The number of foreign tourists who visited Bulgaria between January 1 and July 31 2007 registered an increase of 4.49 per cent, compared to the same period in 2006.

The total number of the foreign tourists over the period reached 2 972 789.

More than 2.178 million EU citizens visited the country, which was an increase of 30.26 per cent, State Agency for Tourism data showed.

The EU was the main source for tourists to Bulgaria, Bulgarian news agency BTA said.

Bulgaria’s income from international tourism for the first six months of 2007 totalled 866.5 million euro, BTA reported.

The sum was by 15.86 per cent more than the one collected during the same period in 2006.

Bulgarian citizens spent abroad 609 million euro, or 15.63 per cent more, during the same period, compared to the 2006 figures.

The number of Romanians who visited Bulgaria rose by 140 per cent, while the Macedonians dropped by 73.87 per cent.