What's Wrong with This Picture

Last week, the U.S. Government announced that it would be providing a $450,000 grant to Georgia to augment its tourism promotion efforts.

Georgia...as in the Republic of Georgia. You know, the country that used to be a part of the U.S.S.R.

Let me get this straight. The U.S. understands that tourism is important enough of a strategy to forward a half million dollars to another country but not important enough to have a Department of Tourism of its own?

And why am I not surprised?

Comments

[Joe Buhler]

Guess, nobody is surprised - or even shocked - anymore! Reminds me of the time when the EU was shoveling money to the Caribbean to fund their effort including a nice big presence at the World Travel Mart..... The folly of government officials is beyond comprehension, especially when it concerns tourism.

[Bob Stokes]

Uh, I think the assumption is that the money was *really* intended for tourism. Multiple ways of funding something else that's not too obvious. During Afghan resistance to Soviets, I heard that American funding to Pakistan allegedly showed up under agricultural assistence :-)