Trevor Noah, world-renowned comedian and 2024 Grammy nominee for best comedy album, has taken on a new title: \u2018chief tourism comedian for South Africa.\u2019<\/p>\n
In a new tourism campaign entitled \u201cThe Best of Us,\u201d launched in partnership with the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) Thursday, Noah uses his unique brand of humor to tackle frequently asked questions about his homeland.<\/p>\n
The campaign kicks off with Noah walking poolside at a holiday home with the iconic Table Mountain in the background as he addresses common misconceptions and queries, he often gets about South Africa. \u201cHow cold and snowy is your Christmas?\u201d he jests, \u201cWell, Tracy, unfortunately, we can\u2019t afford snow in South Africa. Nah, I\u2019m just playing. We\u2019re in the southern hemisphere, which means when it\u2019s freezing in Connecticut, it\u2019s fantastic in Cape Town.\u201d<\/p>\n
Noah\u2019s ad doesn\u2019t just answer quirky questions; it also highlights South Africa\u2019s diverse attractions, from spectacular wildlife scenes in Kruger National Park to adrenaline-packed activities like bungee jumping at Bloukrans Bridge, surfing in Durban\u2019s Golden Mile, shark cage diving in Gansbaai, and high-end golf courses along the Garden Route.<\/p>\n
The campaign aims to boost international tourism to South Africa, as the country targets 21 million visitors by 2035, according to TBCSA CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa. Noah\u2019s global appeal and South African roots make him an ideal ambassador to showcase the country\u2019s diverse tourism offerings, added Tshivhengwa.<\/p>\n
Last year, South Africa saw 5.8 million inbound international tourists. The country has seen a significant increase in arrivals this year, with over 6.1 million visitors by September, with its peak summer season still ahead. European and UK visitors remain the largest source market, with 862,000 arrivals between January and September, a 50.9% increase in arrivals compared to the same period in 2022. Furthermore, the Americas have shown a notable uptick in interest, with a 59.0% increase in arrivals, led primarily by 206,015 visitors from the United States between January and July.<\/p>\n
The campaign debuted across social media platforms and garnered over 66,700 views on TBCSA\u2019s YouTube channel shortly after its launch. Noah has over 8.6 million followers on Instagram and has just launched a podcast called What Now \u2013 he has, however, not yet shared the \u201cThe Best of Us\u201d video to his Instagram grid.<\/p>\n
Noah\u2019s South Africa ad follows another tourism ad he did earlier in the year. Noah joined Switzerland tourism ambassador Roger Federer to promote train travel across the alpine nation, below.<\/p>\n