WEDNESDAY, 8 DECEMBER 1999: A media and advertising campaign to turn South Africans into tourism ambassadors for their country was launched today.

The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mohammed Valli Moosa, officially launching the campaign in Soweto today, said that it was important for all South Africans to understand the role tourism plays in our economy.

"Tourism follows manufacturing and mining in its contribution to our country's GDP and could quickly overtake mining if we continue to grow tourism both domestically and internationally. It is also the sector identified by the World Economic Forum as capable of rapid job creation."

Moosa said: "We have chosen Soweto as the venue for the launch today because, as an icon of this country, it is an example of the tourism potential that is waiting on our doorstep. Soweto is currently the 16^th most popular attraction in our country with more than 1 600 tourists visiting this historic township every day.

"With more investment it could grow significantly", Moosa said, "and that is why national government, in conjunction with the Gauteng government and the Johannesburg Metro, have launched a R16-million upgrade of the Soweto Heritage Trail."

Moosa said the tourism was a national priority for compelling economic reasons. It is estimated by the World Economic Forum that one permanent job is created in our economy for every eight tourists who visit our country. Worldwide, tourism is also the biggest generator of foreign exchange.

Since 1994 tourist arrivals in this country have grown 36% from 3,668 million to 5,732 million in 1998. But Moosa says that South Africa has not even begun to scratch the potential of this lucrative industry to our economy, our people and our country as South Africa currently attracts just 0,2% of the 300-million tourists who annually travel internationally.

The Welcome campaign is the forerunner to South Africa's largest-ever international marketing campaign to be launched in South Africa's "Big Six" markets (UK, USA, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands) early next year.

Moosa said the impact of Satour's R160-million campaign (funded by a public-private partnership between government, the Tourism Business Council and the Business Trust) would be greatly increased if all South Africans supported the campaign to make South Africa a tourist nation.

"The Welcome campaign, largely run the private sector, is a timely initiative to invite South Africans to become part of a tourist nation. I believe that once South Africans understand the role that tourism plays in their everyday lives, they will understand that this is an industry that we must all support as it carries the promise of this country's long-term economic growth."

The campaign kicks off with advertising in newspapers, on outdoor hoardings, radio, cinema and TV to introduce the public to a flag-draped Welcome character, with arms outstretched in greeting. The campaign's core message is that tourism is everyone's business.

In addition, media partners of the Welcome campaign will link the strategy to issues-driven programming on TV and radio, and in newspaper and magazine articles.

Up to a million posters, stickers and promotional material are being printed for distribution in the first phase of the Welcome campaign.

The national carrier, South African Airways, provided a welcome kick-start to the campaign and has challenged other corporate companies to climb on board.

Coleman Andrews, chief executive of SAA, said: "By providing the seed capital for the campaign, South Africa's national carrier has endorsed the activities of the initiative. South African Airways would like to challenge all organisations to become part of the project whether through sponsorship or through establishing similar campaigns within their own organisations. As ambassadors for our country, large organisations should be at the forefront of campaign activities."

Andrews added: "SAA has already launched a Welcome awareness programme among staff. We are building the Welcome culture among all grades of staff, not only those in the customer-service frontline."

Organisers plan to widen corporate involvement across all commercial and industrial sectors by encouraging marketers to use the Welcome logo and launch Welcome activities. The philosophy can be applied to internal as well as external marketing by using the Welcome theme in training courses and in efforts to improve service standards.

Avis, Bains and Company, CC Africa, Southern Suns, Sun International, Protea Hotels and Tourvest have already given their support to the campaign. Various other companies are showing strong interest.

Target audiences for Welcome campaigners are:

Retailing, including supermarket chains, pharmacies, petrol stations and other outlets frequented by tourists.
Banks and financial services.
Car-hire companies, taxis and bus operators.
The hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants, bars, resorts and travel trade.
The general public.

Being a campaigner for Welcome is very easy as:

Being friendly. Don't begrudge time spent chatting to visitors.
Willingly and helpfully giving tourists directions, information and tips when they need or ask for your help.
Not harping on and on about the negatives.
Being proud of South Africa and its infrastructure (roads, telecommunications, sophisticated financial services and high quality accommodation).
Pointing out the variety and quality of our food, our fruits and our wine. Taking pride in local dishes and cuisine.
Encouraging visitors to enjoy the music we are making.
Taking pride in South Africa's transformation to democracy and our new Constitution.
Seeing the diversity of our Rainbow Nation and our rich variety of traditions.

Campaign manager Roshene Singh said: "Welcome didn't turning a blind eye to crime and other problems in our country. As people see how important tourism is as a generator of jobs, communities will be motivated to work with the police to combat crime. Criminals rob South Africans of jobs because the high-crime perception overseas can turn off tourists.

"Similarly, Welcome can be embraced by those fighting the scourge of litter and other forms of pollution. Beauty-spots have to be preserved as national assets and tourist attractions. The ultimate aim is for the Welcome culture to be adopted by our people and by our business sector. We want it to become a national movement."