SCOTT SIMON, host: Is Niagara Falls booked? Is Paris too hot? Are the lines too long for the Tennessee Tornado Rollercoaster at Dollywood? If you're looking for a last-minute summer vacation choice, why not Kurdistan? This week, the Kurdish regional government in Northern Iraq launched an ad campaign to try to attract tourists to the region. The other Iraq is the campaign that Russo, Marsh and Rogers has created for cable, TV and print ads that show smiling youngsters, a robust economy, snowcapped peaks and a line that goes, not one American or coalition soldier has been killed in the Iraqi Kurdistan region since the war began. Ah, maybe that's not as catchy as we'll throw another shrimp on the Barbie for you.
Scott Simon takes a moment to note that Kurdistan in Northern Iraq has launched a media campaign to attract tourists and business.