- 1,711,281 visitors in 2017
- Now five Irish attractions have topped one million mark
Guinness Storehouse set a new record for visitor numbers in 2017 with 1,711,281. It is one of five visitor attractions to record more than 1m visitors in 2017, and is followed by Cliffs of Moher (1.54m), Dublin zoo (1.23m), the National Aquatic Centre (1.13m) and Giant’s Causeway (1.02m).
USA numbers at the Storehouse were up 13pc, France up 8pc, Canada up 5pc, while developing market China was up 21pc, and long haul Australia up 2pc. In 2017, 28pc of visitors came from North America followed by Britain with 26pc.
An independent economic impact report published by Guinness Storehouse says the Guinness Storehouse was a key factor in attracting international visitors to Ireland for 34pc of respondents. This translates to an economic contribution of €361.2m over a 12 month period.
The survey suggests overseas visitors to the Guinness Storehouse spend an average of €134 a day on other services and experiences outside of the Guinness Storehouse. It says this supports an additional 8,907 jobs. Located in the heart of Dublin city, Guinness Storehouse is also a significant direct employer, employing 320 full-time staff and 62 seasonal workers.
Paul Carty, Managing Director of the Guinness Storehouse announced details last summer of a €16m expansion plan which will see the signature Gravity Bar double in size. As well as its plan to double the Gravity Bar in size by 2019, this year the Guinness Storehouse opened an enhanced brewing floor and continues to develop its food offering which focuses on matching dishes on the menu with a beer from the Guinness portfolio, showcasing the complex and distinctive flavours of Guinness. Our aim is to position Ireland and the Guinness Storehouse as a year-round, ‘must visit’ destination and to ensure that the contribution of overseas tourism to the economy continues to expand. This year we saw a strong market diversification and visitor growth from long-haul markets in Asia Pacific. We are excited to begin the next chapter of the Guinness Storehouse and welcome even more visitors in 2018. We are very proud of the success in 2017 and of the commitment of our own team at the Guinness Storehouse and all those across the industry who work hard to promote Dublin and Ireland as a world-class destination”.
Paul Carty talked about the history fo Guinness Storehouse and its tourism concept at the Lets Talk Tourism conference in Killarney in November.
Interview with Paul Carty:
Guinness Storehouse video
