South African Tourism kicked off its Summer Different campaign last week to showcase the wide variety of tourism attraction and experiences across the country.
Starting in the Northern Cape, the Summer Different convoy will travel through each one of South Africa’s nine provinces to shine a spotlight on some of the most spectacular parts of the country and unearth the hidden gems in every province.
This is all to encourage people to go out and discover their country and join a nationwide journey to celebrate South Africa’s rich and diverse landscapes this summer.
Sisa Ntshona, CEO of South African Tourism, said that the campaign comes after an incredibly challenging and uncertain year.
"Everything is different, so shouldn’t we all holiday differently, too? We need to refresh travel experiences for people in South Africa, explore the hidden gems, take the road less travelled and go off the beaten track. Nothing is what it used to be. We need to show them a better and different way to experience tourism in the long-term, but most importantly, show them how to do summer differently in the short-term,” he said.
Since the easing of lockdown restrictions, South Africans have been craving quick getaways to celebrate, and as summer draws closer, they need the choice of many experiences that are different in every way possible.
Ntshona notes that in addition to highlighting and encouraging local travel this summer, supporting SMMEs within the travel space who have been hard-hit by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic is vital. A special SMME workshop will be hosted in each province the Summer Different road trip visits.
“We all know that the tourism sector was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, so we need to carve an inclusive way forward. It’s about expanding in all directions, connecting all corners, and drawing all tourism elements and products together in a cohesive, robust and sustainable way. One that leverages every endeavour and enterprise for a singular vision of growth. This includes all players within the sector; particularly the SMMEs, to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth, as well as transformation,” he added.
The Summer Different road trip will run between November 23, 2020, and February 15 2021