<p>Research by VisitBritian found that 82% of international respondents said that ‘a good variety of food and drink to try’ is a key driver when selecting a destination for an international break. This is why the UK’s unique food and drink experiences are a key pillar of their international marketing campaigns and PR activity.</p><p>The whisky industry is recognised as the UK’s largest single food and drink sector, accounting for 25% of the UK’s food and drink exports and 80% of Scottish food and drink exports, impacting 200 markets worldwide. The whisky sector generates £3.3 billion directly to the UK economy, and totals £5 billion when Gross Value Added (GVA) is added to the overall to UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Research by VisitScotland found that 20% of respondents stated they visited awhisky distillery on their holiday in Scotland, making it one of the top activities for overnight tourists on their trip to Scotland.</p><p>Visits to whisky distilleries in Scotland have increased by two thirds since 2010, and over 1000 people are now directly employed in tourism roles which equates to 10% of the industry’s direct employment in Scotland.</p><p> </p>