Lithuania introduces new tourism marketing concept, slogan, brand

A new marketing concept, logo, and slogan to put a new face on tourism in Lithuania were introduced on Wednesday.

The new slogan reads: "Lithuania. Real is beautiful," while a postage stamp with motives of tree branches was chosen as a new centerpiece of the country's revamped touristic image.

The new concept is a change from the previous slogan "Lithuania: a brave country" and is aimed at boosting the country's attractiveness as a tourism destination.

"We've been using 'Lithuania: a brave country' for almost a decade. However, Lithuania as an attractive travel destination wasn't reflected in that brand," the head of the tourism department, Jurgita Kazlauskiene, was quoted as saying in a press release.

The former slogan and the country's branding had been criticized by many of the country's artists and marketing experts.

Tomas Ramanauskas, the head of the advertisement agency New!, admits it is challenging to attract tourists to the small Northern European country, which "doesn't have fascinating nature or architectural wonders, whose name is hard to pronounce, and which doesn't have many direct flights."

"This is our new face of tourism communication. We have a message for the world that the real things are beautiful here," Ramanauskas told a local press conference.

"Lithuania is a perfect choice if one wants to escape from artificial smiles, concrete jungles, plastic architecture, or the tourism production line," said Ramanauskas.

Lithuania, a small Baltic state with population of less than three million, and the eastern flank of the European Union, is situated on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Endit