Bolivia hopes Dakar Rally will boost its tourism

A Bolivian minister has said that the Dakar Rally, which started Sunday in Rosario, Argentina, is expected to boost Bolivia as an international "important tourism destination".

Bolivian Minister of Culture Pablo Groux Sunday explained that the government is eager to see what the Dakar Rally will bring to Bolivia, and added that hosting the rally "is a special challenge in the history of the country", reports Xinhua.

Groux said one of the benefits of hosting the rally in the short term is "the promotion of the 'country brand', as the Dakar's official video was filmed in Uyuni and people are talking of Bolivia as an important tourism destination".

He said that some 100,000 people will move along the route, lodging and eating in Bolivia, which will bring economic benefits to the country.

The minister said the government paid $2 million for the right to use Dakar trademark and that there is a $70 million investment to improve services and infrastructure.