Trevor Noah is again fronting a global campaign to promote South Africa as a tourism destination in the second phase of the TBCSA-TOMSA partnership launched this week.
The campaign follows the success of the first Trevor Noah partnership, launched in 2023, which generated more than 500 million international impressions.
The new campaign, launched on July 22, Don’t Say We Didn’t Tell You, aims to boost international arrivals while highlighting tourism’s contribution to South Africa’s economy and job creation.
“What we are doing here is to amplify the previous campaign to make sure that we show the diversity of what the country has to offer,” Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, TBCSA CEO, told Tourism Update.
The campaign intends to showcase the diversity of South Africa’s tourism offering while appealing to younger travellers seeking authentic, experience-led travel, Tshivhengwa said.
“They want to learn the new dance, discover amapiano, try our food and experience something they’ve never experienced before.”
However, attracting visitors is only part of the equation. Tshivhengwa said delivering the experience once tourists arrive is equally important.
“Tour operators and DMCs on the ground know what their customers want. And a lot more people want customised experiences. What’s important is for us as South Africans, as the product owners and as people involved in hospitality, to deliver on that particular experience.”
TBCSA Chairman Jerry Mabena, in his launch speech, said the campaign represents the tourism industry investing in itself.
“TOMSA exists to ensure that the contributions businesses make are put to work in ways that attract more visitors, grow tourism business and create value for the entire sector. And, ultimately, that value creates jobs and grows the economy.”
Watch the campaign here.
