News

The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) is paying close attention to the earthquake that occurred today in the province of Perugia, Italy, and maintaining close contact with the Macao travel industry for further developments. From information gathered through the Macao travel industry, until the present moment, there is no indication that any Macao tour groups or Macao resident has been affected. Until the present moment, GGCT has not received any request for information or assistance. If necessary, Macao residents can call the 24-hour Tourism Hotline (853) 2833 3000.
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The Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM) releases today the preliminary balance of payments (BOP) statistics of Macao SAR for the reference year 2015. The BOP, which comprises the current account, the capital account and the financial account, is a statistical statement that summarises external transactions of an economy with the rest of the world. In 2015, the overall BOP surplus of Macao SAR was preliminarily estimated at MOP18.6 billion. Of which, the current account surplus stood at MOP103.2 billion and financial non-reserve assets amounted to MOP15.2 billion. Exports of goods increased by 9.6% year-on-year while imports of goods (f.o.b.) decreased mildly by 1.3%. As a result, the merchandise trade deficit reduced from MOP93.7 billion in 2014 to MOP91.0 billion in 2015. On the other hand, service exports decreased by 24.9%, mainly attributable to falling gaming receipts while service imports also fell marginally by 0.9%. Therefore, the services account surplus dropped markedly from MOP330.4 billion in 2014 to MOP240.7 billion in 2015. The primary income account, which reflects cross-border flows of factor income, recorded a net outflow of MOP29.8 billion in 2015, down from the net outflow of MOP63.1 billion in 2014. The significant decrease stemmed mainly from the reduction in income earned by foreign direct investors in Macao. The secondary income account, which comprises mainly inflows and outflows of personal transfers as well as donations received/made by local social service organisations with respect to the rest of the world, recorded a net outflow of MOP16.8 billion, marking a decrease of MOP4.4 billion from 2014. As the large invisible trade surplus offset the deficit in merchandise trade as well as net outflows of primary and secondary income, the current account surplus reached MOP103.2 billion, down by MOP49.2 billion from MOP152.4 billion in 2014. Net financial non-reserve assets registered a net outflow of MOP15.2 billion in 2015, compared to a net outflow of MOP101.0 billion in 2014. Of which, a net inflow of direct investment amounting to MOP3.5 billion was recorded, lower than the net inflow of MOP7.6 billion in 2014. Due to the significant increase in external securities investment held by Macao residents (including individuals, Macao SAR Fiscal Reserve and financial institutions), portfolio investment saw a notably higher net outflow in 2015 at MOP97.4 billion, up from MOP45.2 billion in 2014. Meanwhile, during the reference year, local banks’ external liabilities registered considerable increases, which in turn caused other investment to record a net inflow of MOP76.1 billion in 2015, contrary to a net outflow of MOP65.9 billion in 2014. On the other hand, financial derivatives continued to register a net inflow in 2015, amounting to MOP2.7 billion, as against a net inflow of MOP2.6 billion in 2014. Reserve assets in the financial account record the net change in Macao’s foreign exchange reserves held by the AMCM. Reserve assets, after price, exchange rate and other adjustments, rose by MOP18.6 billion as compared to an increase of MOP0.6 billion in 2014, reflecting that the overall BOP continued to stay in surplus. Macao’s BOP statistics are compiled in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (Sixth Edition). The current release incorporates preliminary estimates of key statistics, and a detailed report with revised data will be published in December 2016.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that value of retail sales for the second quarter of 2016 amounted to MOP 13.17 billion, down by 8.7% year-on-year and by 11.1% compared with the revised figure of MOP 14.81 billion in the first quarter of 2016. Retail sales of Watches, Clocks & Jewellery accounted for 19.4% of the total retail sales, followed by sales of Goods in Department Stores (14.8%), Adults' Clothing (12.5%), Leather Goods (10.8%) and Goods in Supermarkets (7.7%). Notable decline was observed in the retail sales of Motor Vehicles (-51.6%) and Motorcycles, Parts & Accessories (-36.0%) due to the impact of economic slowdown and the increasing cost of car ownership; meanwhile, retails sales of Communication Equipment (-29.0%), Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (-15.1%), Goods in Department Stores (-10.6%), Goods in Supermarkets (-7.2%) and Household Appliances (-7.2%) also decreased. On the contrary, sales of Adults' Clothing (+19.8%) and Goods in Pharmacies (+3.4%) recorded year-on-year increase. Value of retail sales for the first half year of 2016 totalled MOP 27.98 billion, down by 9.8% year-on-year. After removing the effect of price changes, volume of retail sales for the second quarter of 2016 dropped by 12.8% quarter-to-quarter. Sales volume of Communication Equipment (-24.5%), Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (-23.3%), Adults' Clothing (-15.7%), Motor Vehicles (-13.6%), Goods in Department Stores (-13.5%), Leather Goods (-12.2%), Footwear (-12.2%) and Goods in Supermarkets (-10.8%) registered quarter-to-quarter decrease. Volume of retail sales decreased by 7.7% year-on-year in the second quarter. Sales volume of Motor Vehicles (-55.1%), Motorcycles, Parts & Accessories (-39.7%), Communication Equipment (-17.5%), Goods in Supermarkets (-16.1%) and Watches, Clocks & Jewellery (-14.5%) recorded notable decrease, while that of Adults' Clothing (+23.4%) and Leather Goods (+10.8%) showed increase. Volume of retail sales for the first half year of 2016 dropped by 7.9% year-on-year. In respect of retailers’ comments, 47.1% of the retailers anticipate that the sales volume in the third quarter of 2016 will remain stable compared with the same quarter of 2015, 46.3% foresee a decrease, while 6.6% expect an increase. Meanwhile, 72.0% anticipate stable retail prices in the third quarter of 2016 compared to the same quarter of 2015, 19.5% expect a decrease, while 8.5% predict an increase. Moreover, 50.4% of the retailers anticipate the business will worsen in the third quarter of 2016 compared with the second quarter, 40.3% expect the business to remain stable, while 9.3% expect an improvement.
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One of the visitors from the mainland that was injured in a crash involving a tourist bus on August 8 was released from hospital today. Three other patients were discharged from hospital yesterday (22 August). A total of seven mainland tourists hurt in the incident remained under medical care in Kiang Wu Hospital as of today. Of those hospitalised, a female patient – who had previously had head surgery – underwent tracheotomy surgery yesterday. The procedure followed discussion between medical staff and her family members. She was being kept on a ventilator, and generally remained in a stable condition. The other patients still in hospital were each in a stable condition. Of the 44 mainland tourists involved in the crash, a total of 29 had left Macao. Eight non-hospitalised tourists were in Macao as of today. The eight were present either to accompany family members injured in the accident, or for discussions with their respective travel agent regarding insurance matters. In addition, staff from the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau were trying to contact all the occupants of a building damaged in the bus crash. They did so with the aim of conducting a thorough check on the interior of each unit in the building. The check involves engineers responsible for drafting the primary repair plan for the building. The Bureau held a meeting on Monday evening with occupants of the affected building, in order to update them regarding the condition of the property. The Government has taken measures to reinforce the structure of the building and has been monitoring its safety. Measurements taken showed that the building structure was in a generally stable condition.
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Gold medallists from the Chinese national team that competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will visit Macao for four days from 29 August to 1 September. The delegation will arrive in Macao on Monday afternoon (29 August), following an invitation from the Government. In the evening, the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, will meet with the athletes, prior to a welcoming banquet hosted by the Government. During their stay, the athletes will take part in different events to share their stories of success and the joy of winning gold medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Activities will include tours to Macao’s heritage sites part of the Historic Centre of Macao, which is included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. On Tuesday morning (30 August), the athletes will share their experience of the Olympics with young locals. In the evening, the guests will attend a variety show at the Macao East Asia Games Dome. On Wednesday (31 August), the guests will visit a local community and then take part in another experience sharing session – this time with young Macao athletes and local students – at Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion. A total of 1,200 free tickets will be available for the variety show on 30 August and the exchange session with young people on 31 August. For more details, please refer to the website of the Sports Bureau. The exact number of athletes that will visit Macao is yet to be confirmed by the General Administration of Sport of China, said the Government Spokesperson, Mr Chan Chi Ping, during a press conference today. The Government expressed the hope that members of the Macao public would get the chance to see their favourite athletes during the visit. The delegation would include athletes from among the following events: diving; weightlifting; table tennis; race walking; badminton; taekwondo; archery; swimming; volleyball; and track cycling. The delegation will be led by the Minister of the General Administration of Sport of China, Mr Liu Peng; and the Vice Minister, Mr Gao Zhidan. The delegation will leave Macao on the morning of 1 September, bound for Beijing. China’s national team won a total of 70 medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games: 26 gold medals, 18 silver medals and 26 bronze medals. Collectively, the team set a total of five new world records and 12 new Olympic records in various disciplines.
