Hello Kitty Named Japan’s Tourism Ambassador to China

Travel Blog  •  Jim Benning  •  05.21.08 | 1:00 PM ET

imageCongrats, Hello Kitty. You earned it. See, Tijuana? For your tourism mascot, you went with Xuani—frankly, an unknown quantity—and look at the mess you’re in now. I suggest following Japan’s lead. Think big. Think branded multilingual animated icon with global reach. Think of someone who’s not afraid to holler, “Vamanos!” Yes, Tijuana, I’m talking Dora the Explorer. Now that’s a mascot.

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* Eva Airways Harnesses the Power of Hello Kitty

Photo by antigone78 via Flickr, (Creative Commons)