Tourism chiefs in Jalisco and Baja California have become intoxicated on the idea that wine and tequila are more than just a potent alcoholic mix.
The two states this week inked an agreement to unite Jalisco’s Tequila Trail (Ruta de Tequila) with Baja’s Wine Route (Ruta de Vino) – a collaboration that aims to share experiences and practices, and boost tourism in both regions.
The Tequila Trail has been around for almost six years and refers to the host of attractions to be discovered in the towns, hillsides and fields in the region where tequila is produced. It began in 2006 as a modest project to further promote tequila and draw more tourists to the area. Since then 165 businesses and individuals (many of them artisans) have participated in quality improvement programs in the seven municipalities the route encompasses: Arenal, Amatitan, Tequila, Magdalena, Ahualulco de Mercado, San Juanito de Escobedo and Teuchitlan.
Another major aim of the Tequila Trail has been to improve infrastructure in the region.
Much has been accomplished: two tourist trains (the Tequila Express and Cuervo Express) take hundreds of tourists to the zone each weekend. The town of Tequila has been designated a Pueblo Magico (Magic Town) and spruced up significantly, and a handful of distilleries have opened their doors for visitor tours. Eco-tourists can hike in the foothills of the Tequila Volcano and several old haciendas have been tastefully restored and are being run as country inns, catering to tourists who prefer peace and quiet to the adrenaline rush of the beach.
The Jalisco Tourism Department says the number of visitors to the zone has increased by 600 percent since the route was set up seven years ago with backing from the Inter-American Development Bank, Tequila Cuervo and the Tequila Regulatory Council.
Meanwhile, Baja’s Wine Route connects over 50 wineries in the northern Mexican state. They are found in the Valley of Guadalupe, Valley of Llano Colorado, Valley of Santo Tomas and Valley of San Vincente, as well as the port city of Ensenada and the border cities of Tijuana and Tecate. As well as wine tasting, travelers can feast in world-class restaurants, stay at luxury hotels and visit museums along the way.
Wine has been produced in Baja California since the 16th century, when the Spaniards brought vine clippings from Europe.