Bolivia Expecting Ongoing Dakar Rally To Boost Country's Visibility, Spike Tourism

Bolivian Minister of Culture Pablo Groux said on Sunday that the Dakar Rally, which started in Rosario, Argentina, was "expected to boost Bolivia as an international 'important tourism destination,'" according to XINHUA. Groux "explained that the government is eager to see what the Dakar Rally will bring to Bolivia, adding that hosting the rally 'is a special challenge in the history of the country.'" Groux said that "one of the benefits of hosting the rally, in the short term," is the promotion of the "country brand" as the Rally's official video was "filmed in Uyuni and people are talking of Bolivia as an important tourism destination" (XINHUA, 1/6).