According to a press release on Bizcommunity, Red Bull South Africa and South African Tourism have launched a collaborative series called What We Know. The partnership is described as a way to combine Red Bull’s global reach in sport, culture and storytelling with the tourism board’s mandate to showcase the country as a destination.
Sithembile Ndaba, chief marketing officer at South African Tourism, said the value of the collaboration lies in using stories that already engage audiences to create a deeper connection with the destination. She added that South Africa’s greatest asset is its people, and the series will let them tell their own stories.
Series format and schedule
The series is hosted by comedian, actor, presenter, producer and storyteller Eugene Khoza. Over four 24-minute episodes, Khoza travels across the country, meeting athletes, gamers, musicians, influencers and everyday South Africans. The series airs weekly on SABC 1 and streams on SABC+: episode 1 on Thursday 24 September 2026 at 22:00, with episodes on 1, 8 and 15 October, according to South African Tourism’s own release. The launch coincides with Tourism Month.
Each episode weaves together diverse landscapes, cultures and communities, aiming to show how people and place are linked.
Why does this matter for local businesses? Tourism supports businesses of all sizes, from accommodation providers to tour operators and craft sellers. By highlighting lesser-known destinations and the stories of local creators, the series could drive visitor interest that translates into bookings for these SMEs.
What remains to be seen is how the series will affect actual travel behaviour. The press release does not provide projected viewership numbers or a timeline for measuring impact on tourism bookings. Those metrics will likely be tracked by the tourism board after the series completes its run.
For entrepreneurs in the tourism sector, the collaboration underscores the growing importance of storytelling as a marketing tool. Small operators may consider partnering with content creators or leveraging similar formats to reach new audiences.
Read more about tourism trends in South Africa on our SME & Entrepreneurship page.
Bizcommunity reported that the partnership leverages Red Bull’s global strength in sport, culture and storytelling together with South African Tourism’s mandate to showcase the country through authentic, compelling stories.
Ndaba described the aim as telling the destination story in a way that feels authentic. The series therefore focuses on individuals who have achieved on the world stage, using their personal journeys to highlight the communities that shaped them. This narrative angle differentiates the programme from conventional tourism advertising, which often relies on scenic footage alone. By foregrounding resilience, creativity and achievement, the content seeks to spark curiosity that could translate into a desire to experience the country first-hand.
For South African business owners, especially those in hospitality or experiential services, the collaboration demonstrates how storytelling can amplify brand visibility. Whether the series changes travel behaviour remains to be seen: the press release gives no viewership targets or booking projections.
