Today, South African Tourism launched the ‘Madiba’s Journey’ app, to make it easier for tourists to explore South Africa through the journey of the late former president and global icon, Nelson Mandela.
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With the recent 25th anniversary of the former president’s release from prison, the timing of the Madiba Journey app couldn’t be better. The new app features 27 tourist sites and attractions throughout South Africa that were pivotal to Mandela’s journey to freedom. Each attraction represents a year he spent behind bars as a political prisoner. Sites include the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Robben Island, where Mandela served 18 of his 27-year incarceration, his post-presidential office at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, and Qunu in the Eastern Cape, where he is laid to rest. Liliesleaf in Rivonia is also a featured attraction, which was once the nerve center of the liberation movement and a place of refuge for its leaders, Nelson Mandela included.
“Following Mandela’s passing in late 2013, South African Tourism experienced increased consumer interest to retrace his legacy firsthand in South Africa. To cater to this demand,
South African Tourism partnered with The Nelson Mandela Foundation to develop a “Madiba-inspired tourist attractions†map highlighting the four key provinces that defined the iconic leader’s illustrious life. Given the success of the map, which resulted in numerous inquiries from tour operators on how to best incorporate attractions relevant to Mandela’s story into their packages to South Africa, the ‘Madiba’s Journey’ free mobile- app was created,†South African Tourism said in a statement released to Black Enterprise.“Users can view the attractions on a map, build their own itineraries, and share their own journeys on social media. Users
can experience the emotion and relevance of each location through audio, text, and image galleries. The app also offers real-time weather information, distances, and details of nearby attractions. A natural extension, the user-friendly app provides visitors with all the information they need, right at their fingertips, to delve deeper into the country’s rich past.–Utilizing location-based services to establish which attraction the user is currently visiting, the GPS-enabled app provides real-time information, such as written and audio details, contact details, map previews, and photo galleries, to enrich their experience. In addition to featuring an itinerary builder, the app
also identifies the user’s proximity to other Mandela-inspired tourist attractions, allowing them to seamlessly plan their route. Further, users can easily share their experience on social media and earn rewards for their travels, encouraging them to visit more than one Madiba locale.â€The app is available in English on Apple iTunes and Google Play. And it will soon be offered in other languages including: Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Dutch, French, German, Italian, simple Mandarin, and Portuguese.
For more information on South Africa’s rich and diverse offerings visit www.southafrica.net, and follow @SouthAfrica on Twitter and Visit South Africa on Facebook.