Some 90,000 Fans to Attend 2016 Dakar Rally in Bolivia

La Paz, Dec 29 (IANS) Some 90,000 people will visit Bolivia to watch the 2016 Dakar Rally that will cross the country between January 7 and 9 starting in Tarija, passing through Uyuni salt flat and later return to Argentina.

Bolivia's Tourism vice minister Ernesto Rossel said in an interview with a local TV channel that Dakar Rally will generate important economic resources for Bolivia thanks to the people attending the international competition, reports Xinhua.

Bolivia is an attractive place for Dakar Rally due to the variety of landscapes, temperatures and soils. Drivers will have to go through extreme adaptation runs.

Dakar Rally will start on January 2 in Buenos Aires. On January 3, the race will arrive in Villa Carlos Paz and then on January 4 the stage will go from Villa Carlos Paz to Termas de Rio Hondo. On January 5, it will start in Termas de Rio Hondo to Jujuy and on January 6 the race will cross this point. These stages will be in Argentine territory.

Later, on January 7, the starting will be in Jujuy (Argentina) and will end in Uyuni (Bolivia) entering through Villazon and later continuing in Tarija. On January 8, the stage will include the Uyuni salt plate and on January 9 the race will start in Uyuni and will end in Salta (Argentina).

Tarija will host an assistance and logistic camp for the rally's organisers and competitors to support the two-day race in Bolivia.

The 2016 edition of Dakar Rally will end in Rosario, Argentina on January 16, after crossing the Argentine sites of Salta, Belen, La Rioja, San Juan and Villa Carlos Paz.

The first time Bolivia hosted Dakar Rally was in 2014.