Tourism continues to increase on a monthly basis at the John Watling's Distillery (JWD) as the company gradually expands.
General Manager Pepin Argamasilla of JWD praised the distillery's progress, stating, "Tourism at the estate is increasing month to month. We're seeing 250-300 visitors per day."
While the figures fall slightly short of JWD's target, Argamasilla remained optimistic, pointing to steady growth and an increase in the amount spent per visitor at the distillery.
The rum distillery, located at the renovated Buena Vista Estate, opened for public tours in April 2013.
Plans to open an authentic Bahamian restaurant at the distillery are still in the works, as the second floor of the estate and several cottages surrounding it remain undeveloped. According to Argamasilla, the distillery is still waiting for the right partner to "take Bahamian cuisine to the next level".
Although JWD's rum continues to perform well throughout The Bahamas, the company is not yet ready to export its product.
"Our message is 'The spirit of The Bahamas'. We don't want to export until we've developed in the country," said Argamasilla, listing Abaco and Eleuthera as the distillery's next areas of focus.
On the subject of value-added tax (VAT), Argamasilla commented, "It is what it is. At the end of the day, the country needs to pay its bills".
Argamasilla added that JWD, "needed to wait and see what the government does", regarding proposed excise stamps on alcohol products mentioned during Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis' recent budget contributions.
When asked what hurdles still faced JWD, Argamasilla claimed that crime remained a serious problem not only for the distillery, but also for the surrounding area. However, Argamasilla noted that the situation had improved considerably since highly publicized crimes against U.S. officials last year.
"The Royal Bahamas Police Force has done nothing but an outstanding job clearing up crime in the area," stated Argamasilla.
Argamasilla applauded the group efforts of the Historic Charles Town Association (HCTA) and the police force in promoting and protecting the area. The HCTA, which, "aims to promote the authentic and historic heart of Nassau", includes representatives from JWD, Graycliff, the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and other businesses and cultural centers in the area.
"We're working closely with police," said Argamasilla. "Everybody's banding together to get rid of the crime in our area."

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