US tourism snub after Lockerbie bomber's release

Published on Wednesday 26 August 2009 09:44

AMERICAN tourists have begun cancelling planned breaks in Edinburgh amid the first signs of the tourism backlash over the decision to free the Lockerbie bomber.

Hotels in the Capital have reported losing bookings in the days following the controversial ruling by justice secretary Kenny MacAskill to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, as anger in the US increases and calls to "boycott Scotland" grow.

One hotel, the Roxburghe, on Charlotte Street, said it has had five cancellations in the past five days, including a group of 18 American businessmen due to visit the country next spring.

Many others fear an impact on US tourist visits – worth 90 million to the Lothian economy in 2008 – but say it will not be clear until after the Festival season.

Scotland's national tourism body, VisitScotland, also admitted it had received e-mails from US tourists saying they would be cancelling their holidays and boycotting Scottish products as a result. It is understood to be planning a fresh drive in the US to combat the negative publicity.

Chris Wayne-Wills, manager of the Roxburghe, said: "We had cancellations for next month and a party of 18 have cancelled a trip they had planned for next March. The Megrahi decision has definitely had an effect, all of the cancelling parties cited his release as the reason they were not coming."

But Mr Wayne-Wills added that Lockerbie may just be a convenient excuse to cancel trips in the current economic climate.

He said: "We have found that our current American guests have been fine and sensible. They say the matter is for our governments to work out. They have been talking more about the tram works than politics.

"I guess we're just waiting for the heat to die down."

An anti-Scottish campaign has sprung up in the US following last week's decision, with an official hate website called "Boycott Scotland" created.

Letters sent to the Evening News from the US have also expressed disgust at the decision to release terminally-ill Megrahi after serving eight years for the bombing of Pan AM Flight 103 in 1988.

One, named only as Kevin, wrote: "As a Scot/American I was always proud of my Scottish Ancestry. My trip to Scotland in 2010 is now cancelled and I am now Irish."

Another said he had cancelled a golf trip for 30 people in 2010 that would have seen them pump more than 30,000 into the economy.

Colin Paton, chairman of the Edinburgh Hotel Association, said the 50 hoteliers on his books had discussed the issue and said the backlash was a definite fear for them, though there had not yet been a raft of cancellations.

He said: "We are worried there will be a negative reaction, but we can only hope it'll go the same way as when the Americans boycotted France during the Gulf War. Sales of brie went down for a small period of time, but then they came back up.

"Americans are not stupid. I'm sure they realise this latest move is the actions of MacAskill, not the words of the Scottish people."

VisitScotland admitted that it had received e-mails threatening to cancel holidays to the area.

Despite this, it said it had not seen a single cancellation confirmed so far.

A spokesman confirmed: "Nothing has come through our booking agent.

"Tourism is very important to Scotland, with more than 340,000 Americans visiting annually.

"We understand the strength of feeling over this issue, but we will work to ensure that the strong and enduring relationship between Scotland and the United States will continue."

Other city hotels have reported no negative impact as of yet.

Steven Hall, manager of the Hilton Grosvenor, called it a "storm in a teacup" and said the American tourists staying at the hotel were ignoring the issue.

Michael Halsall, marketing director of the Balmoral, said he was not aware of any cancellations but expressed concern at the possible economic repercussions.

However, John Shevlin, manager of the MacDonald Holyrood, admitted that it was early days.

He said: "So far we have had no cancellations, but this only happened on Thursday."

Conference centres in the Capital say they were confident there will be little impact on bookings in the future.

Sue Stuart, chief executive of Edinburgh Convention Bureau, said: "While it may affect the tourism side, there is absolutely no indication of any cancellations by American delegates. We do not believe this decision will reduce the number of events we hold."

Opposition politicians, many of whom slated the decision, said they were praying the damage would be minimal.

Councillor Andrew Burns, leader of the Labour group on the city council, said:

"Whilst relationships with America will undoubtedly be strained by this incident, I do not believe it will have any significant impact on tourism in Edinburgh. I would think most tourists who disagree with the decision, as I do, are perfectly capable of separating that from a wider desire to visit Edinburgh or Scotland."

