Tourism revenues in Yemen have increased exponentially in the first half of this year to reach $178 million compared with just $145 million for the entire year of 2006, according to a report issued by the country’s Ministry of Tourism.

Tourists from Saudi Arabia are the most frequent visitors from within the Middle East and British tourists are the most frequent from Europe, the Yemen Observer reported, quoting the ministry report. The report states that the number of tourists who visited Yemen this year stands at 181,637, compared with 179,754 in 2006.
The visitors came from all over the world, including 126,613 from the Arab world; 18,414 from Europe; 9,968 from the Americas; 579 from Australia; 22,311 from Asia; and 3,734 from Africa.   
Visitors from Saudi Arabia made up the largest group of tourists from the Arab world with 67 per cent of the Arabian total, followed by Iraqis at 25 per cent.
Of the Europeans, the majority were British, comprising 25 per cent of the European total, followed by the French at 14 per cent.)