Green tourism and Scottish distilleries

This article examines the opportunities for a firm to enhance its environmental reputation by promoting its ‘green credits’ to visiting tourists. Visitor centres at Scottish malt whisky distilleries are used as a case study of the type of industrial tourism attraction that can claim environmental credibility and thus have the chance to capitalize on the sentiments of a ‘greening’ tourism market. It is suggested that adoption of a ‘green image’ strategy for tourism purposes may well draw firms into a process of self-examination and self-directed improvements in line with recently initiated, voluntary, environmental accreditation schemes. In this case the tourist may be seen as an agent of change for environmental betterment.