Commenting on the publication of, ‘A taste of Scotland’ – a new plan to develop food and drink tourism in Scotland by the Scottish Government, Brigid Simmonds OBE, CEO of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, commented:
“This is welcome news for our industry and we look forward to working with stakeholders across Scotland to achieve these ambitious targets for growth. A visit to a traditional pub ranks third on the list of things tourist wish to do when they visit, proving how vital they are to Scotland’s tourism offer. Pubs have faced a number of challenges over the last decade and additional support, particularly in helping recruit and retain pub chefs will be hugely important. This is only more timely with Brexit providing challenges in that area specifically.
“Scotland’s fantastic brewing industry also has huge potential with some of the world’s great beers being produced right here. When tourists come to our pubs and sample our beer, they go back home with a thirst for more and thus can play a major part in growing the sector through exports.”