WTM - LONDON- REPORT: Thailand is stressing it is still open for tourism with a bus advertising campaign launched today which will run for the next three months.
    
Two London buses will carry a fully-wrapped design with an iconic beach scene on one side and image of an elephant appearing to spray water over top deck passengers on the other. They will supported by buses with smaller panel ads. A similar campaign will start in Dublin in January. 
    
Speaking at World Travel Market, Tourism Authority of Thailand UK consumer marketing and PR manager Jo Cooke says there had been no question of pushing the campaign back despite flooding in the country. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently advising against non-essential travel to Bangkok and other areas affected by flooding but passengers can still connect to other parts of Thailand through its international airport Suvarnabhumi.
    
The capital’s domestic airport is flooded but Cooke says this has had minimal impact with the two low-cost carriers that use it having moved to Suvarnabhumi. Beyond Bangkok the flooding has mainly affected rural areas. All the popular resorts are fully open.
    
Cooke says tour operators and agents are still reporting healthy bookings: “Premier Holidays tells us Thailand is still selling well and we are still in Trailfinders’ top three destinations.”
    
She adds: “The floods have already cost Thailand about two billion Euros or more. Tourism accounts for 10% of GDP. We need tourists.”