MADRID, Spain – Foreign tourists spent 34.497 billion euros (45.536 billion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of this year, official figures indicated on Wednesday.

The figure meant a 7 percent increase in comparison with the same period in 2013, according to the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism that published the data.

Average daily spending per tourist stood at 109 euros in the first seven months of the year, increasing by 0.4 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the average spending per tourist stood at 950 euros, registering no variation in comparison with a year ago.

Tourists from Britain spent the largest quantity of money in the first seven months of the year with a total of 6.812 billion euros and a rise of 7.1 percent year-on-year.

They were followed by tourists arriving from Germany, who spent 5.461 billion euros, which meant a 6 percent increase when compared with the same period in 2013.

Visitors from the Nordic countries and Spain’s neighboring country France followed the Germans. Tourists from the Nordic countries spent 3.646 billion euros, which meant a 6.8 percent increase year-on-year, while the French spent 3.269 billion euros, 6.5 percent more than in the same period in 2013.

Foreign tourists spent the largest amount of money in the northeastern region of Catalonia, where they spent 8.151 billion euros in the first seven months of the year. Catalonia was followed by the Canary Islands, where international visitors spent 7.056 billion euros.

The ministry also reported that in July alone foreign visitors spent 8.151 million euros, which meant a 4.5 percent more than in July, 2013. Average daily spending per tourist stood at 104 euros while the average spending per tourists stood at 983 euros. (1 euro = 1.32 U.S. dollars)