The Madiba brand is going from strength to strength, with the number of tourists flocking to the Mandela Museum in Qunu shooting up by 44 per cent over the past year.

According to Nokuzola Tetani, tour manager at the museum, 44 000 tourists visited the institute in the last 12 months, half of them students. Pupils from all over the world visit the museum, and the University of San Francisco sends a group of students to visit the Tourist and Heritage site every semester.

Tetani said that visitors were especially fascinated by the drawings and artwork of Madiba.

On Heritage Day this month, the museum, together with the Department of Education, will host an indigenous games event for Eastern Cape schools.

Tetani said the school learners would visit the Bungu building first for orientation and viewing, before heading off for Qunu village for the games.

She said that local tour operators and crafters gained the most from tourists visiting Qunu. However, in order to increase the benefits to local craft workers, the museum planned to exhibit their work at airports and other sites in cities across the country.

"We will also exhibit at trade shows and national and international indabas," she said.