Why Whiskey Tourism Is Booming at Irish Whiskey Distilleries

If you’ve been following the news about the global whiskey industry, you are certainly aware that things have not been great. People are drinking less, sales have dropped, there is a glut of whiskey, and major drinks companies are pausing production at some of their distilleries. Still, one sector of the business that seems to be showing some positive signs is whiskey tourism, and the latest example of this comes from one of the great whiskey countries of the world, Ireland.

According to a recent report from the trade group the Irish Whiskey Association, whiskey tourism on the Emerald Isle is booming, with more than a million people visiting the country’s many distilleries for the second year in a row. The most recent data show that 1,040,159 people visited IWA member distilleries during the period of June 2025 to June 2026, an increase of more than 30,000 from the previous year. Spending at these distilleries also rose from about €42 to €50 per person (approximately $55), the result of visitors choosing more premium distillery experiences. But interestingly, the IWA said that about a third of all visitors are not actually consuming alcohol during their visits, which does align with the overall drinking trend, and are more interested in exploring the cultural heritage of Ireland, of which whiskey plays an important part.

The biggest names in Irish whiskey remain the most popular in terms of visitors, as one might expect. Jameson Distillery Bow St. in Dublin topped the list, followed by the Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland, Teeling in Dublin, the Midleton Distillery Experience just outside of Cork, and the much smaller Shed Distillery in County Leitrim. The fastest growing distillery experiences were led by J.J. Corry in County Clare (up by 85 percent), followed by some lesser known names like Ardara, Skellig Six18 Distillery, the Shed, Titanic Distillers, and Ahascragh.

According to IWA director Eoin Ó Catháin, the increase in whiskey tourism was due at least in part to the establishment of the Irish Whiskey Way, a distillery trail that guides visitors around the country to different locations, including those in very rural parts. And Americans topped the list of whiskey visitors. “Reaching one million visitors for the second year in a row shows that Irish whiskey tourism has real staying power, and that is down to the innovation and resilience of our distilleries and visitor centers,” said Ó Catháin in a statement. “Visitors are spending more and traveling further, bringing that value into rural communities across the island. Since we launched the Irish Whiskey Way last November, it has given visitors a new way to discover our distilleries, and we welcome the renewed emphasis on culinary and experiential tourism in the Government’s Tourism Plan, which closely matches what our members offer.”

We will continue to report on the state of the global whiskey industry, good news or bad, as it develops.