I’m a San Diego kid originally and loved recognizing some of the iconic locations in the tourism video promoting the San Diego region.  Travel and tourism boards often need to promote local geographic characteristics and among those is a distinctive cultural landscape with prominent landmarks.  In this video, what are the elements of the cultural landscape that they used?  How is “place” being sold to a broader audience? 

Not every place can be have San Diego beaches, weather, and carne asada, but the beauty of geography is that they don’t have to be.  Omaha, Nebraska stand is stark contrast to is in many ways (definitely landlocked without the nice coastal breezes).  Omaha doesn’t try to be San Diego; in fact, they open admit their lack of a coastline in their tagline for their local Chamber of Commerce, “We Don’t Coast.”  This major city in a fly-over state knows it’s not like coastal America, and it leans into their difference as an asset.    

Questions to Ponder: How does a city/place close to you advertise it’s regionally distinctive cultural landscape? What types of characteristics get highlighted?  

This video shows Israel’s selling of geographic distinctiveness.
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