Scotland's splendor and spirits await post-pandemic visitors from China

Roughead said: "Whisky is one of the things highly associated with Scotland by Chinese visitors, and our distilleries are some of the most popular visitor attractions. With 138 distilleries operating in Scotland－many of them offering tours, tastings and interactive experiences－there's a lot to attract whisky connoisseurs and curious novices."

According to the Scotch Whisky Association, in 2019, a total of 2.2 million visits were made to Scotch whisky distilleries, making the industry the third-most-popular tourist attraction in Scotland.

One of the most popularly immersive whisky experiences is The Malt Whisky Trail, consisting of nine distilleries with each one sitting in Speyside whisky region.

Rebecca Wood, visitor centre supervisor at Benromach, which is one of the distilleries along the trail, said: "The Malt Whisky Trail plays a significant role in promoting tourism in the Moray Speyside area, with many businesses and accommodation built on the premise of catering to visitors of the trail."

Benromach alone in 2019 saw just over 14,000 visitors. Wood said: "The majority of visitors come between April-October (between 85-90 percent annually), with a lot of them visiting for longer than one day in order to travel around the area."

The Cardhu Distillery is one of the latest distilleries to open to visitors as part of alcohol giant Diageo's 185 million pound investment in whisky tourism in Scotland. The Johnnie Walker Princes Street global visitor attraction, the centrepiece of Diageo's investment program, opened in Edinburgh in September.

Roughead said: "As whisky is enjoyed in more and more Chinese homes, restaurants and bars, we hope the legendary status of the drink, its rich and vibrant history, and the increasingly interactive, engaging and personalized ways to experience that story here will bring Chinese whisky lovers and those curious about whisky to Scotland to experience its home for themselves."