South African filmmakers urged to boost cultural industry for tourism promotion

 JOHANNESBURG, May 17 -- South Africa's music and film industry should spread messages that would result in tourism growth, said Thembisile Sehloho, chief marketing officer of South African Tourism, on Thursday.
   Sehloho made the remarks at the Africa's Travel Indaba (ATI), held in the coastal city of Durban from Monday to Thursday, while discussing how film and music could be used to catalyze tourism growth.
   She said there should be strategic collaborations and a focus on authentic storytelling to lure local and international viewers, citing the example of the United States using film to promote their culture and country. "America created propaganda around using film and music to position their country, and we can learn from that," said Sehloho.
   South African award-winning producer and actor Neo Ntlatleng said tourism should work with the entertainment sector to popularize the culture and the country through music and films. "There hasn't been an intentional strategy on how we are going to use our cultural and cinematic goods in a way that is going to have a return on investment for the tourism sector," he said.
   "This provides South Africa with an opportunity to grow the sector with direction and purpose," he added. Therefore, Ntlatleng noted, South Africa's film industry should be aligned with tourism objectives with some diverse narratives that showcase the country's richness and diversity.
   South Africa can create immersive experiences for visitors, fostering economic growth and cultural exchange through music and film, he added.
   ATI is an iconic African leisure trade show owned by South African Tourism, the national tourism destination marketing agency, with the specific objective of creating market access for the vast array of African leisure tourism products.