New York City's mayor Rudy Giuliani may want to encourage tourists to return to the Big Apple following the World Trade Centre attack, but many British holidaymakers are reluctant to visit.

Helen McNaught, from Sevenoaks, Kent, has cancelled her three-night city break to New York on 1 November. 'I was due to travel with my sister and parents, who have always wanted to go there, but my mother said she would feel real grief for the people of New York. The city is normally such an exciting and fun place to be.'

The group has lost £440 in deposits for their £1,876 package booked through Virgin Holidays. 'My mother doesn't care about the money, she just doesn't want to go,' she added.

Ian Mounser, from Nottingham, was in the process of booking his two-centre holiday in New York and Florida for the October half-term for his wife and seven-year-old son on the day of the attack.

He said the atmosphere in the city at the moment would not be conducive for a holiday. 'We want to switch off and get away from it but the issue is just dominating the media at the moment. We're going to the Canaries instead.'

Sarah Handy, director of NYC and Company (the New York tourist board) in London, said British holidaymakers were cancelling for different reasons. 'Some people just don't want to be away from home at the moment and emotions in New York are still very raw. But some people are just gung-ho and say the terrorist attacks are not going to stop them going there.'

The autumn is normally a peak time for British visitors. 'Some hoteliers are slashing their rates by as much as 50 per cent,' she added.