Whisky is the toast of Scottish tourism
WHISKY distilleries such as Dalwhinnie and Glenlivet give a much-needed boost to the economy, the job market and bring growing numbers of international tourists to Scotland, according to a new survey.
The report commissioned by the Scotch Whisky Association reveals that visitor centres and distilleries pump £30.4 million into the economy and provide 640 jobs – direct and indirect.
The SWA said the global impact of Scotch Whisky tourism is clear as nine out of ten (86.1%) distillery visitors last year came from outside Scotland, with nearly two thirds (62.3%) from outside the UK.
Diageo distilleries welcomed visitors of 43 different nationalities last year with Germany, France US and Spain being in the top five alongside the UK.
Campbell Evans, SWA Director of Government and Consumer Affairs, said: "Scotch Whisky and tourism can be seen as the perfect blend and complement one another.
"Our survey shows the scale of the economic impact of Scotch Whisky and how exports can help drive up tourism. Spending by tourists, and the jobs created as a result, is injecting new money into the Scottish economy."
On average, every £100 million of Scotch Whisky exports are associated with £20.6 million of direct tourism spending. With Scotch Whisky exports of more than £3 billion, it is estimated that the industry is associated with around £640 million of direct tourism.
After accounting for multiplier effects, the SWA said the overall impact it likely to exceed £1 billion each year.
Mr Evans said: "We’ve found countries which are the biggest export markets for Scotch Whisky tend to spend more on tourism in Scotland.
"At the same time, in countries where the number of tourists to Scotland increases we see a willingness to pay more for a bottle of Scotch Whisky.
"Scotch Whisky is an important part of Scottish culture and identity and has a wide role to play in attracting overseas tourism."
