The annual high double-digit increases for travel retail are over, so the question stands: does Tequila still have headroom to grow?

*This feature was originally published in the April 2026 issue of The Spirits Business magazine. 

Since international travel restarted in earnest following the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, the Tequila category has been on fire in global travel retail (GTR), leaving other white spirits trailing in its wake.

Tequila’s success mirrored its strong upward climb in domestic markets outside of the Americas, where consumer demand has been driven by popular cocktails, such as the Margarita and Paloma.

IWSR has yet to release year-on-year growth figures for 2025, but Charlotte Reid, its senior insights manager for GTR, reveals Tequila’s “strong momentum” will likely continue, although perhaps not at the “double-digit surge” seen in recent years. “As assortments expand, there is an increasing risk of shopper confusion, which may temper overall category acceleration,” she warns.

Reid adds that Tequila’s brightest prospects lie in the ultra-premium and prestige price tiers as new travelling shoppers enter the category and trade up. The cristalino style, essentially a colourless, filtered añejo, is well poised to capitalise. “Cristalinos happen to align well with the travel retail environment from a pricing perspective,” she says. “They typically sit at super-premium-and-above price points, which fits comfortably in the generally more premium positioning of GTR. There is long-term potential for the ‘whisky-fication’ of Tequila as more travellers browse the category.”

Reid highlights Western Europe as the category’s biggest GTR growth market, with the UK, Spain, Germany, and Türkiye leading from the front.

If Tequila is to follow in the footsteps of the much larger, successful Scotch whisky category, producers will need to raise their game in developing GTR-exclusive expressions. They deliver a point of difference from domestic market ranges, and, if executed well, satisfy a demand for premium gifts among travellers.

Proximo GTR is leading the charge when it comes to travel-exclusive Tequilas. At airports worldwide this year, it is rolling out the new 1800 Triple Cask Añejo – a 100% Blue Weber agave Tequila matured in a combination of French oak, American oak, and Cabernet Sauvignon wine casks. Roy Summers, head of GTR, says the new expression’s exclusivity gives it a point of difference in a crowded category, delivering a distinctive story around “craftsmanship, provenance, and collectability. For 2026, differentiation will come not just from the liquid, but from how we bring it to life in-store.”

He adds. “We have a strong global activation programme across key hubs, including New York JFK, Frankfurt, Munich, and Dubai [airports], built around sampling, education and a striking visual identity that explains the triple-cask maturation process.”

Another area of GTR growth for Tequila is the cruise sector, an expanding channel combining upscale retail stores, onboard cocktail bars and a captive, wealthy customer base. Joanna Black, senior buyer for liquor at leading onboard cruise retailer Harding+, whose customer portfolio includes Cunard, Carnival and Princess Cruises, reveals Tequila sales grew by 21% in 2025 compared to 2024.

“We’re noticing a clear shift towards more premium options, with growing demand for higher-end and ultra-premium expressions rather than standard ones,” Black reveals. She says upscale brands such as Bacardi-owned Patrón and Diageo’s Casamigos are selling very well. “Guests are more often choosing to trade up for bottles that feel a bit more special or offer greater quality.”