Sept. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Spending by visitors to Greece increased 14.2 percent in the first seven months from a year earlier as the number of tourist arrivals increased.

Tourism receipts from January to July reached 5.5 billion euros ($7.5 billion) from 4.8 billion euros in the same period of 2010, according to a statement on the Bank of Greece’s website. Visitor arrivals to Greece increased 11.4 percent in the first seven months.

Revenue in the important tourist month of July was 2.3 billion euros, a 16.7 percent increase from the same month a year earlier, the statement said.

Tourism accounts for about 16 percent of Greece’s gross domestic product, according to the London-based World Travel and Tourism Council.

--Editor: Peter Branton

To contact the reporter on this story: Marcus Bensasson in Athens at mbensasson@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Craig Stirling at cstirling1@bloomberg.net