City of Bland wants in on Dull and Boring tourism partnership

DULL, Scotland, April 28 (UPI) -- The Scottish town of Dull and the Oregon town of Boring have declined an opportunity to join forces with Bland, Australia, to cross-promote their communities.

“A Pair for the Ages,” Dull and Boring call themselves in recognition of their unexciting names on their mutual Facebook page. Each has become the other’s sister city through the international partnership organization Sister Cities International, and Dull promotes Boring, and Boring promotes Dull, on local street signs.

“People were suddenly interested in visiting our communities. They found there’s nothing dull and boring about Boring and Dull,” Norm Rice of the Boring Community Planning Organization told CNBC. Tourism has increased, as has sale of Boring and Dull T-shirts and other memorabilia.

Neil Pokoney, mayor of Bland Shire, Australia, {link:told the Scotsman: "http://www.scotsman.com/news/odd/scots-town-dull-joins-forces-with-bland-and-boring-1-3185215" target="_blank"} he “thought it would be even better if it became Bland, Dull and Boring,” but what Rice called “a special relationship” was not disrupted.

The three oddly-named municipalities – Boring, population 8,000; Dull, population 80, and Bland, population, 6,000 --- formed the League of Extraordinary Communities nonetheless.

In Scotland, the "Dull paired with Boring" sign is a tourist attraction "along the likes of Edinburgh Castle and Loch Ness," Scotsman James Pringle said.

“Boring and Dull Day” is celebrated Aug. 9 in both communities.