WRC rally drivers take time out to explore Kenya ahead of Safari Rally
Top-ranked WRC Rally drivers took time out ahead of the WRC Safari Rally Kenya to explore Kenya’s tourism offering.
The drivers included Thierry Neuville from Belgium who is currently ranked first in the WRC championship standings, Elfyn Evans and Nicolas Ciamin form Wales and France respectively who are currently ranked second and Gregoire Munster from Luxembourger who is ranked 19th.
The drivers took part in the Maasai Mara tour for top WRC drivers organized by the WRC in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
According to Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa, Kenya is particularly well-placed to tap into the over $6 billion motorsport industry. Kenya is looking to leverage experiential marketing to draw in more travellers by encouraging sports enthusiasts to either extend their stay after sporting events or arrive earlier to enjoy a more immersive tourism experience.
“Kenya is now strategically embracing and taking advantage of the motorsport tourism market, as evidenced by hosting this esteemed group of WRC drivers who got a taste of the magical Kenya safari experience. The influence of these personalities on motorsport fans worldwide is invaluable in promoting Kenya as a leading adventure and motorsport destination. We look forward to showcasing these unrivalled experiences to more spectators and drivers alike during the Safari Rally,” Said the PS.
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The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Ababu Namwamba while flagging off the four drivers said that adventure and motorsport enthusiasts are now strongly associating Kenya with unique experiences, buoyed by the growth in events such as World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally, the East Africa Safari Classic Rally among others.
“ The Safari rally is part of our heritage and part of our plans is to ensure that Kenya benefits from hosting these key personalities. We are so keen do deploy our sports tourism agenda and to use sports as a platform to market Kenya and as a platform to welcome the world to Kenya and that’s why for us it’s an opportunity to welcome the team of elite drivers to the Mara, home to the 8th Wonder of the world, a perfect way to showcase the best of Kenya,” CS Ababu said.
The two-day excursion saw top WRC drivers explore the magnificent Maasai Mara National Reserve. The experiential itinerary included a hot air balloon safari, authentic wildlife viewing , cultural interactions with the local Maasai community and a bush dinner, among other activities.
Star driver Thierry Neuville expressed his delight for the opportunity to explore the Mara “I have enjoyed this visit to the Masai Mara, I was able to see some lions yesterday during the drive, I saw elephants at close range and some rhino’s and other wildlife which was amazing. I would definitely come back, this has been a great experience” he said.
The Safari rally is set to be held from March 28 – 31, marking the third round of the 2024 World Rally Championship calendar after the Royalle Monte Callo – Monaco and Rally Sweden – UMEA. The rally reverts to the traditional Easter holiday weekend, a season that sees high local travel travel among Kenyans and attracts thousands regional fans.
The ministries of Tourism and Wildlife and that of the Youth Affair, Creative Economy and Sport continue to collaborate to leverage fully on the impact of the interface between tourism and sports.