SOFIA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 8.88 million foreign tourists visited Bulgaria last year, a 7.6-percent growth compared to 2016, officials said here on Monday.

Most foreign tourists, or 1.16 million, came from neighboring Greece, a figure that was up 8.5 percent year-on-year, the Bulgarian tourism ministry said on its website.

Tourists from Romania came second with 1.14 million people visiting the country, with an increase of nearly four percent, the ministry said.

Germany, Turkey and Russia came third, fourth and fifth respectively, the ministry said, adding that among these countries the most significant increase was the growth of Turkish visitors, at 12.5 percent.

Last year, more than 61 percent of foreign tourists arrived from European Union (EU) countries, increasing by 8.2 percent compared to 2016, the ministry added.