Over one million people visited Irish whiskey distilleries and brand homes last year, the first time visitor numbers have exceeded the one-million mark.
According to Drinks Ireland | Irish Whiskey Association, which released statistics today (21.01.20) on how the Irish whiskey industry contributed to tourism in Ireland over the course of 2019, visitor numbers showed a 10.5% increase 2019 – from 923,000 in 2018, to 1.02 million.
Commenting on the figures, William Lavelle, Head of Drinks Ireland | Irish Whiskey Association, said: “In just four years, the total number of visitors to Irish whiskey distilleries and brand homes has grown by 54% - from 653,000 in 2015 to our 2019 record of 1.02 million."
'Star Performer'
The number of staff directly employed in visitor services in the Irish whiskey industry increased by 15% in 2019 – from 356 to 409, the group said.
"Irish whiskey distilleries and brand homes are now firmly established as a star performer within Ireland’s all-island tourism offering," he said.
Jameson Distillery, Bow Street remains the No. 1 Irish whiskey visitor attraction; and indeed the No. 1 whiskey visitor attraction in Europe; in addition to being voted the world’s leading distillery tour for the second year running at the World Travel Awards in 2019.”
Lavelle said the continued popularity of Irish whiskey visitor experiences could be attributed, in part, to the diverse range of tourism offerings within distilleries and brand homes.
© 2020 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
