Desert Race emblem to go on world stage

KABO MOKGOABONE
Staff Writer | Thursday June 5, 2008 00:00

 

The Botswana Tourism Board (BOTOBO) is involved in this drive.

The race is currently marketed only locally and regionally, but it managed to rake millions of pula into the domestic hospitality industry.

BOTOBO has joined hands with the traditional organisers of the event, the Four Wheel Club of South Africa, who were financially overstretched last year and could not mount a marketing campaign.

The Marketing Manager of BOTOBO, Mmammidi George, says the synergy of partnering with the Four Wheel Club has already borne results: the event was well advertised at the 2008 Tourism Indaba in Durban last month.

The Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Race is the biggest off-road racing event on the calendar of motor sport in the SADC region.

This year, the race - which was previously known as Mantshwabisi after the Kweneng small village in Kweneng where there was an overnight stop - will be held on the weekend of June 13 to 15.

The race changed its name from just Toyota 1000 Race to include 'Kalahari Botswana' in a bid to spice it up a bit.

BOTOBO hopes that through its partnership with the Four Wheel Club, the race will be elevated to the levels of more established races like the Dakar Rally, which has a presence on the Supersport channel of Mnet.

The chairman of Four Wheel Club of South Africa, Skean Drummond, says the 2008 race will provide the Botswana economy with a major foreign exchange injection.

'There is little doubt that the Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Race is one of the most important annual events in Botswana,' Drummond says.

'As the race developed over the years, it has provided the Botswana economy and tourism a tremendous boost.'

About 120 000 spectators are expected to defy the Winter's chill by coming out to watch their favourate off-road masters like Hannes Grobler, Juan Mohr, Ivar Tollefsen and Quinn Evans, among others.

The value of the event is estimated to range between P5 million and P6 million over the three days of its duration.

Describing the race as a boon to the economy and tourism, George says while it takes place, competitors purchase fuel, spectators buy food, while its followers from across the border sleep in local hotels.

The race is also expected to boost small entrepreneurs along its route who will provide services to its attendants.

'Large numbers of people who come either as competitors or as spectators have discovered Botswana as a leisure destination,' says Drummond of the Fur Wheel Club.

The race usually attracts over 500 competitors from Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland.