Do Summer Different this year

South African Tourism has kicked off a campaign to showcase the country’s wide variety of tourism attractions and experiences.

Under the name ‘Summer Different’, the ‘roadtrip’ campaign will explore all nine provinces in an effort to portray the diversity and variety of experiences available, and inspire local tourists to go out there and discover their own country.

Starting in the Northern Cape, the Summer Different convoy will travel through each province and shine a spotlight on some of the most spectacular parts of the country, unearthing the hidden gems in every province.

A Sho’t Left to the next village or town, a few hours’ drive to the next province, experiencing the best of the beach or the bush, visiting fascinating landmarks that are rich in history – people in South Africa are spoiled for choice with the options available to them in their backyard.

“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,” says Sisa Ntshona, CEO of SA Tourism.

Ntshona also says 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. An SMME workshop will be hosted in all nine provinces.

“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 adds.

SMMEs will have the opportunity to load their deals and products on to the Sho’t Left platform.

The Summer Different road trip will run between November 23, 2020 and February 15, 2021, visiting all nine provinces.

South Africans can find inspiration to experience summer differently via the hashtag #ShareSouthAfrica and can follow the journey online:

Facebook - @LoveSouthAfrica

Twitter - @MeetSouthAfrica

Instagram - @MeetSouthAfrica