The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) has confirmed that it is in talks with the celebrated comedian Trevor Noah and other influential public figures to promote the country’s tourism.
This comes after reports that the comedian will feature in a five-minute promotion video that will cost taxpayers R33 million ($1.7 million), a move that South Africans did not find funny.
However, TBCSA, which is not a state institution, said that it would pay for the advertisement.
“If and when the parties ultimately agree on a common strategy, the deal will be wholly funded by TBCSA,” said TBCSA chief executive Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa.
Meanwhile, SA Tourism said it will not financially contribute to the initiative.
“This particular initiative is spearheaded by the private tourism sector through TBCSA,” it said.
The planned advertisement, according to Tshivhengwa, aligns perfectly with the industry's goal of achieving a remarkable increase in tourism arrivals to 15,6 million within the next decade.
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