Mumbai: BBC World, BBC's international news and information channel announced that it had bagged a major advertising deal for South Africa Tourism until July 2007. South Africa Tourism is the tourism arm of the country which promotes the Rainbow nation's cultural and tourist destinations.

The campaign includes advertising spots and vignettes created by the in house team at BBC World's Client Solutions team.

As part of the campaign, South Africa Tourism will also sponsor the series Africa: Open for Business.Ad Spots and vignettes will air during key BBC World programming including Click, the channel's weekly technology programme, Talking Movies, the entertainment programme and Extra time, a programme which interviews the biggest names in world sports.

The travel and tourism related advertising category has been a major source of the channel's advertsising revenue.

BBC World had earlier revealed that the Uttaranchal tourism ministry had signed an advertising deal with BBC World.

BBC World director of airtime sales Jonathan Howlett says, "We are excited by the opportunity to create this unique commercial solution for South Africa Tourism. As the leading international channel for travellers for the second year in a row, BBC World is committed to global travel and tourism. BBC World is dedicated to maintaining its strong relationship with the African continent and is proud to be working with one of its strongest brands."

South African Tourism chief marketing officer Kingsley Potter says, "It makes complete sense for us to associate with a wide variety of BBC World's feature programming as it reflects the sheer variety of life that South Africa has to offer its visitors. The strength of the BBC World brand and its viewership allows South Africa Tourism to continue to shift perceptions of South Africa as well as the rest of the continent."

South Africa is gearing up for the 2010 World Cup football and the country would be keen to campaign itself internationally to drive in more tourism into the country.