Selling Israel: A Land Rich in Holy Sites or Hot Babes in Tel Aviv?

Photo by falasteenyia, via Flickr (Creative Commons).

That’s the question vexing those debating how to market the nation to tourists. Interestingly, an Israeli consular official recently invited a camera crew from Maxim magazine to photograph a bikini-clad model in Tel Aviv, arguing that the best way to improve the country’s image among young men was with “good-looking women,” the official told Newsweek. Others insist that Biblical sites set Israel apart and should be emphasized. Which raises the question: Can you sell Holy sites to would-be religious tourists and secular good times to Maxim readers at the same time?

The man behind the Maxim crew’s visit believes you can: “You have to match the message to the audience.”

Okay, Mr. Marketing Guru, how about this one: How do you reach the conflicted young man who enjoys Maxim’s Hometown Hotties and the Book of Job? Do you go after the angel on his left shoulder or the devil on his right? Or both?

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