Casa Bacardi to charge for tours of Puerto Rico distillery
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FAJARDO, CA - OCTOBER 30: A general view of atmosphere at day one of the BACARDI Triangle on October 30, 2014 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for BACARDI) (2014 Getty Images)
The drinks are no longer on the casa at Casa Bacardi in Puerto Rico.
Foreigners will now have to pay $12 and residents $6 to visit one of the most popular tourist attractions in the metropolitan San Juan region, officials said Tuesday.
The seaside rum distillery was well-known for its free drinks and tours.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The new cover charge includes a welcome drink, a commemorative 12-ounce acrylic glass and a tour of the Bacardi Visitor Center, according to a statement by Casa Bacardi. Those who want a tour of the distillery, a sampling of four premium rums or a drink-confectioning course must pay an additional $23.
Casa Bacardi officials said they also plan to renovate their facility and revamp their drink menus.
Mari Jo Laborde, a spokeswoman for Puerto Rico's tourism company, said Bacardi officials have already met with tour operators and cruise line officials to notify them of the changes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's one of the most important tours for us," she said. "They didn't consult us, but they did inform us about their plans. It's a private company and they take their own financial and strategic decisions."
More than 250,000 people a year visit the Bacardi distillery, where more than 83 percent of Bacardi rum is produced.