The international tourist arrivals to Ukraine increased by 8.7 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2017, local media reported Wednesday.

Citing the report from the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, local media said, a total of 6.3 million foreigners visited Ukraine from January to June this year compared with 5.8 million people in the same period of 2016.

The sectors of business tourism and religious tourism recorded the largest increase in the first half.

During the period, Moldova was the largest source of tourists to Ukraine, followed by Belarus, Russia, Hungary and Poland.

In 2016, Ukraine received about 13.6 million foreign visitors, up 5.6 percent year-on-year.