Botswana could reap benefits from national rally

As in the case of most sports, hosting a national rally would have a variety of economic benefits to Botswana. These include the travel and hotel expenditure for competitors, team personnel and   media. There will also be associated spending on food and other items. The benefits could also be extended to other tourism related activities in the event of people choosing to spend an extra day or two to enjoy what Botswana has to offer.

In addition, once the event starts to attract a spectator following similar benefits will flow from having spectators attending the event. Quizzed on how the country could   benefit from having a pool of qualified rally marshals, an official of FIA –  Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA) -Steve Harding said it is essential if Botswana is to develop motorsport that it should have a pool of qualified officials as well as rally marshals capable of organising and running events to the required standards and taking adequate account of safety.

Over the long term, development of the sport also has economic benefits as people start to become active in the industries that develop around motorsport, creating jobs and employment opportunities. Regarding to the FIA sponsored training of marshals in Botswana, Harding said while the workshop undertaken in Gaborone incorporated a substantial element of practical filed training, there is nothing quite like witnessing a live event. Harding said experiencing a live event will reinforce the lessons learnt and stimulate questions which may not otherwise be asked.