The Guinness Storehouse has retained its position as Ireland’s number one international visitor attraction by surpassing all previous records, with 1,711,281 guests passing through its doors in 2017.
Since first opening its doors to the public in 2000, the Guinness Storehouse has welcomed almost 18 million visitors.
Guinness Storehouse experienced growth from a number of key markets including USA (up 13 per cent), France (up eight per cent), and Canada (up five per cent) along with new and developing markets like China (up 21 per cent) and Australia (up two per cent).
Tourism is one of Ireland’s most important economic sectors and plays a significant role in Ireland’s economic renewal.
The industry is responsible for overseas earnings of €6.6 billion contributing to the overall tourism sector which supports 225,000 jobs.
Overseas visitors to the Guinness Storehouse spend an average of €134 a day on other services and experiences outside of the Guinness Storehouse; and in turn 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.
Commenting on the visitor numbers, Paul Carty, managing director of the Guinness Storehouse, said: “Last year was another incredibly successful year for the Guinness Storehouse.
“As well as welcoming more than 1.7 million visitors through our doors we also announced details of a €16 million expansion plan which will see the iconic Gravity Bar double in size.
“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.”