The city attracts visitors thanks to a series of 18+ advertisements

The tourism campaign for the Lithuanian capital was launched in 2018. The ad features a woman lying with her eyes closed, clutching a map of Europe below. Her hand is holding onto the city marker Vilnius.

The campaign's website also features pun-filled slogans like "skip the foreplay", encouraging tourists to explore their own "pleasure map"... Accordingly, typical experiences in the city also have suggestive names like "dare to experiment" (referring to ghost hunting tours or Escape Room role-playing games), "do it in the dark" (nighttime entertainment activities), "use your tongue" (culinary exploration)...

The controversial campaign has made international headlines. While the students who created the ads are delighted, bishops in the predominantly Catholic country have warned that the offensive content is turning the capital into a “sex tourist city”.

However, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) dismissed the complaint, saying "some people may find the ad offensive... as it does not present women objectively." The ASA concluded that the content was "not likely to cause serious or widespread offense."

The G-spot of Europe was recently recognized as the best destination promotion campaign for a city at the 2019 World Travel Awards (WTM) in London.

Inga Romanovskienè, director of the Go Vilnius program at the city’s tourism board, revealed that international arrivals to Vilnius have jumped by 12.5% ​​compared to the same period last year. Visitors from the two main markets, Germany and the UK, increased by 37.8% and 20.5% respectively.

“Our goal is to attract younger, more curious tourists who like to explore new and exciting destinations,” Romanovskienè said. She said her organization wants to emphasize the message: “Even though Vilnius is not a famous city, once tourists come here they will really enjoy their experience.”

"The Go Vilnius campaign is particularly aimed at the younger generation, and while the language can be suggestive, it was important that we ensure the images used were not vulgar," Romanovskienè added.

She believes that the success of the campaign is to attract tourists' attention, urging them to learn about the Lithuanian capital, from its cultural heritage, festivals, events to the beautiful natural spaces right in the city.

Matt Mavir, founder of Last Night of Freedom, a tour operator specializing in bachelor parties, said Vilnius used to be the number one international destination for male travelers. But the lack of cheap flights to the city has hampered Vilnius’ tourism business. Mr. Mavir said the new marketing campaign will attract a diverse clientele.

Faced with a nearly 40% growth in international visitors to Vilnius, John Oliver, a famous American TV host, said: "If other destinations are smart enough, they will follow Lithuania's lead and come up with their own 18+ tourism slogans."

Rosemary