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Greetings from Kurdistan
25.10.2006
By Alicia A. Caldwell |
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October 25, 2006
It's not for the casual traveler. But if you are up
for an adventure in a place that boasts peace,
democracy and an experienced security force, a
California marketing firm has a suggestion:
Kurdistan.
"It has always been a tourist destination for Iraq
and other parts of the Middle East," said Sal Russo,
whose Sacramento, Calif., firm helped the Kurdistan
Development Corp. create a television ad campaign
for the autonomous three-province Kurdish region in
northern Iraq, which is sometimes called Kurdistan.
"Westerners walk around freely, and there is an
active nightlife."
Mr. Russo, whose firm handles largely Republican
campaign clients, acknowledges that it "might be
close by in miles" to the Iraq war, but "it's a lot
further from that in reality."
That might be little comfort to a family considering
a holiday there, but in three TV commercials airing
nationally on cable news networks the pitch is
clear: Kurdistan isn't the Iraq of roadside bombs
and beheadings. It's safe, well-protected and home
to a democratic government. Coalition troops are
welcomed with smiles and flowers.
"You think of bombings and this is peaceful," Mr.
Russo said. "You think of desert and this is
mountainous. You think of camels and you are more
likely to see sheep."
There are about 70 flights a week to the region,
some of which do require travel through the
dangerous Baghdad International Airport.
Mr. Russo's ads show images of serene countryside's,
smiling Kurds -- some waving American flags -- and
bustling businesses.
Though the campaign is largely based on the
television ads, organizers also have begun outreach
efforts in U.S. communities with large numbers of
Iraqi immigrants, including in Nashville, Tenn.
The location and political history of the region --
the Kurds have previously sought independence from
Iraq -- make some marketing analysts sceptical about
the real intentions of the campaign.
Jonathan K. Frenzen, who teaches marketing at the
University of Chicago, said the campaign looks to
him to be more of an effort to distance Kurdistan
from the rest of Iraq than to immediately lure
tourists and investors.
"The ads are helping Kurdistan separate itself from
the rest of Iraq," Mr. Frenzen said. "It's a clever
way to go about it."
Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, chairwoman of the Kurdistan
Development Corp., which is working with the
Kurdistan Regional Government to fund the project,
said the point of the ads is to expand the local
economy.
Tourism efforts that were impossible under Iraqi
dictator Saddam Hussein's regime could be very
popular and lucrative today, she said.
"Historically [tourism] has been one of our
strengths," Ms. Rahman said. "For the adventure
tourist, there is rock climbing and river rafting.
Great prophets are buried there. There are Roman
ruins." |
Photo: eKurd.net
All Photos: eKurd.net |
Nabaz Khoshnaw, who was born in Kurdistan and now
lives in Nashville, said he remembers well the days
when the region was bustling with tourists looking
for a mountain vacation.
"The mountains looks more like America," he said.
Mr. Khoshnaw made his first trip back to Kurdistan
in 2004, and said the Kurds immediately had started
to rebuild resort villages destroyed by Saddam's
regime.
Ms. Rahman said the effort has been successful.
"Right now we are very happy with the results we
have," Ms. Rahman said, noting that the tourism
campaign's
Web site, www.theotheriraq.com, has been attracting
a steady stream of visitors.
"We get a lot of e-mails from people saying they
were very moved by the thank you ad, and others
saying they didn't know this place existed. We have
no reason to think that this campaign is not
working, quite the opposite."
AP
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