23 February 2011
BEIRUT: The Tourism Ministry unveiled Tuesday a television advertising campaign promoting travel to Lebanon with the intention of broadcasting the new spots on local and international satellite channels.
During a news conference at the ministry’s offices, caretaker Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud screened three commercials, all produced by advertising agency Impact BBDO, under the slogan “Lebanon Blues.”
Abboud said the implication was that “Lebanon is a medicine that cures the blues.”
The spots aim to highlight the “beautiful contradictions” in Lebanon, said Michel Habis, the minister’s adviser. He said that the short distances between the coast and ski resorts, as well as the proximity between Christian and Muslim places of worship were among the features to be emphasized.
Abboud proposed that the advertisements air on CNN, the BBC and Arab and Lebanese satellite stations.
He said the campaign could be funded by the private sector and Casino du Liban, which has pledged support, according to Abboud.
However, no budget information was provided at the news conference.
Abboud said talks with broadcasters were still ongoing.
The ministry had previously proposed an airport tax of LL5,000 to support tourism promotion in Lebanon, Abboud said.
However, the airport tax proposal could not be approved due to the failure of successive Lebanese governments to pass a national budget. The country has been without a national budget since former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination in 2005 sparked a series of political crises that have severely crippled government functions.
And with Abboud’s role as caretaker minister pending the formation of a new cabinet, it remains unclear if the campaign will be implemented as proposed.
But Abboud remains optimistic.
“I am pleased to present this promotional campaign as a gift to the incoming government, as a message of hope and optimism to the Lebanon of tomorrow,” he said. – The Daily Star
Copyright The Daily Star 2011.
