The number of people that visited brewery and distillery visitor centres in Ireland increased by 7.2% in 2018, rising to 2,778,500 million from 2,590,215 million the previous year, according to new figures from the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI).
The ABFI's data indicates that 34.6% of the visitors (961,361) came from North America, 12.6% came from the UK (350,091), 7.3% were from Ireland (202,831), 5.4% were from Germany (150,039) and 5.1% came from France (141,704).
"A Knock-On Effect" Of The Drinks Industry's Growth
ABFI director Patricia Callan commented, "Over the past few years, Ireland's drinks industry has grown significantly, with an influx of new players and products to the market. A knock-on effect of this growth has been the increase in brewery and distillery visitor centres, which many producers view as an additional revenue stream and an important way to showcase the quality, authenticity and heritage associated with their products and with Ireland's drinks industry.
"Importantly, these visitor centres are located right across the country, from Donegal to Cork. Many have become destinations in their own right in rural areas, as people come to see the story behind their favourite products, meaning the drinks industry is supporting the regional spread of tourism.
"While tourists from abroad love visiting breweries and distilleries, they are also popular among domestic tourists, who often choose to visit one during a trip."
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
