New figures unveiled on the first day of a major tourism conference in Aberdeen highlight the importance of whisky visitor “experiences” to the Scottish economy.
Drink giant Diageo said it had hit the million mark for whisky tourism visits at its sites around Scotland for the first time.
Bumper footfall at distilleries in Oban and on Skye helped the firm to its new record.
Diageo said its “experiences” around Scotland attracted a total of 1.13 million visitors during 2023, its first full post-Covid year of operations.
And it hailed its achievement as a major boost for Scottish tourism.
Let’s look at the figures
According to the most recent Scotch Whisky Association figures, more than two million people took part in visitor experiences hosted by the industry in Scotland during 2022.
Diageo’s contribution to the 2023 total was led by its Johnnie Walker Princes Street visitor experience in Edinburgh, which had 359,000 people through its doors last year.
Leading the pack among the company’s 12 distillery brand homes around Scotland was Talisker Distillery on Skye, which welcomed 184,000 people.
Oban Distillery counted a total of 157,000 people through the doors of its visitor centre.
Diageo’s top five whisky attractions of 2023 also include Blair Athol Distillery, in Perthshire, and The Singleton of Glen Ord, in Muir of Ord, with 82,241 and 64,2421 visitors respectively.
The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery’s tour was named best in Scotland at the World Travel Awards in Berlin last week.
Diageo has to date invested £185 million to create “world-class” whisky attractions in Scotland.
Katie Harris, managing director, Diageo Scotland Brand Homes, said: “Scotch whisky is well-established as Scotland’s leading export.
The great thing about Scotch whisky tourism is that it creates opportunities all across Scotland.”
Katie Harris, Diageo
“Every bottle we sell around the world is an invitation to visit Scotland and experience its amazing culture, heritage and environment.
“The great thing about Scotch whisky tourism is that it creates opportunities all across Scotland, from our capital city to the communities of the highlands and islands where many of our distilleries are located.”
Ms Harris added: “We are incredibly proud to have welcomed more than a million people through our doors for the first time in Scotland.
“We believe this is just the start and there is a powerful opportunity for further growth, with all the positive benefits that will bring to Scotland.”
Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) chief executive Marc Crothall said: “These figures highlight further evidence that Scotch whisky is making a fantastic contribution to both driving visitor demand and growing Scotland’s visitor economy across the length and breadth of the country.”
Signature Conference in Aberdeen
Tourism and hospitality leaders are meeting at P&J Live in Aberdeen for the two-day 2024 Signature Conference.
Today’s programme includes STA launching its latest policy agenda.
It sets out priorities for the tourism body in advance of both the forthcoming UK general-election, later this year, and next Scottish parliamentary election in 2026.
These include:
- Promoting tourism as a force for good and a key driver of job creation, investment and economic growth across all parts of Scotland.
- Improving and streamlining the Scottish policy and regulatory landscape in order to “foster more effective business and governmental cooperation and decision-making.
- Cementing Scotland’s status as a leading tourism destination, striking a balance between cost-competitiveness and high quality of visitor experience.
- Improving transport and digital connectivity for “an effortless visitor experience, harnessing new innovations”.
- Attracting and nurturing a skilled and diverse workforce in the tourism and hospitality sector.
Mr Crothall said the STA’s new policy agenda came at a “crucial juncture” for tourism.
It is a “clarion call” for policy and decision-makers to work more closely with the sector, he explained.
He added it would not only help the industry to tackle future challenges ahead, but also seize opportunities for Scotland to “unlock its potential as a world leader in 21st Century tourism”.
The industry is working within a particularly challenging climate in relation to funding”, STA’s boss said.
He went on: “It is in the best interests of governments on both sides of the border to ensure the continuing success of Scottish tourism and hospitality can be held up to the world.”
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