Reviving 1000km Desert Race is an economic imperative

It has been four ( 4) years since the 1000km Desert Race left local shores and there has been no sign of one of the biggest local sporting events returning to Botswana anytime soon.

A huge draw that attracted almost 200 000 spectators from across both Botswana and the SADC region the three- day offroad Rally extravaganza was a great tourism and economic stimulant for the country. Part of the blame for the race leaving local shores was because of the COVID 19 pandemic that closed borders across the region. With the race having moved to Upington in the Norther Cape of South Africa there are no signs of Botswana hosting the Desert Race in the near future.

As part of the South African Cross- Country Series ( SACCS), it remains to be seen whether organisers of the motorsport series will reconsider returning to the deserts of Botswana as soon as next year.

Local fans of the motorsport event will be waiting with bated breath to see whether the race is included in the 2023 Calendar. The COVID 19 pandemic has since subsided and borders have opened up.

Should the SACCS exclude Botswana from its Calendar both fans and other stakeholders should worry on whether the event returns or not. The last 1000km Race held at the Selebi Phikwe or SPEDU area received mixed reactions as competitors criticised the environment that is characterised by Mopane trees. Furthermore, spectators argued that the Selibe Phikwe was not really Desert terrain given the history of the event being held on sandy terrain. However, should the Desert Race not return to local shores by next year there should be contingency plans to find a replacement. Both Botswana Tourism and other Organisation like Brand Botswana and the private sector should fill this economic gap or opportunity to generate revenue for both big businesses and the informal sector. Options for this include going to Motorsport South Africa and partnering for National South African

Rally series stage in Botswana. Another option, perhaps in the long term is to court the World Rally Championship to deliver the equivalent of the Safari Rally that is held annually in Kenya. Of course, these are ambitious and massively expensive undertakings for Botswana. International motorsport does not come cheap but if executed correctly the economic benefits outweigh the cost and the efforts. Our suggestion is to approach the South African National Rally and hold a stage in Botswana at least by 2024.