalates, interest in popular winter destinations such as Cyprus and Morocco has plummeted.

Uncertainty surrounding overseas travel has bolstered Pembrokeshire's tourism economy at home.

Haverfordwest-based Activity Wales says demand for its brochures has increased by 600% since the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. Activity Wales operator Matthew Evans, who heads Pembrokeshire Marketing, says the market is 'very buoyant'.

'A lot of people are focusing on Britain and Pembrokeshire is seeing the benefit,'' he says.

The county was helped with grants to revitalise its holiday industry after it was hit badly by foot and mouth restrictions.

With marketing already in place, Pembrokeshire is well placed to mop up holiday trade lost by overseas operators.

It is not all bad news for the companies specialising in foreign holidays. Debbie Foley, managing director of Tenby Travel, admits September was unusually quiet but bookings have picked-up this month.

Customers are avoiding America, Turkey, Tunisia and Cyprus, she says, and are choosing to travel to Spain and the Canary Islands instead. City breaks in the UK and Ireland are also popular.

Because the Foreign Office has not declared countries such as Cyprus unsafe destinations, customers with existing bookings are not entitled to refunds.

'Most of our customers who have already paid for their holidays have weighed up the risks and are deciding to go anyway,'' says Mrs Foley.

Fishguard-based Tariq Travel says Morocco is the only route where bookings have been affected.

'A lot of our customers have homes or businesses abroad and the current situation has not deterred them from travelling,'' says proprietor Marion Woods.

Debbie Foley, of Tenby Travel, says customers are still travelling overseas but avoiding America, Turkey and Tunisia.

PICTURE: Gareth Davies Photography