Welcome - South Africa's bold commitment . Sometimes, a single tourist can spark an industry. Endorsing the message of the initial Welcome campaign launched in 2000, South African Tourism continued to remind South Africans of the critical role that tourism plays in the country's economy. It speaks to the people of South Africa about our cultural heritage, reinforcing a pride in our country and creating hope and aspiration for all of us.
Tourism creates jobs and helps people realise dreams way beyond the travel and hospitality industry.
The story told in this film is only one heartwarming example of the way that tourism can benefit our local communities. The new Welcome campaign makes a bold statement, suggesting that a single tourist can spark an industry. The film, sponsored by Vodacom and shot on location in Messina in the Northern Province, tells a story of how traditional African beadwork finds its place on the international stage. Set in a magnificent African landscape under a massive baobab tree, a tourist discovers a beautiful piece of beadwork at a rural market and this provides the inspiration for an entire haute couture collection. The film ends on the finale of an international fashion show as the models, dressed in beautiful beaded gowns, salute the women responsible for the magnificent beadwork.