By Mabinty M. Kamara
Sierra Leone is hosting 700 tourists from 80 countries across the world.
The tourists are taking part in the Bamako Budapest rally. The 17-days event, which involves 240 teams from Europe, America and Africa, started in January from Hungary and is expected to end in Freetown on Sunday February 16.
Addressing newsmen at the weekly government press briefing, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr Memunatu Pratt, said that the arrival of these tourists into the country meant so much to efforts in rebranding the country’s image and boosting its economy.
“Most of them will have to stay for the next five days in Sierra Leone. This means we will have to be hospitable. If they need assistance, be very polite and be very trust worthy because if they take away a single story, the way that story is going to be reported it will destroy our country. So we have to mind that. Measures are put in place as there has been increase in the number of surveillance teams at the border points,” she said.
Pratt said that the team would be coming along with some educational materials and 2000 tress to be planted in Sierra Leone. She said symbolic planting will be done in Masiaka and the rest of the trees will be handed over to the National Protected Area Authority.
Pratt added that Sierra Leone received up to 17,000 last year.
The Budapest-Bamako Rally or Great African Run, is a charity car race in Africa, and the largest amateur rally in the world. The 2020 rally is the longest in the history of its existence.
Other countries the racers will pass through are: Slovenia, Italy, France, Spain, Moroco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Guinea.
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