The Guyana Tourism Authority has launched a new, official rum route in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). The new Guyana Rum Route, which spans approximately 124 miles, makes Guyana the first Caribbean country to establish a heritage route as part of a regional product development plan being championed by the CTO.
In a written statement Guyana Tourism Authority Director Brian T. Mullis explained that the route runs along the country’s coast and aims to offer a sensory experience of the role of rum and sugarcane in the country’s economy, as well as its impact on Guyana’s landscape and people.
CTO Acting Secretary General and CEO Neil Walters explained that the new route is part of the CTO’s regional Heritage Routes program, which is centered on creating thematic trails that tell the story of a destination through indigenous and local goods, including foods like sugarcane, cocoa spices and other aspects of a destination’s cultural heritage.
Guyana’s Rum Route covers three areas that can be experienced individually as day or overnight tours, or combined into a multi-day tour. These areas include Georgetown, Berbice, and the East Coast Highway (half-day, full-day and overnight tour options); West Coast Berbice (overnight tour options) and West Coast of Demerara (half-day, full-day and overnight tour options). Highlights include:
- Visit former Dutch and British plantations such as Uitvlugt Estate and Blairmont Estate
- Gain insights into the experiences of slaves and indentured laborers who sustained a sugar economy for over two centuries
- Experience local rum shops, tour the Demerara Distillers Limited Distillery and production plants
- Sample local rum-infused recipes, and taste Guyana’s famous rums
Two licensed tour operators are offering certain sites or elements of the route. For more information, contact Dagron Tours at 223-7921 or dagrontours@gmail.com and Wilderness Explorers at 226-2085 or info@wilderness-explorers.com.
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