Yemeni travel agent, Mohammed Abu Taleb, said that out of 60 groups from Europe scheduled to visit in the past two months only two made it to the country. Each party included just 15 to 20 tourists mainly from Germany and Italy.

Abu Taleb added that all tourists groups from Japan, German, France and Italian tourists had cancelled their planned trips to Yemen.

In recent years the poorest state in the Arab world, which faces an economic crisis due to dwindling oil resources, has looked to tourism as an important source of foreign revenue.

Hundreds of thousands of foreigners used to flock to Yemen annually, attracted by its ancient sites and rich cultural heritage. The country was seen as offering an authentic Arab experience.

Several foreign visitors and westerns working in the country have been kidnapped in Yemen mostly by tribal groups demanding the government release their relatives from local prisons.

Yemeni tourism minister, Nabil al Faqih, said his country plans to promote regional tourism to compensate for the lack of business from Europe, Japan and North America.

Many western countries have issued warning to its citizens not to visit Yemen because of fears on their safety.

Al Faqih criticised the warning saying that the world should try to help Yemen´s economy rather than adding more difficulties by issuing such warnings.

Yemen, the poorest Arab country, was thrust into the foreground of the U.S.-led war against Islamist militants after a Yemen-based wing of al Qaeda said it was behind a Christmas Day attempt to bomb a U.S.-bound plane.

Insecurity in Yemen has affected international companies developing Yemen´s oil and gas sector, while attacks on foreigners, including kidnappings by disgruntled tribesmen have hit tourism, Yemeni travel agents said.