Whisky visitor rise welcomed by Moray MSP Richard Lochhead
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Footfall at Scotland's whisky visitor centres topped two million last year – an 114% increase on 2021 and a near full recovery since the pandemic.
Figures newly published by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) show that distilleries are now the country's leading visitor attraction.
In addition, the £85million spent at whisky visitor centres was nearly double the amount compared to a decade ago.
Richard Lochhead said: "As the MSP for Speyside I value the significant contribution made by our distilleries to the local economy and the employment opportunities they provide in communities across Moray.
"It’s encouraging news that visitor numbers to our excellent Scotch whisky visitor centres seem to have recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
"In recent years we’ve seen significant investment in our local whisky visitor centres and I’m confident these figures will only keep getting better in the years ahead."
Just over half (51.1%) of the 2,004,918 people who visited a distillery last year came from the UK.
The top nationality from abroad was American (19.4%), followed by German (9.8%), Dutch (6.1%), French (6%), Canadian (4.5%) and Italian (2.8%).
Mark Kent, chief executive of the SWA, said: "Whisky forms a key part of the Scottish economy, helping to put Scotland on the map and driving tourism from around the world.
"The recovery demonstrates the continued global appeal of Scotch whisky, but it should not be taken for granted.
"While these are positive figures on the back of significant industry investment, we know that ongoing work is needed to ensure that they can be sustained for the long term.
"For distilleries operating within rural communities, urgent improvements to infrastructure will not only support the needs of those living in and visiting these areas, but the ambitions of our sector to grow, invest and reach net zero."
Marc Crothall, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, also hailed the figures.
He said: "It’s great news to read such positive results around a strong return of international travellers.
"A globally important cultural and economic phenomenon, whisky is a hook that draws thousands of visitors from around the world to our shores.
"The importance of being able to promote and market whisky and whisky tourism in the future should never be underestimated.
"Those who visit distilleries also spend significant sums in our local economies which supports job retention and creation particularly within rural communities."
