Figures from the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute have confirmed that 11,000 German tourists visited the country in May 2012.

This is a 45 per cent decrease year on year.

The total number of foreign tourists who visited Bulgaria in May dropped by 8.4 per cent, the most drastic decrease observed in Germans, followed by Greeks (26 per cent down at 41,600).

An eight per cent drop was registered in the number of Romanian tourists, who were a total of 67,700 in Bulgaria in May.

However, some 14.4 per cent more Macedonian and 16 per cent more Russian tourists visited the country in May, as compared with the same month of 2011.

In May 2012, tourists composed the greatest relative share of the total number of foreigners who visited Bulgaria - 42.6 per cent.

In May 2012, the total number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 605,900 31.2 per cent more when compared to April, but 4.6 per cent fewer than from May 2011.