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Now This Is Salesmanship

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by Mark Stein
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Dec 10 2008 1:40pm EDT

Now This Is Salesmanship!

Baghdad, take notes. Harare, listen closely. Chin up, Chelyabinsk. There is hope for your tourist industries.

You may not have the charm, beauty, and history of Venice, but you can learn from the way the Italian city is turning a notorious liability in to a glorious asset.

Awash in floods caused by the highest sea levels in a generation, hoteliers in Venice are wooing tourists by offering cut-rate "Venice and the High Water" vacation packages that come with free use of rubber boots.

Thigh-high water in St. Mark's Square? It's not a problem, it's a promotional opportunity. "Don't worry, there is no danger," said Mayor Massimo Cacciari, gamely boosting the vital industry. "High water is a phenomenon that quickly disappears."

by Mark Stein

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