MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The Buffalo Rally, an iconic annual event on the Mossel Bay tourism calendar and a huge financial injection into the flagging local economy, will hopefully be secured for another three years until at least 2020.
The 2018 event will take place from 15 to 18 March, and the dates for 2019 and 2020 will be determined based on the outcome of the negotiations between the organisers, Nomads Motorcycle Club, and the managing agent of the De Bakke Santos Resort.
At the monthly council meeting on 22 February, council approved - with a majority of votes - the recommendation that approval be granted to Nomads to host the Buffalo Rally at the De Bakke Santos Resorts for a period of three years from 2018 to 2020.
The Buffalo Rally has become a popular tourism drawcard for the 12 years the event has been hosted in Mossel Bay.
This year will be the 13th year Mossel Bay and particularly the De Bakke Santos Resorts will host the thousands of bikers and their mean machines from across South Africa and abroad.
To ameliorate the financial loss the managing agent may suffer when hosting the Buff exclusively, council approved a monthly rental discount for the month applicable.
A memorandum of agreement will be entered into between the municipality, the Nomads and the managing agents.
Stunts by the popular Le Riche brothers are always a huge attraction. Photo: Mariska Visagie
At this stage, the relevant parties are negotiating future dates to host the rally in Mossel Bay, with the proposed date for the 2019 event mooted as 25 to 28 April.
Further negotiations will follow on the proposed date for 2020.
A public participation process will be embarked upon, whereafter the item will be referred back to council for consideration.
The executive deputy mayor, Councillor Dirk Kotzé, said in council the benefit of hosting the Buff far outstripped the loss of a 50% discount in rental income for one month, especially when considering the effect the rally has on growing the local economy.
He said the Buffalo Rally annually contributed toward job creation by the employment of several locals, such as security guards and cleaners, among others.
He added that many of the Buff visitors returned to Mossel Bay for a holiday with their families.
Even during the rally, many participants preferred to stay in local hotels and bed and breakfast establishments, thereby augmenting the tourism industry.
In addition, the Buff annually contributes generously to local NGOs.
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