The latest research from the Scotch Whisky Association has found that Scotland’s whisky distilleries hosted more visits than ever before in 2015 with a record 1.6 million visits – a 7% rise from the year before.
Since 2010 Scotch whisky distillery visits have increased by more than 20% and Scotch Whisky distilleries rank among some of the most popular UK visit attractions, with a similar number of visits annually as London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral and Edinburgh Castle.
Around half of Scotland’s 118 whisky distilleries are open to the public and the distilleries have invested significantly in their facilities in recent years.
This good news shows that Scottish tourism continues to grow and proves that the distilleries are a ‘must see’ for domestic and international visitors.
Most of the 1.6 million visits came from Scotland and other parts of the UK, Germany, the USA and France.
Julie Hesketh-Laird, Scotch Whisky Association deputy chief executive, said: “Scotch Whisky distilleries offer high-quality and unique opportunities to visit the homes of some of Scotland’s most famous brands. It is a testament to Scotch Whisky companies that visits have increased at a time when overall Scottish visitor numbers fell. This brings important benefits to the wider rural economy, as distillery visitors will also then be staying at the local B&B, visiting a local pub or café, or buying souvenirs of their stay in Scotland.”