Guinness Storehouse retains its billing as Ireland's top attraction

Recent figures from Dublin's historic Guinness Storehouse have shown that the brewery is still the biggest tourist attraction in the country, with visitor numbers increasing by 10% in 2011. Opened in 2000, the seven storey Guinness Storehouse towers majestically over Dublin, with a distinct atrium, shaped to resemble a Guinness glass. The venue has seen a dramatic increase in business, once again welcoming over one million (1,025,677) visitors through its doors last year.

Even more impressive is the fact that the Storehouse is now the fourth largest branded attraction in the world. The list was topped by the Coca Cola HQ in Atlanta. It’s been a big year for those at the historic Dublin brewery. All eyes were on Ireland in the summer of last year with the visit of the Queen. The monarch made a planned visit to the Storehouse for an extra special tour, before being poured a pint of the black stuff in the rooftop Gravity Bar, to accompany the panoramic view of the city. Another symbolic marketing boost occurred for Guinness when American president Barack Obama sampled a pint on his flying visit to Co. Offaly, and the continuing success of Arthur’s Day can't be overlooked. 2011 also saw the opening of Five, a unique food experience on the fifth floor of the Storehouse, offering everything from oysters to gourmet burgers.

Speaking at the announcement, Managing Director, Paul Carty said: "We are delighted to announce we are still the no. 1 international visitor attraction in Ireland with over 1 million people passing through the Storehouse doors last year. Over the past number of years, the Irish tourism industry has been under severe pressure and we are proud to have played a part in enticing overseas visitors to Ireland and encouraging domestic visits too."

Interestingly, 92% of all visitors to the attraction are overseas tourists. Visitors from the USA, Germany, the UK, Ireland and Italy were ranked as the top five visiting nations last year with Germany (up 17%), the USA (up 14%), Ireland (up 14%) and Italy (up 5%) showing significant increases compared to 2010. It seems that many Dubliners have actually never been to the Storehouse, despite the authentic experience and relatively low entrance fee. But perhaps there’s more scope for growth in 2012, considering the rise in staycations recently.

Since 2000, the Guinness Storehouse has welcomed over 9 million visitors. Over 1.6 million visitors have tasted Guinness for the first time, and over 400,000 learned how to pour a pint of Guinness.