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One of Moray Speyside visitor attractions has been named as must-see destinations for international travellers to visit this year.
American news magazine, TIME, one of the most respected and informative guides to the world’s events, and famous for its iconic front cover images, has yesterday, 22August, revealed that The Macallan Distillery has been listed as one of ‘The World’s Greatest Places 2019’.
Part of a selected 100 global destinations to see right now, the Moray Speyside attractions is joined by the V&A Dundee and the University Arms Cambridge, as the only three locations to be listed in the UK.
Opened in 2018, The Macallan Distillery Experience in Speyside, is the first distillery developed by internationally renowned architects, Rogers, Stirk, Harbour + Partners and has already received a number of accolades for its innovative design.
Echoing the beautiful countryside setting, the building’s rolling roof serves to conceal its ingenious fusion of architecture, whisky technology and an engaging experience that encapsulates the heritage and innovation of The Macallan.
Welcoming visitors from all across the globe, The Macallan has helped Speyside – a region with the highest concentration of whisky distilleries in the world and home to the world-famous Malt Whisky Trail – to further capture the global interest in whisky, a sector worth £3.3 billion to the UK economy.
In response to the two Scottish attractions being included in ‘The World’s Greatest Places 2019, Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This is a fantastic achievement for both the V&A Dundee and The Macallan Distillery. Both attractions represent the very best of Scotland’s tourism experience.
“The city of Dundee has seen enormous benefit from the opening of the world class V&A museum. Since it opened, the museum has attracted more than half a million visitors from all over the UK and throughout the world, and has been part of the rejuvenation of the waterfront in Dundee.
“Whisky tourism continues to grow and last year visitor numbers to distilleries hit two million for the first time ever. The Macallan Distillery is an architectural wonder and in its innovative telling of the story of whisky is helping to lead whisky tourism.”
Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland Chief Executive, said: “The Macallan Distillery and V&A Dundee’s inclusion in this prestigious list of the top 100 places to see in the world this year is testament to both attractions’ stature in the UK. I don’t think anyone could go to either location and not stand back in awe at these amazing feats of architecture, bringing their surroundings to life, as well as be drawn in to the experiences they offer visitors.
“Both attractions have been ground-breaking for their respective city and region. They have forged reputations for innovation, creativity, learning, community engagement and unforgettable experiences, helping to elevate the unique characters of both Dundee and Moray Speyside, and of Scotland, and put them in the map as a must-see places to visit.
“We can’t be complacent however and it is important that we continue to encourage the tourism industry to provide world-class service, facilities, events and attractions to keep up with ever-changing consumer demands and ensure visitors continue to have memorable experiences across Scotland.”
Laurie Piper of Moray Speyside Tourism, the Destination Marketing Organisation for Malt Whisky Country said: “News that the new Macallan Distillery has reached Time Magazine’s 2019 World’s Greatest Places list is no surprise to us here in Moray Speyside – we’ve seen the effect it’s already had on tourism in the area, and as the true home of malt whisky, it can only be a good thing for the region’s tourism industry that such a fantastic, inspirational and innovative building at the heart of Speyside is recognised at worldwide level.”
More information about The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Centre, the malt whisky region and the surrounding area of Moray Speyside is available on: https://www.visitscotland.com/blog/holiday-ideas/things-to-do-moray-speyside/