Business booming at Lochranza distillery
Isle of Arran Distillers in Lochranza is one of the most visited distilleries in Scotland, having attracted more than 126,000 visitors to its distillery and visitor centre last year, writes Colin Smeeton.
These figures have helped contribute to the growing industry which has seen visitor numbers to distilleries across Scotland topping two million for the first time.
According to the Scotch Whisky Association’s (SWA) annual survey, distillery visits were up 6.1 per cent year-on-year and 56 per cent more than in 2010.
Visitors from Germany and the United States provided the largest number of Scottish whisky tourists, with increased numbers visiting from France, Spain, and the Netherlands, as well as India and China. Gerard Tattersfield, visitor centre manager at Arran Distillers, said: ‘Year-on-year we see good growth, not just from whisky enthusiasts but from more holiday visitors to Arran and the effects of Road Equivalent Tariff (RET).
‘The Arran malt as a brand certainly seems to have come of age over the last few years and is now an established, quality independent player in the Scotch whisky industry.
‘With our Lagg distillery now open we are hoping to attract even more visitors to the island.’
Karen Betts, Scotch Whisky Association chief executive, said: ‘The growing number of visitors to distilleries reflects in part the growth in tourism in Scotland in general, and people coming to Scotland want to see our local crafts and sample our food and drink. Distilleries offer something of an antidote to today’s fast-paced world, where visitors can see the slow, careful craft, rooted in a distinct sense of place, that creates Scotch whisky.
‘The growth in whisky tourism is also playing a crucial role in Scotland’s rural economy, with more stays at hotels, more bookings at restaurants, and more customers for businesses, helping communities to grow and prosper.
‘The industry has invested a great deal in creating fabulous visitor facilities. That investment has been fostered by the more stable tax environment created by recent freezes in excise duty. We hope the government will continue this policy, which has helped the industry to continue to invest in worldclass visitor attractions.’
The new distillery at Lagg, also owned by Arran Distillers, is expected to further boost visitor numbers to Arran as well as contribute to the national total.
Whisky exports were valued at £4.7billion in 2018, with 41 bottles of Scotch whisky per second shipped overseas. Scotland is home to 128 operating malt distilleries, with 68 visitor centres.