Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Wang Jingjing) news: On June 1, 2024, the Taklimakan Rally, part of the China Off-Road Championship, concluded in Xinjiang with 200 drivers participating and 95 completing the race.

"Over the two decades of the Taklimakan Rally's history, the fact that nearly half of the participants don't make it to the finish line each year is indeed regrettable," remarked Fang Zheng, the founder of the event. "Yet, it is this very element of adventure, the inherent uncertainty, and the unpredictability that captivate the hearts of many and make our rally truly irresistible."

Photo shows Fang Zheng, founder of the Taklimakan Rally. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The rally, which has spanned two decades, was founded by Fang and two partners in 2005. It has now become the largest international event in Asia for car, motorcycle, and truck racing, and in 2024, it was included in the FIA calendar, becoming a sports tourism highlight for Xinjiang.

Back in January 2004, the spirited Fang was running an advertising company, and he loved outdoor sports and everything related to cars in his spare time.

He was inspired by the Dakar Rally when he saw a feature on it online—the cars racing through the Sahara Desert. With the world's second-largest shifting desert, the Taklimakan, and the vast Gobi, Xinjiang's geographical conditions are no less impressive than the Sahara in Africa. Xinjiang could certainly host a large-scale car and motorcycle rally like the Dakar.

Fang eagerly searched the internet, magazines, and television for news about the Dakar Rally, understanding how the event was branded and operated.

After nearly a month of research and demonstration, Fang made a bold decision—to establish a company to operate a car and motorcycle off-road rally in the Taklimakan Desert.

Later, He Junhuai, a person in charge of the Xinjiang Desert Motorcycle Club, and Su Haobo, from Xinjiang Bagang International Trade Material Co., Ltd., joined the event preparation process with Fang.

On May 1, 2005, the Taklimakan Rally held its opening ceremony in Urumqi, with a total race distance of 3,500 kilometers.

At that time, there were only 18 racing cars and 28 motorcycles from across the country participating. The total cost of the first event was about 0.8 million yuan (about 0.11 million U.S. dollars), and now it costs approximately 20 million yuan (about 2.79 million U.S. dollars) to host a Taklimakan Rally.

The rally has been held annually and became an international event in 2011, attracting more foreign drivers to China’s Xinjiang through the competition.

"The Taklimakan Rally has gradually become a window to showcase Xinjiang to the outside world, which gives me a great sense of achievement," said Fang.

Fang also discovered the charm of the rally beyond the competition itself. Wherever the race passed, it attracted a huge flow of people.

Since 2016, the organizing committee has integrated travel routes following the rally into the competition, with cultural performances, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and various forms of "sports + tourism + culture" activities fully launched.

The spillover effect of "sports events +" is evident, and the National Sports Bureau has awarded the Taklimakan Rally as one of the "Top 10 Sports Tourism Events in China" four times in a row.

"The event has a significant promotional effect on tourism in the places it passes through, and local people can also find opportunities to make money," said Fang.

Photo shows Fang Zheng, founder of the Taklimakan Rally. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

In 2019, Fang stepped behind the scenes to become a consultant for the rally. "When the Xinjiang Tourism Association established the Outdoor Adventure (Special) Tourism Branch, I was elected as the chairman."

And Fang began to participate in and plan a wider range of cultural, sports, and tourism integration events, including not only the Taklimakan Rally but also the Populus euphratica marathon, Populus euphratica cycling race, Xinjiang off-road racing championship, Muztagh Ata climbing event, and so on, which have attracted widespread attention across the region.

The association closely integrates outdoor sports events with tourism.

This year, it also assisted the autonomous region's department of culture and tourism in planning and releasing the special tourism route products of Xinjiang's major events, and participated in the organization and implementation of some of the project products.

"The event can give participants a special sense of ritual, constantly surprising you and helping you to realize your dream, with the ultimate spiritual enjoyment. In the future, I will continue to delve into this industry and bring more 'events + tourism' to everyone," said Fang.

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