The Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) has released a 73-page ibook that goes into detail about the state’s Ruta de Tequila (Tequila Trail), as well as providing plenty of useful information and links to all things related to Mexico’s famous liquor.
The new application comes at a time when Jalisco authorities are keen to push the Tequila region to the next level as a tourist destination.
Similar to the wine routes in Europe and California, it began as a modest project to further promote tequila and draw more tourists to the area.
Another major aim of “The Tequila Trail” was to improve infrastructure in the region.
Much has been accomplished: two tourist train routes (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.
In addition, Unesco has declared the tequila producing region part the world’s cultural heritage.
Other cultural sites in the region have benefitted from the increased promotion. The fine Guachimontones archaeological ruins at Teuchitlan have become a magnet for tourists, while the opal mines in Magdalena are attracting more and more visitors.
The Ruta de Tequila ibook can be downloaded at iTunes and costs five dollars. Thirty percent of each sale goes to Apple, 40 percent to Tequila Ticket (the firm that developed the app) and 30 percent to the Ruta de Tequila non-profit investment fund. A sample of the book can be downloaded prior to purchase.