April 28, 2012
Peru will have a fantastic opportunity to be under the spotlight, at a worldwide level, when the world’s most famous off-road race, the Dakar Rally, begins in Lima, the historic capital of the country, a new edition of its thrilling adventure, followed by millions of viewers around the globe, on January 5 of 2013.
The official announcement of the event was made at a special ceremony in Lima, where Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Jose Luis Silva, together with the General Director of the Dakar Rally, Etienne Lavigne, confirmed that the antique and renowned race will commence with its kick-off flag, right from Lima, in the morning of January 5th, 2013. The race will cross a considerable part of Peru`s southern territory, passing through Pisco later the same day; traversing the stunning Nasca
Region on January the 6th and passing by Arequipa on the 7th of the same month, before heading to the Peruvian-Chilean border at Tacna on January 8.
The challenging and often dramatic race, which endures two weeks of speeding through a well planned itinerary over arid deserts, remote and often harsh countryside terrain and awesome mountains and ravines, is due to continue, after Peru, through north Chilean territory, soon to enter Argentina at San Miguel de Tucuman and continuing to race through amazing Andean country both in Argentina and back into Chile, to terminate on the 20th of January in Santiago, the capital city of Chile.
After decades of being staged at the African deserts, across Saharan and Sub-Saharan territories; the race moved its original stage, four years ago, in 2008, to the spectacular and equally exciting venues of the Chilean and Argentinean Andes. Next year’s Dakar Rally will begin in Lima to cover 4.970 miles of distance, in fourteen stages, between January 5 and 20, through Peruvian, Chilean and Argentinean territories, to finally reach the flag-down finishing point in Santiago, Chile. The historic race is open to cars, motorcycles and trucks.
On the announcing ceremony, the Peruvian Minister of Tourism thanked the Organizers of the celebrated competition for choosing Lima as the starting point for the race. Remarking the importance of the event, the Minister said that “it is an honor and a great opportunity for all Peruvians the fact the nation’s capital city will host the beginning of the world’s most famous race”
Peru was included for the first time as part of the race earlier this year, when it began in Mar del Plata, Argentina, moved across Argentina and Chile to finally finish in Lima. On this occasion, the event provided a remarkable US $ 520 million boost to the Peruvian economy, with the largest percentage of the benefits going to the hotels sector. The race, which attracts thousands of racing aficionados as well as large crowds of media crews from around the entire planet, who broadcast and frequently show live segments of the competition; will offer Peru a unique occasion to showcase its natural, cultural and touristic attractions; its increasingly better infrastructure and services, along with the hospitality of its people and the varied and world class gastronomy of the Andean nation. Between the thousands of participants, support and media crews, followers, suppliers and vendors, plus the millions of viewers on television, internet, radios, diaries and magazines; Peru will receive an extraordinary coverage which will enhance the country’s efforts to position itself among the top three most popular tourism destinations in Latin America....
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