VisitScotland has launched their £1.25m European Touring Campaign, a marketing push aimed at enticing our continental cousins to make the trip across the North Sea and experience Caledonia at first hand.

Fronting the campaign is 14 famous Scots, drawn from all walks of life, who feature in a range of ‘Meet the Scots’ photography.

The tartan snaps will be heavily promoted on a series of European websites introducing the French, Spaniards, Germans, Italians, Swedes, Dutch and Belgians to such inherently Scottish individuals as a charismatic barman and a Loch Ness expert.

The tourism agency hope that that this personalised approach will introduce visitors to aspects of local culture that are not always to be found in guide books. It will also help generate valuable tourist pounds for an embattled economy.

The digital campaign runs from February to June 2010 and will include press and PR activity, e-newsletters and a competition.