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News
Irish Whiskey Association launches tourism scheme
The Irish Whiskey Association has created a distillery passport initiative to encourage tourism.
The Irish Whiskey Association was founded in 2014, with 15 members including Diageo, the Teeling Whiskey Company and Glendalough.
In 2019, the trade body launched Irish Whiskey 360°, a website designed to boost tourism in the spirit’s category.
The Irish Whiskey 360° Passport has been released as part of the website’s Discover Ireland’s Whiskey Distilleries campaign, asking tourists to record their journeys round Irish whiskey distilleries by collecting stamps.
William Lavelle, head of the Irish Whiskey Association, said: “Irish whiskey distilleries have developed a world-famous reputation as great places to visit – all offering unique experiences.
“We hope the new Irish Whiskey 360° Passport will encourage staycationers and future international tourists to explore Ireland’s diversity of distillery experiences.”
Visitors who collect six stamps will be named ‘Irish Whiskey 360° champion’, and receive access to ‘special rewards’.
The Irish Whiskey 360° website features the 24 distilleries and brand homes with visitor experiences to be visited as part of the passport scheme.
Seven new videos of regions to visit and distillery maps are also available to view, supporting the Discover Ireland’s Whiskey Distilleries campaign.
Whiskey distilleries across Ireland attracted more than one million visitors in 2019, but this figure plummeted by 88% last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many distilleries are yet to reopen.
The Irish Whiskey 360° Passport can be obtained from member distilleries of the Irish Whiskey Association in Ireland.