In a ground-breaking initiative to help South Africa get closer to its goal of attracting 21 million visitors to the country by 2030, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) has partnered with world-renowned comedian, Trevor Noah, to promote South African tourism.

The 'Trevor Noah Tourism Campaign for SA' campaign will see the South African-born comedian showcase the country through a series of packaged video-adverts which will be seen by millions of potential visitors around the world. The bigger objective is to position South Africa as the destination of choice for global travellers.

The campaign targets travellers from the wider continent of Africa, as well source markets further abroad such as Germany, the UK, and the US. “It is our hope that this initiative will inspire many to take advantage of our diverse tourism offering by visiting South Africa,” the TBCSA said in a press release.

The country’s travel and tourism sector is expected to grow at an average rate of 7.6% annually over the next decade. The TBCSA is confident that Trevor Noah's global appeal and deep connection to South Africa places him among the great league of exports produced by South Africa, making him the perfect ambassador for the tourism sector.

“As someone born in Soweto and who has performed in front of audiences all over the world and has experienced love from all corners of South Africa, Noah is a great person for this partnership and to use his voice to advocate for the country’s diverse culture, fine cuisine, breath-taking adventures, and a hospitality experience that compares to no other,” the TBCSA added.

"Trevor Noah is a true South African at heart and having him as the voice of the South African tourism sector will have great benefits for the sector. He is a global brand loved by people all over the world, and his partnership with the TBCSA is a major coup. I am confident that Trevor will help us to position South Africa as the destination of choice for global travellers,” said TBCSA CEO, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa.

The TBCSA is confident that this partnership will help to boost the country's tourism sector and create jobs and opportunities for everyday South Africans. The business council is also hopeful that this campaign will inspire other South Africans to get involved in promoting the country's tourism sector through sharing of the video-ads across social media platforms, to also help South Africans explore the country’s various tourist destinations that they might not have thought of experiencing before.

‘Perfect timing’

Speaking at the campaign’s launch event yesterday (November 9), Tshivhengwa said now was the perfect time to launch the campaign following the Springboks Rugby World Cup triumph in France, as South Africa was top of mind on a global scale.

“We decided that the we needed to do something new and fresh to boost the marketing of the country’s tourism sector. Trevor is going to remain relevant with his global appeal and he will have a significant impact in promoting the country to his celebrity circle as well,” he added.

Watch the first of Noah’s digital marketing adverts below: