TOURISM chiefs have launched their biggest drive yet to attract European visitors to Edinburgh and the Lothians by highlighting 16 "gems" as top holiday destinations.
The VisitScotland campaign - which has cost more than £1 million - is aimed at Germany, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Spain. It is also targeting Italian tourists following the increase in the number of direct flights from the Capital to Italy.
Sixteen attractions and sites across Edinburgh and the Lothians are being promoted by VisitScotland using online marketing, direct mail, press inserts, public relations and promotions.
The tourism body has created a number of themed touring itineraries, including "Scotland in film and television", featuring Midlothian's Rosslyn Chapel, which was made famous by blockbuster book and movie The Da Vinci Code.
Other itineraries include "Scotland's larder", which is designed to encourage tourists to visit The Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile - formerly called The Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre - and East Lothian's Glenkinchie Distillery.
The "classic Scotland" theme will encourage visitors to enjoy traditional music in many of Edinburgh's bars, while "ghosts and monsters" will take tourists round The Real Mary King's Close on the Royal Mile.
Other attractions highlighted in the campaign include Edinburgh's Old Town, Dirleton Castle near North Berwick, Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour and Amber Restaurant on the Royal Mile.
Visitors can download the themed touring itineraries in their own language from VisitScotland's international websites and tourism bosses are expecting around one million potential tourists to visit the sites.
In 2005, oversees tourists spent £420m in Edinburgh and the Lothians, while the number of international visitors to Scotland has doubled between 2001 and 2005.
VisitScotland's area director for Edinburgh and Lothians, Ben Carter, said: "This is one of our most successful marketing campaigns and it is great to have so many attractions from our area featured.
"This is an endorsement of the quality of the tourism experience we have across Edinburgh and Lothians and I have no doubt we will be welcoming many European visitors as a result of this campaign."
Angela Keir is deputy general manager of the Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile, which is included in the "Scotland's larder" category.
The attraction's Amber Restaurant - which is a fine dining restaurant in the evenings and has a Scottish "tapas" menu - has also been singled out in the tourism-boosting campaign.
Ms Keir said: "We get quite a high number of international visitors so anything that VisitScotland does to bring even more potential visitors is great for us.
"We're really proud that the restaurant has also been recognised as we have only been running for a few years now.
"For those people who don't get the chance to visit the distilleries, they can come to the Scotch Whisky Experience and learn about whisky, taste it and also taste a range of traditional Scottish foods in the restaurant."
Tourism Minister Patricia Ferguson added: "Scotland has many world-beating attractions.
"By encouraging visitors to explore some of our hidden treasures we can help to maximise and spread the benefits of tourism-related business, which contributes to Scotland's growing economy."
