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“The 45-minute country” and other terrible tourism slogans from countries around the world

By Leslie Josephs
Published

Pity the world’s tourism boards. Around the world, these agencies are tasked with summing up in just a few words and in several languages an entire country’s wonders.

While a slogan usually takes a back seat to other drivers of tourism—attractions, favorable exchange rate, Instagram cachet (I’m looking at you, Kyrgyzstan)—it can help change a country’s image.

The UK travel site Family Break Finder gathered and mapped the English-language slogans from tourism boards around the world. And some could definitely use the Don Draper touch.

Slovakia, for example, beckons visitors by asserting: “Travel in Slovakia—Good Idea.” Latvia goes with “Best Enjoyed Slowly,” and Tunisia with the rather vague ”I feel like Tunisia.”

El Salvador has used the slogan “The 45-minute country” to tout the short distances between attractions in the small Central American country. But its current official slogan is “El Salvador: Impressive.”

Some slogans aim to change a country’s image. Colombia in 2007, for example, debuted the slogan: “The only risk is wanting to stay.” The words, meant to reassure travelers nervous about the country’s decades-long internal war and drug trafficking, apparently worked; tourism has boomed since then.

And some countries appeal to tourists without acknowledging troubles. Syria this year launched “Syria Always Beautiful,” despite a notoriously brutal ongoing civil war.

Others lean on alliteration—”Epic Estonia,” “Beautiful Burundi,” “Incredible India,” “Brilliant Barbados,” or “Live, love, Lebanon.”

Bold claims are popular: “The Dominican Republic has it all,” “All you need is Ecuador” and “There’s nothing like Australia.” ”Unique, original!” beckons tourists to Nicaragua. Oman tells travelers: “Beauty has an address.”

Others are more understated: “Yes, it’s Jordan.” Uganda’s is simply “You’re welcome.”

Here is Family Break Finder’s map of all the world’s slogans.

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