The number of tourists in Croatia reached 3.54 million in the H1 of 2007, a 12.7% increase on the same period last year, according to official figures released in Zagreb on Monday.

The number of domestic holiday-makers was 827,636 in the first six months this year, 11.3% higher than that of the same period last year, the Croatian Central Bureau of Statistics said. More than 2.71 million foreign tourists visited Croatia in the same period, nearly half of whom paid their visits in June. The number of overnight stays was 13.07 million, 7% higher than the same period in 2006.
Croatia registered tourist revenues amount of €6.3 billion ($8.4 billion) in 2006, thanks to more than 10 million tourists. Tourism accounts for 18.4% of the country’s GDP, and is a driving force of the economy.