AN AUTHENTIC TASTE OF FARM LIFE

Will Film Tourism

Put Destination South Africa In The Spotlight

With youth unemployment at an all-time high, South Africa urgently needs to find ways to create jobs. One industry that has been successful in this area is film production. In fact, the audio-visual and interactive media sectors added a whopping R48.4 billion to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021.

South Africa’s film industry definitely stands out amongst its African peers, according to Wrenelle Stander, CEO of Wesgro. She explains the film industry plays a role in promoting destinations to a global audience—and Wesgro provides assistance and information for film producers looking to shoot in South Africa.

“Some of the world’s most iconic destinations have been put on the map by the film industry, such as New Zealand, thanks to movies like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and locations in the UK that were used for the Harry Potter movies,” says Stander.

Escape to exceptional accommodation on a historic working farm and experience for yourself why Boschendal was rated as one of the nine best family hotels in the world by Condé Nast Traveller.

The historic farm, nestled in the spectacular Franschhoek Valley, offers guests a unique opportunity to experience authentic farm living while enjoying world-class dining, award-winning wines and a range of activities catering for all ages.

With accommodation offerings that range from the spectacular Mountain Villa to the historical Herbert Baker-designed Cottage 1685 and the beautifully restored cottages in the Orchards, Werf and Retreat, Boschendal gives guests a chance to be immersed in the best of sustainable farm living.

Offering open access to the historic farm, Boschendal gives guests the freedom to explore and discover everything that makes this such a unique part of South African history.

Take to the trails to enjoy world-class mountain biking and hiking, or spend long afternoons sampling award-winning wines. Boschendal’s Farm and Homeware Shops offer the best of locally sourced and artisan goods, as well as farm-fresh sustainable produce. Art lovers can trawl through the art collection, or just soak up the many opportunities to relax and breathe in the splendour of nature.

For young guests, the Outdoor Programme offers an authentic outdoor experience, with morning, afternoon, and all-day slots open, guided by the expert leadership of the Tree House team. Free-range kids are also welcome, with play at the Tree House playground or some two-wheel fun at the pump track to let loose their spirit of adventure.

Origins Of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour Exhibition

South African National Parks (SANParks), together with a team of archaeologists, will be launching a new exhibition at the Cape of Good Hope Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre (BVC) in Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in April 2023. The exhibition will showcase the discovery of our early modern human origins and innovations in southern Africa, under the banner of the ‘Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour.’

Although the preparation of the internal exhibition area for the Origins exhibit installation commences on 20 February 2023, the rest of the BVC facility (eg toilets, office, outside exhibition area) will remain operational and open to all visitors and tour operators.

The Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour exhibition, curated by awardwinning documentary filmmaker, Craig Foster, and archaeologist, Petro Keene, showcases the culmination of some 30 years of archaeological research in the southern Cape.

The remarkable discoveries highlight the rich archaeological records of three unique South African archaeological sites: Blombos Cave, Klipdrift Shelter and Klasies River, all situated on the southern Cape coast of South Africa. These sites were occupied by early Homo sapiens (humans who behaved and looked like us) between 120 000 and 50 000 years ago – a key period in the evolution of modern human behaviour.

“The aim of this exhibition is to create an understanding of our common ancestry with the ‘We are all One’ concept that strongly points to the evidence that all Homo sapiens, people like us, have their origins in Africa. Past ancient lifeways are richly portrayed to inform and educate visitors of all ages about their own past and to encourage a sense of pride in us with the knowledge that we all originally evolved in Africa,” says Archeologist Petro Keene.

The exhibition, Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour, comprises 19 unique display panels, including six videos by Craig Foster and Damon Foster, and bespoke Sea Change Project content, allowing visitors a unique multi-sensory experience.

While blockbuster films such as Mission Impossible 8 (filmed in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal) and the popular Dutch TV show Wie is de Mol? (hosted in the Western Cape) have drawn big-budget crews to South African soil, Stander says there is also enormous potential for the gaming film market.

Valerie Rose, a travel and accommodation coordinator in film and television who regularly works with Netflix and CBS, says that beyond assisting the crew with travel post-COVID, she helps many international team members with bookings for their families to join them. Bookings can span anything from two months to a year, she says.

“The Waterfront Marina precinct benefits a lot from international crews because it is safe, close to amenities, and easy to get onto the highway to the Cape Town Film Studios”, says Rose. She highlights that apartments in the area are popular because they are private, peaceful, design-led, and fully serviced—ideal for teams that regularly push 12-hour workdays. Luxury hotels also benefit from international production teams. Rose works with a range of budgets, with most bookings in the R2 000–R3 000 per night range.

Large crews of up to 400 people can make a place their base for a few weeks, transforming quiet backwaters. The positive spinoffs are endless, declares Rose, adding that clients often leave South Africa vowing to return as a tourist or to purchase property.

“When there is downtime, they want to go and explore South Africa. Cast and crew that can afford it will choose the luxury safari option. If timing is tight, they visit reserves that are close to them”, says Rose. Opportunities abound for travel managers to tailor-make experiences to suit their needs and budget.