Irish whiskey tourism falls short of 2019 record

Ireland’s whiskey distilleries welcomed more than 800,000 visitors over the past 12 months, but remained below pre-pandemic levels.

The latest tourism numbers for Irish whiskey distilleries with visitor experiences were announced on 24 July by trade body the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA).

The new figures show that whiskey distilleries around the island of Ireland attracted more than 800,000 tourism visitors from June 2023 to June 2024, with the majority coming from overseas.

The main markets for whiskey distillery visitors during this period include the US, Great Britain, Germany, France and Ireland, with an uptick reported in visitors from Eastern Europe as well as South and East Asia.

The 800,000 figure is an increase on the number of tourists in 2022. Whiskey tourism in Ireland attracted 677,000 visitors in 2022, a 425% increase on 2021, boosted by ‘staycations’ and tourism from North America.

However, it sits below 2019 levels when visitor numbers to Irish distilleries exceeded one million for the first time – a 10.5% year‐on‐year increase. Overseas visitors made up 87% of that total.

“The latest distillery visitor numbers show that whiskey tourism is continuing to grow in importance as a valuable contributor to Ireland’s experience economy, as well as to local economies,” said Eoin Ó Catháin, director of IWA.

“Premium whiskey production is, of course, at the heart of what our world-class distilleries do. However, many also encompass tourism, hospitality, retail, food, entertainment and events, thereby playing a valuable role in supporting the sustainability of local economies, both directly and indirectly through their supply chains and also through the value added to local economies by distillery visitor spend.”

According to the IWA, the average spending of distillery visitors has also increased – with the latest 800,000 unique visitors contributing millions more to local economies.

The trade body also states that the age profile of visitors is now far younger, and there is a greater gender balance among enthusiasts for distillery experiences.

“Interest continues to grow, with more than 20% increase in online searches for ‘Irish whiskey tours’ from key markets such as the US, Germany and Great Britain year over year in 2024,” said Alice Mansergh, CEO of Tourism Ireland.

700 years of Irish whiskey

The latest figures were announced at a special all-island industry gathering at Diageo’s Roe & Co distillery in Dublin, hosted by IWA, to mark the 700th anniversary of the first known written account of distillation in Ireland.

“The island of Ireland has a remarkable distilling heritage. Dating back to 1324, the Red Book of Ossory contains the first written reference to ‘aqua vitae’ or ‘uisce beatha’ or ‘whiskey’ on this island, and it will shortly go on show in St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny,” explained Mansergh.

“This year’s 700th anniversary is a unique moment to mark the craft, history, local ingredients, landscapes and people that have shaped the Irish whiskey story through the ages. With over 28 distillery experiences welcoming visitors island-wide, there is a real geographic spread to this topic of interest, from Dingle to Donegal, from Bushmills to Belfast, Wicklow to Westmeath and beyond.

“At Tourism Ireland, we will be marking 700 years of heritage with a campaign sharing cultural distillery experiences with relevant online audiences across 14 markets, all to encourage visitors to our island across regions and seasons,” added Mansergh.

This year’s 700th anniversary is regarded as a momentous occasion by Ireland’s whiskey distilleries, brand homes and visitor experiences, which celebrate it under the industry-wide banner of ‘700 Years of Irish Whiskey Tradition’.

Exports of Irish whiskey plummeted by double digits last year due to a decline in the US, a report by Bord Bia showed.