Coastal residents and the business community of Swakopmund are excited and looking forward to an uptake in business activities during this weekend’s Nedbank Desert Dash, which starts tomorrow, 10 December, and ends on Saturday, 11 December.
Hundreds of cyclists, their support teams, families and cycling fans are expected to meet at Swakopmund this coming weekend, with their spending power expected to boost the coastal economy.
Businesses have been hard-hit by the slowdown caused by the decline in tourist numbers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“For the three to four days of the Dash, we usually see a lot of business activity, spending in supermarkets and hotels, and that helps the Swakopmund economy,” enthuses Almuth Styles of the Namib-I tourism information centre.
“Usually, accommodation places are fully booked during the weekend of the Nedbank Desert Dash. Every dollar counts and helps to pay a salary; it is always a positive development.”
The contribution of the Desert Dash to the Swakopmund economy is expected to be the beginning of a good season heading into Christmas and New Year celebrations, as Styles is expecting more visitors this year.
Christine Visser, a small business owner and fitness instructor, agrees that the Desert Dash “brings a big business buzz” to Swakopmund, with a lot of events held at the beach, malls and hotels during this period.
She also noted that besides the Nedbank Desert Dash, Nedbank supports other sporting and social events at the coast.
In recent years, further boosts for the coastal economy have come from the Nedbank Desert Classic, a premier golf competition, as well as the Nedbank Swakopmund Food Festival.
“The Desert Dash has many spinoffs, and its impact goes beyond the cycling event. The hundreds of cyclists and fans who will come for the event are expected to spend money on accommodation as well as other leisure activities at the coast,” says Nedbank Namibia
communications manager, Selma Kaulinge.
She adds that hotels, lodges, bed-and-breakfast establishments, adventure tours, car hire firms and restaurants generally see an uptake in sales during the Dash.
The Nedbank Desert Dash is one of Namibia’s biggest sporting events and the longest single-stage mountain bike race in the world, covering over 369km between Windhoek and Swakopmund across the Khomas Hochland and through the Namib Desert in 24 hours.
Kaulinge added, “The Desert Dash is one of the premier sports events in Namibia. This year’s event comes at a time when the tourism industry at the coast needs visitors. The pandemic slowed the growth of the Namibian economy and tourism, one of the main sectors at the coast, was hard-hit. Through the Dash, Nedbank Namibia is making a meaningful effort to help sustain the tourism industry at the coast. Nedbank Namibia is proud to be its main sponsor. We are also happy that the race continues to aid many charities in the country.”
Swakopmund Municipality chief executive officer Archie Benjamin estimates that the Desert Dash brings about N$20 million to the local economy, saying he is excited that after the difficult period brought about by the pandemic, the Desert Dash will once again bring the local and international spotlight to the coastal hub.
“We in Swakopmund are excited. After a few difficult months in another year of Covid-19, the Desert Dash brings international visibility to Namibia. We welcome cyclists, supporting teams and supporters. Swakopmund is ready to host you.”
This year’s Desert Dash is expected to attract participants from South Africa, Malawi, the United States, Germany, Portugal, Britain, France, Serbia, Canada, Ireland, Belgium and Botswana. All cyclists will have to present a negative Covid-19 test to be able to participate.