Johnnie Walker Princes Street welcomes 300,000 visitors in first year since opening in Edinburgh

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Johnnie Walker Princes Street has proved a huge hit with whisky lovers, the Edinburgh attraction welcoming more than 300,000 visitors since first opening its doors last year.

The city centre venue, which takes visitors on an immersive journey through the 200-year-old history behind the world’s best-selling Scotch whisky, opened in September 2021.

In its first year of business, 50% of visitors to the venue were women, while 56% were not regular Scotch whisky drinkers.

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Barbara Smith, Managing Director of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said: “It has been a tough year for everyone in tourism and hospitality, and we are under no illusion that many serious difficulties remain as we try to rebuild Scotland’s visitor sector.

Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh opened its doors to the public in September last year, and despite pandemic lockdowns and major travel restrictions, it succeeded in welcoming more than 300,000 visitors from 97 different countries around the world.Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh opened its doors to the public in September last year, and despite pandemic lockdowns and major travel restrictions, it succeeded in welcoming more than 300,000 visitors from 97 different countries around the world.
Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh opened its doors to the public in September last year, and despite pandemic lockdowns and major travel restrictions, it succeeded in welcoming more than 300,000 visitors from 97 different countries around the world.

“But it is also important to celebrate positive achievement, and I am incredibly proud of what the team at Johnnie Walker Princes Street have managed to deliver in the first year of operation.

“I am particularly encouraged by the diversity of our guests, with half of all visitors being women, and with an international spread of 97 countries.

“Our aim at Johnnie Walker Princes Street is to challenge perceptions, bust myths, and show that whisky really is for everyone. So, it’s good to see the diversity in our guests and to be able to look at the figures and see we’re helping people find their perfect way to enjoy Scotland’s best loved export.”

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Johnnie Walker Princes Street: See inside the new Edinburgh visitor centre

Johnnie Walker Princes Street is the centrepiece of Diageo’s £185million investment in Scotch whisky tourism in Scotland, which also includes the transformation of the company’s distillery visitor experiences the length and breadth of Scotland.

Ewan Andrew, Diageo President of Supply Chain & Procurement, who has led the Scotland investment programme, said: “Scotch whisky is in great demand around the world, as Johnnie Walker’s record global sales figures over the past year has shown. We want to bring those consumers from all around the world to Scotland and give them an unforgettable experience.

The first year of operation at Johnnie Walker Princes Street gives us great confidence that we can achieve that and continue to build the reputation of Scotch whisky as the world’s best loved distilled spirit.”

VisitScotland Regional Director, Neil Christison said: “Congratulations to the team at Johnnie Walker Princes Street on their first anniversary and reaching 300,000 visitor milestone, a fantastic achievement as our industry begins to recover from the pandemic.

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“We know that Scotland’s world-famous heritage including whisky is an important part of our visitor appeal, especially among international visitors with one in five visiting a distillery before the pandemic.

“We are also seeing growing interest for artisanal food and drink experiences as visitors look to connect with the people and processes behind our iconic products.

“It is fantastic to see visitors returning from across the world and closer to home, supporting the recovery of our vital industry and the wider economy.”

Advance pre-booking of experiences is highly recommended. Tickets for the Johnnie Walker Princes Street tours start from £28, which includes a 90-minute tour and three personalised Scotch whisky drinks.

To book an experience, sign up to the Johnnie Walker Princes Street mailing list or for more information, please visit www.johnniewalkerprincesstreet.com.

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