According to the Scotch Whisky Association 2017 was the highest year on record with 1.9 million visitors to Scottish distilleries.

The best known brands have recently responded to this opportunity by promising significant investment into visitor experiences, and with this investment comes the pressure to innovate. For the big distilleries, the visitor centre – commonly referred to as the “brand home” – is a place where the personality and prestige of their product is reflected, and their whisky heritage celebrated.

For new and start up distilleries, the visitor centre needs to perform a rather more crucial function. Not only does it need to celebrate and communicate the whisky, it also provides a very valuable source of income. This is especially significant when dealing with a product that requires three or more years maturation.

The information gathered from this survey will contribute to ongoing research into whisky tourism focused on generating new ideas and employing innovative practices to create the optimal visitor experience.

Thanks for your time.

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