DETERMINED to show visitors what the less traveled areas of Westmoreland have to offer, the local chapter of the Sustainable Communities’ Foundation Through Tourism has plans to begin conducting tours of the area.

The tours, which are expected to begin on August 1, are aimed at positioning Westmoreland as a major tourist attraction.

According to tour coordinator, Trevor Beckford, there are also plans afoot to add a three-day hiking trip to the list of activities by mid August. This will be geared towards the more adventurous visitor.

“We have a hiking trail that will start from the Blue Hole Garden in Roaring River, and goes up a slave track up to Haddo. It then goes to Grants Town Road to the back of Knockalva. Visitors will spend the first night at Mount Tersa and then go on to the Caledonia Property,” explained Beckford.

He said the organisation would be targeting guests from both the all-inclusive properties and the European Plan Hotels. According to him, they had already contacted some properties, and the responses were favourable.

The organisation, Beckford said, is in the process of recruiting guides to be trained for the tours.

In the first few weeks of operation, tours will be offered in the Savanna-la-mar and Darliston areas of the community.

The Savanna-La-Mar tour will include visits to a historic fort, the parish church and courthouse plus Mannings High School. There will also be stops at a local museum, Great House, the Abeokuta Nature Park. The tour will end at Blue Hole Garden.

The Darliston tour, meanwhile, will begin at the Baptist Church, and will include visits to the Caledonia Great House, the area museum, the ackee factory and the museum in Hopeton.