South African Tourism has changed the narrative from “Go To South Africa” to “Don’t travel now, so you can travel later”.
The latter words are powerful in a world with growing Covid-19 cases that have impacted many renowned tourist destinations to shut down.
South Africa, known for its blue flag status, wine routes, world-class safari lodges and friendly locals, had to make the tough decision to implement a lockdown following the vast spread of the virus in under a month.
The 90-second video encourages South Africans to heed the president's call to #StayHome to stop the spread of the virus.
It showcases some of the country's top attractions without tourists.
The narrator said: "We will meet again. We will do the things that matter with the people we love again. We will go back to our favourite spots, and we will even discover new ones.
"We will travel again, and we will gather again. For us to all to travel tomorrow, we have to stay home today. We will make it through this." (sic)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/StayHomeSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StayHomeSAtoday. However long the night may last, joy always comes in the morning and #SAWillTravelAgain. pic.twitter.com/SSduqCJztd
— GoToSouthAfrica (@GoToSouthAfrica)
South African Tourism chief executive Sisa Ntshona said earlier this week: “We all long for the days when there were no boundaries and we could explore our neighbourhoods and the world at large.
“The time will come when we can travel our own country and welcome the world again. But for now, I am appealing to you to prioritise your well-being and that of those around you.
“Stay home and consider travelling later. Let us all act responsibly and play a part in getting the world back on track so we can visit the world again."