There are parts of Dumfries and Galloway where you can quite safely and enjoyably holiday

Tourism Minister Alasdair Morrison

A spokesman for visitscotland said the investment amounted to Scotland's largest ever UK short breaks campaign.

He said: "This is in addition to our overall investment of �6.3m in recovery activity.

"This is the activity that the industry expects of its tourism agency and the board of visitscotland can assure everyone involved in Scottish tourism that this will be our overwhelming priority in the weeks and months ahead."

The interim chief executive of visitscotland said he hoped the campaign would bring 60,000 new visitors to Scotland by the end of July.

Peter McKinlay also said people should not be put off travelling to areas which have been most affected by the outbreak.

He said: "I think the message is that people can come to Scotland and, but for a very few areas where there are still serious problems, still have a wonderful holiday.

A number of strategies will be employed

"People can still holiday in Dumfries and Galloway and not have a miserable time."

He added that morale in the industry was "pretty battered" but said he could not comment on the Lynch matter as the issue was being dealt with by the both parties' lawyers.

Visitscotland officially withdrew Mr Lynch's job offer last Monday after it emerged that he was continuing as the chief executive of an English based air cargo firm.

On the appointment of a long-term replacement, Mr McKinlay said: "I think the board will refocus and appoint a successful chief executive quite quickly.

There have been 178 confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease in Scotland, the majority of which have come to light in Dumfries and Galloway.

Public access

Tourism Minister Alasdair Morrison supported calls to tourists to visit Dumfries and Galloway.

He said: "There are parts of Dumfries and Galloway where you can quite safely and enjoyably holiday.

"The message we will be getting across to the world and across to customers within the United Kingdom is that you can come to Scotland and you can indeed visit Dumfries and Galloway.

"There are obviously areas of Dumfries and Galloway which quite rightly and legitimately are closed to public access and there are parts where you will sadly still witness the unsightly scenes of animal carcasses being burned."

The adverts, which visitscotland hopes will attract an additional 60,000 visitors, will carry the message: "Surprise yourself. Take a break in Scotland".