More than one third, 34 per cent, of the tourists who visited Bulgaria over the first eight months of 2007, learned about the country from the internet, State Agency for Tourism (SAT) research showed.

According to SAT head Anelia Kroushkova, the percentage showed that the agency should emphasise on promoting the country online.

The advice from acquaintances or previous trips to Bulgaria made the largest group, 36 per cent, come to the country.

The research also showed that the number of tourists who come on vacations in Bulgaria and stay in their own house or apartment increased, Focus news agency said. A total of 3.1 per cent of all the tourists to come to Bulgaria owned property in the country.

Mostly UK tourists own real estate in Bulgaria, Kroushkova said.