There is a “need for better collaboration linking cinema, tourism and film tourism products for the market”.
With a multi-billion rand film tourism boom expected by 2025, experts say the government needs to establish streamlined industrial processes, encourage the use of South Africa's iconic locations and establish a dedicated fund. is emphasized.
With locally produced international film production expected to grow from R2.52 billion last year to more than R6 billion in 2025, Dr Charlene Haselman, Lecturer in Heritage Studies at the University of Pretoria, and distinguished Film director Vusi Afrika called for a restructured approach by the government.
The film industry needs “better collaboration”
Mr Haselman said if South Africa's film tourism is to grow, it “needs better collaboration between film, tourism and market-appropriate film tourism products”.
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“One of the biggest challenges is to ensure that the organizations dealing with film tourism span at least three government departments: sport, arts and culture; trade, industry and competition.
“They are currently dealing with various levels of future film production, including permits, location research and tax incentives.
“We need to have a streamlined process because a simpler process will encourage more film production.
“These organizations are all working toward the same goal: promoting South Africa as a great filming location and driving economic growth.
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“We need to establish mutually beneficial relationships across sectors,” Haselman argued.
“Additional tax reduction”
“If the production company agrees that the film production can be used in an approved manner to promote South Africa, additional tax relief for the production can be negotiated.
“This is not uncommon and happens in many countries around the world.
“The tourism industry will also be a beneficiary of this promotion, as well as helping the film industry find suitable locations.
“After all, who knows a country and its landscape better than tourism workers?” Haselman added.
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“Analysis tools like Google Trends show that whenever a new film like Blood & Water is released, viewers search for filming locations.
“Without a tangible link that directs these potential visitors to a place they can visit, their interest will fade and you will lose potential visitors to more marketable destinations.
“Fortunately, creating a film tourism product does not require large amounts of money or time-consuming investments.
“It’s as easy as creating a map on the website and locating your shooting location.
“This means there is considerable potential for job creation, including tourist guides organizing their own film tours to stand out in a competitive market,” she says.
Investment and growth opportunities
The interest and investment generated from film tourism could also have a “snowball effect for both industries, leading to more investment and growth opportunities.”
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Mr Haselman said SA Tourism and Netflix had recently entered into a partnership titled 'Made in South Africa' which featured South Africa and 'results in a healthy investment by Netflix in the local film industry'.
Like Haselman, Africa said its rebate system needed “significant improvements to compete with more reliable models such as Mauritius.”
“In recent years, there has been a significant lack of involvement from the private sector, especially banks and corporations.
“This gap stems from the industry's inability to present a convincing business case to potential investors and needs to be addressed urgently,” Africa said.
He said: “Dedicated funding from South African Tourism is urgently needed to promote the use of the country's iconic locations for film production.”
“Such a fund could serve as an additional resource for local and international filmmakers and enhance South Africa's attractiveness as a production destination,” he said.
Africa and Haselman said South Africa offers several needs to filmmakers.
“South Africa has a diverse landscape and previous tourism marketing campaigns have accurately described South Africa as ‘a world in one country’.
“We can be the stage for any script.
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“South Africa has a highly skilled film crew and support infrastructure that enables us to produce high quality work.
“We also offer low production costs due to tax incentives for film production from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and a very favorable exchange rate,” Haselman said.