SNP councillor and city economic development leader Tom Buchanan said: "I am concerned at these reports but the success of last month's Gathering showed just how many Americans come from Scottish descent and how they feel a deep connection to their ancestral homeland. I am confident that these bonds will transcend the current difficulties."

'THE STAIN WON'T WASH AWAY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME'

Some of the e-mails received by the Evening News following the decision to free Megrahi:

From: Harold Kersten, Connecticut

Subject: Scotland should be ASHAMED of itself

"You Scots should hang your heads in shame. You send a message to murderers that they are safe in your country. I have visited Scotland five times for golf trips, but I am cancelling my planned trip and going to Ireland. At least they have the sense not to placate animals."

From: Gabriel Schoenfeld, Brooklyn

Subject: Libya

"I have always admired Scotland from afar. And when one thinks of the great men, from David Hume to Adam Smith and so many others, that this small country has contributed to civilisation, my heart has always felt pride for Scotland even though I have not a drop of Scottish blood in me. No more. The stain on the sons of Scotland for its compassionate release of the terrorist Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi won't wash away for generations to come."

From: William Farnan, Philadelphia

Subject: Don't Visit Scotland

"This is a copy of an e-mail I sent to the Scotland Tourism Board: Today I cancelled a trip for 30 of my friends who were going to be visiting your country for a golf week in the spring 2010. Total Value > $75,000 Why? Because you released the Lockerbie terrorist, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. I am posting this to my Facebook page, which has over 800 friends and I expect them to forward it to their 800 friends. Within one week this will go viral and there will be extreme outrage toward your country. I hope to reach 1,000,000 people with my message."

'In America he would have been executed'

Stephen Bradley, 64, from San Francisco: "He shouldn't have been released. The guy killed 270 people and if he had been tried in America he would have been executed. I think if the death penalty was ever warranted it would be for guys like him.

"The US sometimes gets portrayed as a bully trying to impress their own opinions on other countries, but in this case I think our opinion is valid.

"Would it stop me coming to Scotland, though? I've got far too many relatives here – they wouldn't let me for a start."

Lashonda Washington, 28, from San Francisco: "It's a bit hypocritical the Americans going after Scotland, especially after Obama closed down Guantanamo Bay and released many more people who could have been involved in terrorism."

Christian Jenkins, 23, a Fringe performer from Seattle: "I'm impressed by Scotland's compassion.

"America is the land of the death penalty and the nearest we come to compassion is giving our criminals a last meal.

"What a statement Scotland has made. It's almost like killing terrorism with kindness."

Loren Sanborn, 50, from San Francisco: "I think Scotland is a very fine place, Edinburgh is a beautiful city, and we're having too good a time on our holiday to worry about politics.

"I wouldn't be surprised if America had a hand in his release anyway. There are decisions made at so many different levels in America, that I wouldn't be surprised if Obama was saying one thing while others were secretly negotiating for his release."

Max Kraushaar, 20, a Washington University theatre student from Seattle: "I only just discovered haggis this week, and I won't be in a hurry to give that up any time soon to make a political point."

Pressure mounts on MacAskill to reveal medical evidence

PRESSURE is mounting on Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to reveal details of medical evidence used to release the Lockerbie bomber.

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi was released from prison on compassion-ate grounds after it was said he had no more than three months to live due to terminal cancer.

But this morning Mr MacAskill has been asked to provide more evidence of this prognosis, after it was reported only one doctor was willing to say Megrahi had less than three months to live.

Opposition MSPs cast doubt on whether or not the doctor in question was an expert in prostate cancer.

Meanwhile former Tory Lord Advocate Peter Fraser – who drew up the indictment against the alleged Lockerbie bombers – said Mr MacAskill was "probably right" to grant Megrahi compassionate release.

He said: "I tend to have sympathy with the position he adopted. It's a hard one for me, I was a prosecutor, but yes, he was probably right."