Today is March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. St. Pat’s is a holiday celebrated all over the world, even Malaysia.
(image by bkkbrad CCby 2.5)
St. Patrick is famed for, among other things, driving all the snakes out of Ireland. The snake removal work of the patron saint of Ireland is partly responsible for the fact that over two hundred thousand people are employed by the Irish tourism industry. Scenery, a friendly populace and historic sites are probably also a little responsible for the popularity of Ireland with vacationers. But St. Patrick had the vision to see that snake covered scenery is popular with a very limited segment of vacationers.
Folks of Irish extraction celebrate St. Pat’s big day, but they aren’t the only ones. So do people who wish they were Irish, and snake haters around the world. While the annual Malaysian celebrations are set up by Irish oriented organizations, it is possible that a force beyond ethnic pride motivates the festivities.
Way Too Many Snakes
What happened, theoretically (image via catholicmemes.com)
Malaysia provides a hospitable environment to about one hundred fifty species of snakes. And while it is also home to a very significant tourist industry, almost all of the nation is also the turf of those one hundred fifty slithering species. Consider how much larger a contribution the tourist industry could make to the nation’s gross national product with a little de-snakeification effort by a certain saint with a proven track record in such matters.
Emblazoning all the Malaysian tourist materials and websites with the slogan “Now With Fifty Percent Fewer Snakes” and eventually, “Now Snake Free” would certainly motivate more people to board a long flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Honeymooners could be lured with the tagline “No Snakes Here, And We’re Not Just Talkin’ About Your Creepy Ex.”
The marketing possibilities for a second snake free vacation paradise are endless.
What If It Works?
Any airline can lose your luggage… (public domain image via wikimedia)
So Malaysia takes their opportunity to fete St. Pat in the hopes he will help out with their snake issue. Who can fault them for being proactive?
Perhaps this will be the year that St. Patrick will feel so moved by the Malaysian celebrations in his honor that he puts on his snake chasing shoes and goes to work in this South China Sea nation. If so, expect a tourist boom. Look for Malaysia to promote itself as the next Ireland.
Fortunately, Malaysia has its own airline which has established itself as a reliable transportation option for those looking for the chance to travel to the potentially snakeless vacationland. Air travelers will certainly be motivated by Air Malaysia’s new marketing slogan “Any Airline Can Lose Your Luggage, It Takes A Special Airline To Lose Your Airplane”.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Long Awkward Pause.
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