The Scottish tourist industry is deeply concerned about possible negative consequences arising from the release of Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, the only man convicted of the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie in Scotland.

Last week, Scotland's justice minister released al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds as he is suffering from terminal prostate cancer. Most of the 270 people on board the airliner were US nationals. President Barack Obama condemned the move and al-Megrahi's release drew criticism from many of the victims' relatives. Al-Megrahi was given a hero's welcome on his return to Libya and coverage of the event further soured the mood in the US.
 

A website, www.boycottscotland.com, is now urging Americans to avoid travelling to Scotland or buying British or Scottish products to protest al-Megrahi's release. A spokesperson for Visit Scotland, the country's tourism agency, said they had had some e-mails announcing cancellations in response to the release.
 

Scotland is extremely popular with US tourists; hundreds of thousands visit every year to enjoy the culture, the scenery and the whisky. In 2008, the tourist industry contributed around 300 million euros to Scotland's economy.