Asked by: Douglas Ross (Conservative - Moray)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of Scotch whisky to tourism.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Scottish Whisky industry is recognised the world over for its high quality.
VisitBritain(VB) work to promote the UK as a tourist destination, and have used Scotch whiskey to promote Scotland in particular. VB regularly host educational trips which include distilleries across Scotland, host several distilleries at their flagship promotional event ExploreGB and offer Whiskey tours through the VB online shop. In addition to this, VB work in partnership with Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for International Trade to create food and drink hubs across the UK which encourage visitors to try our produce and commission research into food and drink as a draw for tourists.