23 March 2020 – the date our lives changed forever, in South Africa and worldwide…

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Lockdown Level 5 due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Level 5 slammed the brakes on our personal movement – zero leisure activities, closed borders, and no traveling cross provinces in South Africa. The local and international tourism industry came to an abrupt and grinding halt. This caused absolute havoc in South Africa as a country, especially in the tourism industry, with huge financial losses, job cuts and retrenchments, forced closures and bankruptcy of tourism entities, including venues, tour operators, airlines, etc.

The complete tourism value chain was in dire straits – and still is!

In our opinion, this trend will continue for years to come at different levels of lockdown restrictions. It will take years to get the industry back on its feet, many years to get foreign tourism on feasible quantum, resulting in massive losses in the local tourism industry. This is an economic pandemic in itself!

But there is something we can do…

Although lockdown eased slightly allowing traveling and leisure activities, borders were still closed. Strict limits on tourism facility capacities and “pandemic fear” negatively influence local and international tourism.

Andre Verster, the founder of LRClassic, responded swiftly and devised the Series Rally concept: – – fun events with purpose and cause!

LRClassic is an adventure tour operator business hosting various 4×4 events, outdoor festivals, and Safaris. The driving force and inspiration behind the Series Rally concept are to support the local tourism industry devastated by the Covid-19 lockdown. It is not a “to feel good” cash handout, but rather a dedicated effort with purpose and cause in support of the local tourism industry.

Series Rally weekends usually start off at a rendezvous point involving a Land Rover affiliate, businesses in the Land Rover family or associated 4×4 venues hosting the group for light lunch on a Friday.

André does a reconnaissance trip to every area the Series Rally will visit and handpicks places of interest to visit – campsites, restaurants, venues, and facilities. The itineraries introduce venues mostly unknown to participants, places less frequently visited, out of sight or forgotten destinations or places receiving comments such as “I always wanted to go, but never had the opportunity” or “I heard about it, but did not know where it is” and “Wow!, I did not know this place even existed!” 
as well as museums, meteor impact craters, caves, heritage sites, Big 5 and other game reserves, wildlife conservation venues, places with historic or cultural interest, boutique restaurants and unique dining venues, 4×4 routes and venues, etc. 

We pay particular attention to visit the tourism destinations decimated by Lockdown.

So, this is what we do – we just had to get some Series Landy and broader Land Rover owners involved with events focused on support rather than charity, whilst still having lots of fun!

André calls it “Landy UBUNTU” and “Spirit of Adventure”.

LRClassic and it’s Series Rally participants continuously receive deep emotional gratitude, thank-you’s, heartfelt appreciation, touching feelings and senses of giving hope at every venue we have visited so far. A BIG THANK YOU to all our loyal participants taking part in our drive to support the tourism industry. Every cent we spend helps!!!

LRClassic passionately believes in adding critical value to the tourism trade by hosting these unique Series Rally events. We widely market and advertise the Series Rally and itinerary on different platforms and in the media to Landy owners and 4×4 enthusiasts, therefore promoting the places and venues we visit.