The World Travel Awards – dubbed the ‘Oscars of tourism’ – have been announced for 2024 and two Scottish distilleries plus a number of hotels have triumphed.
The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery, located in Muir of Ord, has been named Scotland’s Leading Distillery Tour 2024 and The Glentlivet was named Scotland’s Leading Whisky Distillery Tour 2024
The Singleton of Glen Ord, which re-opened its doors in 2022 as part of Diageo’s £185-million investment into Scotch tourism, is a celebration of the best of Scotland and was created with the vision of not only honouring the slow-crafted single malt and its history, but also to give locals and tourists an immersive experience, where they can explore everything the Highlands has to offer.
Sitting on the famous North Coast 500 route and accessible by bus or train from Inverness, the visitor attraction is known for working closely with suppliers from around the area to provide visitors with local produce, space for home-grown artists, as well as immersive and unusual whisky tasting experiences.
The Glenlivet reopened its visitor centre in 2021 after a renovation by owners Pernod Ricard.
The new space has a lounge area, bar, shop with fill your own bottle stations and archive area and has been designed to feel cosy and welcoming with a palette of teal, green, orange and neutrals that reflect the ever changing Speyside landscape.
The Glenlivet was named World’s Leading Whisk(e)y Distillery Tour in the 2022 World Travel Awards
The Singleton Distillery was named Visitor Attraction of the Year at the Icons of Whisky Scotland and World Whiskies Awards 2024 in December last year, as well as a Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Award having been consistently rated by the public as a five-star attraction in 2023.
Leigh Aitken, Brand Home Manager at The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery, said: “To be named as Scotland’s Leading Distillery Tour by one of the biggest tourism award bodies in the world is such an honour.
“As an official partner of the North Coast 500, and one of the closest single malt distilleries to Inverness we look forward to welcoming even more people into the Highlands to try out our award-winning whisky experiences.
“Scotland is famous for our unmatched larder, scenery, and of course whiskies and in particular has so to come out on top of this category is testament to the versatile offering we have here, thanks to our team of whisky experts, bartenders, and local suppliers who each give us that extra something special.”
Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh, another piece of Diageo’s investment into Scotch tourism was also awarded at the ceremony which took place in Berlin.
The visitor attraction, which gained the title of the World’s Leading Spirit Experience last year’s WTAs was named Europe’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience 2024, adding a list of industry leading accolades.
The full list of Scottish winners can be viewed on the World Travel Awards website.
