More than 4.2 million foreign tourists have visited Bulgaria by September 2006, a Council of Ministers press release said.

The figure represents an increase of 5.39 per cent, compared to the foreign tourist visits for the same period in 2005.

Income from international tourism is also on the rise. The increase is five per cent and the total sum reached 1 557.2 million euro.

Tourists from the UK, Germany, France, Australia, the US and Japan visited Bulgaria.

Most foreign tourists, who visited Bulgaria, came from Germany. The number of Irish who visited the country increased by 112 per cent.

Visits from Romania, Portugal, Norway, Moldova and Denmark are also on the rise. 

Increasing numbers of Southeast Europeans also preferred to spend their summer vacation at Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. Among them are Russians, Polish, Czechs and Ukrainians.