Barbados has a unique opportunity to promote agrotourism through its rum heritage
Bridgetown, 30 of November, 2021 (IICA) - The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) joined efforts through a webinar to build awareness and provide an opportunity for spirits’ producers to share experiences on the wider rum heritage practices for the creation of a Caribbean Rum Trail.
Caribbean rum producers, regional and international stakeholders and tourism agencies, presenters from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (USA), Caminos del Mezcal and La Ruta Del Tequila (Mexico), L'Habitation Clément (Martinique) and John Watling’s Distillery – Buena Vista Estate (Bahamas) featured an overview of the best practices which established each visitor experience as a recognised, quality model of an attraction centred around spirits.
This is expected to be the first of several conversations among the producers and relevant stakeholders, including the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, focused on the development of the Caribbean Rum Trail initiative and its unique opportunity to promote Agrotourism through rum.
“We have a long way to go before we get this project up and running, but IICA sees the Caribbean Rum Trail as a real-world example of an agritourism project that could have tangible economic results for the Caribbean region, whose citizens have suffered greatly from recent natural disasters and the devastation to tourism due to COVID-19. I am excited to reach out to all the different organizations and stakeholders that will benefit from this Agritourism initiative.”, stated Ena Harvey, IICA´s Representative in Barbados.
Vaughn Renwick, CEO of WIRSPA, in explaining his organisation’s involvement, said, “Our members represent hundreds of years of rum making, the countries where rum was born, each brand with its own story and background. Linkages to agriculture and the rural landscape remain strong and a focal point for visitors to our countries. While we celebrate modern rum, inextricably linked to our heritage and culture, we also recognize its troubled birth. All these elements form a tapestry to be faithfully presented and explored.”
“We are very happy to be part of this initiative and believe that it presents economic opportunities for the places and communities associated with rum and sugar”, he added.
About WIRSPA
The West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is one of the oldest private sector trade associations in the Caribbean. It represents rum producers in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Haiti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.
Our role is to promote the development of Caribbean rum as a premium category and to represent the interests of our member associations and in turn their member companies. This work includes trade facilitation, advocacy and assisting members in improving methods of production through training and development and through the work of our technical committee, which meets to discuss issues of common interest.
For more on WIRSPA, visit www.wirspa.com; www.acr-rum.com
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.