… Rally Good News …
Dumfries and Galloway Council have issued a press release following a survey compiled at the end of last year’s rallying season. It’s a bit of a dry read, but it is very interesting, not just the bit about the revenue generated for the local area, but the fact that D&G Council is thinking about a regional rally championship. These things don’t happen on their own, so full marks to the local car clubs for getting on with it.
… Region’s Renowned Rallies Create Superb Revenues for Dumfries and Galloway’s Economy …
Dumfries and Galloway’s three Scottish Championship Car Rallies created £591,112 of net benefit to the regional economy in 2014.
That is one of the key findings from a Council commissioned Study into the Rallies. The study was undertaken to help the three stand-out motorsports events – the Scottish, Merrick Stages and Galloway Hills Rallies, consider the best approaches to grow and develop, and to understand their economic value to the region.
The study established that the Council receives a superb return on investment for the public funding it puts into the high adrenaline motorsports events. The study is a further endorsement of the economic and sporting value of the region’s unique Major Festivals and Events Strategy, 2014-2017.
The report recommends that a Rally Development Working Group is formed to take forward a number of integrated projects that can be developed in cooperation between event organisers, Forestry Commission Scotland, the Council and the private sector.
These projects include looking into the feasibility of a Dumfries and Galloway Rally Championship series, joint marketing between the three events and shared training initiatives for marshals and volunteers to safeguard and enhance the safety record of motorsports in the region.
Councillor Colin Smyth, the Council’s Events Champion said: “The Study into Motorsports in Dumfries and Galloway will help guide a number of agencies, including the Council, to work to assist the development of our successful and renowned Rallies in the immediate future. I am obviously delighted to learn about the superb financial value to our regional economy from the Rallies, and the high return on investment they create from public funding. Dumfries and Galloway has a proud history indeed of motorsports events and champions, provides the perfect terrain for Rallying, and is clearly a much loved destination for competitors and related visitors.”
Jonathan Lord, Clerk of the Course for the Scottish Rally said, on behalf of the three Rallies: “We welcome the final Study and the news that our joint efforts created an economic impact of £591,000 for Dumfries and Galloway in 2014. Putting on our events is a real labour of love that involves hundreds of people and we are pleased to receive recognition from the Council for the work that we do. Our region can be an absolute centre of motorsports and the Study gives us the opportunity to develop cooperative projects together and to seek further public funding for our plans.”
Keith Muir Head of Tourism in Galloway for Forestry Commission Scotland said: “We are delighted to see the very positive results of the assessment. The report will be put alongside the findings of the recent review of Motorsport which organisers are still considering in detail, and on the back of concerns on how we manage the logistics of motor rallies in forests. We are currently reviewing our master agreement with the Motor Sports Association, so the report is timely and could assist in moving the sport in a new direction.”
Dumfries and Galloway Council is expected to announce its funding support for the three rallies for the forthcoming season shortly.
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