From May 30 to June 4, Havana will become again showcase of international cocktails when hosting the 11th Havana Club Cocktail Grand Prix, one of the pioneering skills competitions in that category in the world and promoter of the movement of bartenders in Cuba.

Organized by Havana Club International S.A., the event will bring together 45 professionals from 43 countries who will be challenged to create the next classic mix, from the fusion of traditional Cuban drinks and those from their own culture.

At a press conference, Jérome Cottin-Bizonne, director of that joint venture, stressed the significance of the contest for the national bartending industry, which can draw on the experiences of the best bartenders in the world.

According to Cottin-Bizonne, this space, which will allow enhancing Cuba as an attractive tourist destination by its rich rum-making tradition, will include intense days of workshops and master classes, taught by a team of world-renowned mixologists.

José Rafa Malem, president of the Association of Bartenders of Cuba, highlighted the benefits of these events, as they allow establishing links of collaboration between professionals of this sector, as well as an update on modern trends in international cocktails.

It was known at the meeting that Havana Club, with presence in more than 125 markets, currently markets four million cases, a figure that positions this product at No. 21 in the world ranking.

From that total, just over a million is distributed in Cuba, where sales of this beverage in 2015 underwent a growth of 17 percent over the previous year, mainly due to higher tourist arrivals to the country.

According to the organizers, Havana Club Cocktail Grand Prix is one of the longest standing specialized competence (the first edition was in 1996), and with greatest challenges worldwide.