The tourism slogans of most countries merit mockery (and some really merit mockery). For example, under the circumstances, I think the US may seriously want to change its slogan (of which I was not previously aware) of "All within your reach"...
I think my "favorites" are ones like "Tourism for Everybody" (Algeria) — though perhaps this one isn't quite so bad before it's translated? — and ones that rely on pure geographical location, such as Portugal's "Europe's West Coast". Also, Spain deserves special mockery for including a hashtag, and Uzbekhistan just missed a chance to contact the estate of Robert Palmer for some serious endorsement opportunities.
Also, I am seriously into maps with such ripe opportunities for snark.
(Tip of the cap to George Takei.)
I like Belize's slogan. Finland's seems to be missing the trailing "said nobody, ever". :P
ReplyDeleteActually a lot of these would work well as fortune cookies, with an implicit "in bed" at the end. South Africa, Mauritius, Lithuania, Latvia, Georgia, UAE, Phlippines, East Timor, Australia, New Zealand... I am easily amused.
Well, I have heard Helsinki is really nice, and in terms of education and various other things for their citizens, Finland is really the country that's gotten it right! So I think they have a lot of things in their favor.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the fortune-cookie algorithm applies to many of these.
Belize's slogan may well be more sensible in the original language. That looks like a word in which the closest English equivalent doesn't quite do the job.
Finland's absolutely a great country to be *from*, I just don't think it's a great country to be *in*. :-)
ReplyDeleteI think my Finnish co-worker does make very occasional trips home (he's a US citizen now, so he doesn't have to for visa reasons anymore) but he's clearly much happier here.