Aleppo Syria
How do tourism campaigns capture a customers' attention? Tourism campaigns often have a very clear-cut purpose: to promote countries, cities and regions as places tourists want to visit.
But there have been plenty of cases where misguided tourism ads fell far short of that mission and through out the process, made destinations famous for the wrong reasons. In a wildly optimistic display you almost have to admire, the Syrian government worked really hard to present Syria — a civil war-torn country that is regarded as the most dangerous country on earth as a tourist destination
In its effort to woo tourists, Syria’s Ministry of Tourism released a series of bizarre advertisements, including a marketing video with a song on the background that is used as the Game of Thrones theme song. The ad was careful to omit scenes of destruction in the war-ravaged city.
The marketing campaign lacks credibility, due to the current circumstances in Aleppo. If the aim is to convince potential tourists that Aleppo is a safe paradise where everyone can enjoy their beautiful Summer holiday, then the Syrian government might have to think twice before releasing such a promotional video. In a world where everybody can access the internet and read the news, false or modified advertising is easily picked up on. Also, even though the government attempted to avoid images of destruction due to the continuous war, the video still contains such horrible depictions. This shows the audience that Aleppo is far from being a safe and sustainable tourist destination.
Therefore, this campaign emphasizes the need for action in order to achieve sustainable cities and communities worldwide. It reminds us that there is more work to be done and more action required. This is in line with our vision as an organization, which is promoting such sustainable and safe measures.
Bibliography
McMah, L. (2017, September 6). These are some of the most ridiculously bad tourism campaigns of all time. Retrieved October 3, 2020, from https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-ideas/best-of-travel/these-are-some-of-the-most-ridiculously-bad-tourism-campaigns-of-all-time/news-story/6911e7dd0bd4fbfbbb15baf6153dc2a7
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