The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is relying on celebrity-power to draw overseas travellers back to Britain in the wake of the foot and mouth outbreak. The BTA has written to celebrities asking them to use their image and name to support the organisation's work, act as a spokesperson when travelling abroad, meet overseas opinion-formers when travelling to the UK, and write an endorsement of Britain. Famous names to have joined so far in writing short paragraphs of praise include Bill Clinton, Ian Botham, Sir Nigel Hawthorne, Nasser Hussain, Gary Lineker, Matthew Pinsent and Jamie Oliver. BTA chair, David Quarmby, hopes that famous faces bring back overseas tourists scared off by foot and mouth: Positive messages from people who are known and admired can really persuade prospective visitors to come to the UK. As a country, the UK has a huge resource of world-renowned personalities that BTA hopes to draw on. Celebrity endorsements will be very powerful in restoring Britain's image after the damage it has been dealt by foot and mouth. The BTA plans to launch the campaign next month.