Ireland

Guinness Storehouse named world’s best tourist attraction for 2023

Stout bastion a head above Macchu Picchi and Taj Mahal in prestigious award list

The Guinness Storehouse at St James Gate Brewery opened its doors for the first time 23 years ago. It has received over 20 million visitors. Photograph: Tim Clayton/Getty Images

Olivia Kelleher
Sat Dec 2 2023 - 13:30

The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin has been named the world’s leading tourist attraction for 2023, seeing off the challenge of other shortlisted nominees such as the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, Macchu Picchu of Peru and Niagara Falls in Canada.

The storehouse won the prestigious accolade at the World Travel Awards (WTA) ceremony at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai last night.

The award was won by Macchu Picchu in 2022 and 2021. The Titanic Museum in Belfast was named the world’s leading tourist attraction in 2016, with other winners in the last decade including the Taj Mahal in India, Intramuros in the Philippines and Las Vegas Strip in the US.

The Guinness Storehouse also earned the title of world’s leading beer tour visitor experience for the second year in a row. It saw off the challenge of the Tiger Brewery Tour in Singapore and the Miller Brewery Tour in the US. The storehouse was also named Europe’s leading tourist attraction in 2023.

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Alice Mansergh, chief executive designate of Tourism Ireland, said that the Guinness Storehouse offers a unique experience to visitors, celebrating an iconic story of Irish craft, heritage and industry in a fresh modern way.

“It is hugely welcome to see recognition on the global stage and is a credit to the Guinness Storehouse team for their innovation and leadership.”

The Guinness Storehouse at St James Gate Brewery opened its doors for the first time 23 years ago. It has received over 20 million visitors.

In 2011 Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the tourist attraction as part of their official state visit to Ireland.

Meanwhile, other Irish winners at the awards included Luttrellstown Castle Resort, which was named Europe’s leading luxury wedding resort, the Jameson Distillery in Bow Street earned the title of Europe’s leading whiskey distillery, and the Convention Centre, which was hailed as Europe’s leading meetings and conference centre.

Castle Leslie Estate was named Ireland’s leading boutique hotel at the awards ceremony, with Inchydoney Island Lodge winning Ireland’s leading hotel. Carton House is Ireland’s leading luxury hotel for 2023 while Sunway has been named Ireland’s leading travel agency.

The Hilton Belfast was named as Northern Ireland’s leading business hotel while the Titanic Hotel in Belfast won the title of Northern Ireland’s leading hotel.

Internationally, the Maldives clinched the award for the world’s leading destination award for the fourth consecutive year. Emirates was named as the “world’s leading airline - first class” for 2023. Lima in Peru was named the “world’s leading heritage city destination”.

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