almotamar.net - An official statistic mentioned that the value of tourist returns in Yemen rose to around $450 million during the year 2008 in an increase estimated at $25 million compared to 2007.

The statistic issued by the Ministry of Tourism obtained by almotamar.net revealed the rise in the number of tourists from various nationalities visiting Yemen increased to 404 thousand tourists in 2008 compared to 378 thousand and 361 tourists in the year of 2007.

That comes at a time Yemen has seen last year some troubled events and hat limited the growth of tourist yields that reached 7% in 2008 unlike what was hoped achieving of a growth at a rate of 15%.

The statistic mentioned that the number of tourists coming to Yemen from the Middle East gained the first place at an increase percentage reaching 8% compared to a &% increase of tourists coming from Europe and Africa at an increase rte of 6% and the Americas at 3%.