Despite the controversial release by Scottish authorities of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi, which has sparked a "boycott Scotland" campaign on the Internet, Scotland's convention and visitors bureau has said it's unconcerned about potential travel cancellations by Americans, with whom it is insists it still has a strong relationship, United Kingdom-based
TravelWeekly reported last week.
The only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, which killed 270 people in 1988, al-Megrahi was released last month on "compassionate grounds" following claims that he's contracted terminal cancer and has less than three months to live. Upon his release, he returned to a hero's welcome in his native Libya, which drew sharp criticism from President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and some American citizens, at least one of which has founded a Web site,
www.boycottscotland, encouraging travelers to stay away from Scotland.
"The actions of the Scottish government are inexcusable," reads the Web site. "Americans need to respond to this outrageous miscarriage of justice and betrayal of the victims' families, who were mostly fellow Americans, by refusing to spend their tourist dollars in Scotland and avoiding any kind of business there."
According to
TravelWeekly, the United States is Scotland's biggest travel market, representing 21 percent of its total overseas tourist market; last year, Americans made 340,000 trips to Scotland and spent £260 million there.
Still, Scottish tourism authorities remain unconcerned, and say they have not received any information about Lockerbie-fueled trip cancellations. "The strong and enduring relationship between Scotland and the U.S. will continue, as will the friendship between the American and Scottish people," a VisitScotland spokesperson told
TravelWeekly. "Our priority is ensuring that American visitors and tourists are extended a very warm welcome to Scotland."