A website, www.boycottscotland.com, is urging Americans to avoid travelling to Scotland or buying British and Scottish products in revenge for the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds last week.

"We understand the emotions are running high. We've had some emails saying they're going to cancel their trips," said a spokesperson for Visit Scotland, the country's tourism agency.

The devolved Scottish government's decision to free the only person convicted for the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet over the Scottish town of Lockerbie has sparked a furious response from the US government.

And now tourism and business leaders are anxiously waiting to see if US consumers react by taking their dollars elsewhere.

"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," says the website.

US tourists spend £260-million

The site's origins are unknown but it is likely aimed at the hundreds of thousands of Americans who flock to Scotland each year to enjoy the scenery and culture, play golf and sample the local whisky.

Last year they spent £260-million here — one fifth of the total overseas tourist spend in Scotland, according to the Visit Scotland tourism body.

Asked if the tourism body is concerned by the boycott threat, the spokeswoman said "absolutely," while conceding that they had not yet actually seen evidence of cancellations, just plans to do so.

Holiday firms are also monitoring the situation, with one businessman saying he believes the boycott has already cost him one booking.

Duncan Dewar set up Best of Scotland Holidays in 1983, providing golfing and other holidays across Britain and Ireland, and says Americans now make up 70 percent of his clients.

"It is concerning. I think we can contribute one cancellation for next year. They did not give us a reason but it sounds rather coincidental. They just said they were not coming to Scotland in 2010," he told AFP.

However, he said it was too soon to gauge the real impact as most holidays this year were booked and paid for.

The Scottish CBI, which represents 26 000 businesses in Scotland, said there could be a knock-on effect on business links with the United States but said any negative impact would likely be short term.

"There may be some sort of risk to tourism and business links between Scotland and America, but we have not been inundated by members coming to us with reports or concerns," said assistant director David Lonsdale.

What matters is malt

Meanwhile the Scotch Whisky Association said it was monitoring any possible impact on exports to the United States, which were worth £370-million last year — ten percent of Scotch whisky exports worldwide.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has sought to play down any economic impact, saying in an interview on Sunday: "Many, many things appear in the blogosphere, but what we're talking about is the real world.

"And in the real world the relationship between Scotland and the United States is strong and enduring."

This is played out on the streets of Edinburgh, where Americans in town for the world-famous festival are overwhelmingly enthusiastic about Scotland.

"It was a bad decision to release him (Megrahi) but I'm not protesting by not coming here. That's like cutting off your nose to spite your face," said a man in his 50s from New York, who declined to give his name.

A group from Utah who were visiting Edinburgh Castle concurred.

"I think its an absurd idea," said Terese Breault (50). Her friend, 43-year-old Susan Haght, added: "This country has made its decision and that has nothing to do with us. We have enjoyed our trip and will come back."

AFP

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