New figures show there has been a 23% increase in the number of visitors to Irish whiskey distilleries compared to last year.
The Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) said just over one million people toured the facilities during the 12-month period to last June.
The IWA said it represents the strongest visitor numbers since before the Covid-19 pandemic, adding the figures are up 23% on the same time last year.
There was an average on-site spend in whiskey distilleries of €41.24 per person, which the IWA said generated €41.6 million in direct economic benefit to local communities.
The data shows that the five core markets for visitors to whiskey distilleries included the US, UK, Germany, France and Ireland.
The most frequent visitors are aged 34 - 45, followed by 45 - 54.
The IWA, which is due to launch its Irish Whiskey Way tourism initiative this month, said sales of products surpassed €1 billion in export value last year.
The association said as the Irish whiskey sector "continues to navigate a period of significant trade uncertainty, diversifying its growth through tourism and visitor experiences has never been more important for the hotels, restaurants and tour operators that also benefit from this major driver of international visitors".
The Director of the IWA said Irish whiskey distillery experiences are "now flagship tourism attractions".
Eoin Ó Catháin said it was "particularly great to see thousands of tourists visiting our rural distilleries as well as our urban experiences".
"While the wider tourism landscape faces challenges, our distilleries are thriving, welcoming visitors from around the world and driving regional growth," he said.
"But to sustain this momentum, the sector needs targeted Government support and investment," he added.
The Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland said the distillery experiences "tell the 700 plus year old story of whiskey" on the island.
Alice Mansergh said: "It's a story touching on history, people, flavours and local ingredients, with distilleries welcoming visitors from Bushmills to Kilbeggan, from the mountains of Mourne to the Sceilg coast.
The Jameson Distillery in Dublin topped the list of the five most visited Irish whiskey distilleries during the 12-month period up to June, followed by the Bushmills Distillery in Co Antrim, the Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin, the Midleton Distillery Experience in Co Cork and the Shed Distillery in Co Leitrim.
