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Calls for ‘all-island’ Irish whiskey tourism strategy
By Amy HopkinsThe Irish Whiskey Association has suggested an “all-island” approach to whiskey tourism as Northern Ireland’s first new licensed distillery in 125 years opens its doors to the public.
Echlinville Distillery is based in County Down, Northern IrelandThe Echlinville Distillery, a family-owned business with its own maltings located on a 100-acre site in County Down, received its license to distil whisky in May 2013, and previously said it expects its own whiskey to come of age in 2016.
Alongside single pot still and single malt whiskeys, Echlinville also plans to launch a super-premium Irish potato vodka and a single estate gin.
Echlinville’s facilities include a multi-million euro stillhouse, maturation hall, bottling and storage areas as well as a function room – all of which are based on the Echlinville Estate.
Echlinville host tours for members of the public, which trade body the Irish Whiskey Association claims will boost County Down’s tourism offer and local economy.
The IWA also said the opening means that the rapidly growing Irish whiskey industry should consider “the development of an all-island approach” to tourism.
“With a wealth of new entrants in the Irish whiskey sector, we will continue to see a significant number of new tourism offerings opening over the coming years, like the Echlinville Distillery tours being launched today. This will bring jobs and investment to communities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland,” said Miriam Mooney, head of the IWA.
“The island of Ireland has the opportunity to bring together the industry and government agencies such as Tourism Ireland, Failte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourism Board to put together a coordinated strategy for an all-island approach to Irish whiskey tourism.
“The tourism agencies in both jurisdictions can help create this route as a necklace of distilleries and visitor attractions develops across the island of Ireland.
“The employment potential is significant as guided tours and restaurants are labour intensive operations. In Scotland it is estimated that there is a five to one ratio of export value to direct tourism.”
Irish whiskey is among the fastest growing categories in spirits, with 32 new or proposed distilleries across Ireland, creating significant opportunities to boost the country’s tourism industry.
Scotch whisky producers have also targeted tourism opportunities and announced a record-breaking 1.5m people had visited Scotland’s distilleries in 2014 – an increase of 10% compared to 2010.