Bolivia to officially launch 2014 Dakar Rally in April

La Paz: Bolivian President Evo Morales and Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) will officially launch the 2014 Dakar Rally on April 16 to highlight the tourist potential the South American country offers, Bolivia`s presidency minister Juan Ramon Quintana said.

Quintana, together with Tourism Minister Pablo Groux, asked the local authorities, businessmen and social organisations to unite and offer the visitors the best hospitality, safety and the best of Bolivia. This call was made for "the world to know that Bolivia is extraordinary and concentrates the attention of the international community and the tourists in a global scale", Quintana said at a press conference on Wednesday. Quintana said that for the Dakar Rally organisation, President Morales ordered the formation of an inter-institutional committee with ministers, the authorities of Potosi department (state) and businessmen. The Dakar Rally organisers expect to "break the 2013 profit record", considering the incorporation of Bolivia, which caused "an extraordinary expectation" in the world, Quintana said. He said Bolivia will pay $2 million for the Dakar Rally franchise, from which a first payment of $1 million will be done in May and the second in September. Dakar Rally in Bolivia will only be included in the motorcycle and quad race in a two-day competition, while the cars and trucks will have a different route. The race will enter through southern Bolivia one day after the rest day (Jan 11) in Salta, Argentina. This will be the competition`s seventh day which will probably end in Uyuni. The eighth day will also travel through Bolivian territory to continue later in Chile. IANS