Preliminary figures show that nearly 16 million tourists visited Greece in 2006, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, the tourism minister said on January 23.

The tourists spent an estimated 12bn euros ($15.7bn) last year, also an increase of 10 percent from 2005, Fani Pali Petralia said. Official figures on tourism for 2006 have not yet been released.

"Tourism is a blood donor for the Greek economy, contributing 1bn ($1.3 bn) to the national economy every month... 2006 was a very good year," Petralia said after meeting Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

The government plans to spend more than 40m euros ($52m) on its advertising campaign to promote Greece as a holiday destination - with international television ads taking up most of the cost.

"There was an increase in the order of 10 percent in tourist arrivals, close to 16 million visitors. That generated a 10 percent increase in currency revenue, equivalent to 12bn euros," Petralia said.

Government officials say private and public infrastructure improvements for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens have helped attract more visitors, as well as a general regard by travellers of Greece as a safe destination.