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Consumer Council conducted its latest ‘Supermarket price survey’ in August on 23 August for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets at Lam Mau, Patane and San Kio areas in Santo António Parish. The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps, and on the Council’s WeChat account page. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM’s Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. With reference to the local seven parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided around 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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The 28th Macao Arts Festival (MAF), organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), will be held next year in May. A call for proposals of local performance is now open to the public until 26 August. All registered local associations and individuals are welcome to participate. The Macao Arts Festival is devoted to provide a performing and exchange platform for local performing arts in accordance with the spirit of “promoting the development of local arts”. The theme of the 28th Macao Arts Festival will be “Space”. All registered local associations and individuals are invited to submit their performance proposals. Programmes’ categories include theatre, dance, children’s shows, and other disciplines. The proposed projects can be original works or works that have been previously staged. Additionally, in order to strengthen the ties between the theme of the 28th MAF and Macao, priority will be given to works in tandem with the theme of the 28th MAF, or those based on locally originated texts or artistic concepts, or works inspired by Macao’s intangible cultural heritage or traditional Chinese performing arts. The selected works will be included in next year’s MAF programme. Interested local associations and individuals should submit the registration form and performance proposal including the artistic concept and introduction to the performance, a brief introduction of the team members, budget, set design plan and equipment requirements, as well as other additional information regarding the project. The application information should be submitted in person by 5:30pm on 26 August at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building located at Tap Siac Square, indicating the following on the envelope: “Attn: Division of Performing Arts, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Call for Proposals of Local Performances for the 28th Macao Arts Festival” During the selection process, applicants may be required to attend an interview. For details on the application regulations, please visit the Cultural Affairs Bureau website at www.icm.gov.mo or contact staff members of IC Mr. Chong through tel. no. 8399 6624 or email skchong@icm.gov.mo, or Mr. Lou through tel. no. 8399 6625 or email cklou@icm.gov.mo, during office hours.
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For the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June, Consumer Council collects prices of fresh pork and vegetables from wet markets and supermarkets for consumers’ reference. The mentioned data collected during 17 August to 23 August are used for comparing the selling prices of the same products from Zhuhai and Hong Kong. The relevant data has been uploaded to the Council’s website for consumers’ reference. The comparison report is now available on the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), iPhone & Android ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ app, and the Council’s WeChat Account page. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315.
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‘Keep your shopping receipts 2016’ activity held by Consumer Council will end on 31 August. Consumers with a purchase receipt of $50 or above, which is issued by ‘Certified Shops’, are eligible to register and participate in the lucky draw. The Council has been holding this activity for 3 consecutive years. To make it more convenient for consumers to participate in the activity, they can either register at the Council’s offices (Av. Horta e Costa, N.º 24-A or Rua Nova da Areia Preta, Nº52 RAEM Services Centre), or they can simply register through the registration platform inside its ‘Certified Shops’ mobile app. Registration for the lucky draw will end on 31 August Over a thousand consumers have registered since the activity started on 1 July, and the Council believes that more consumers will participate in this activity before it ends. Consumers can register and participate in our lucky draw using their purchase receipts of $50 or above issued by shops bearing the 2016 ‘Certified Shops’ emblem. The Council reminds consumers to register and participate for a chance to win a prize before the activity ends. 56 winners will be drawn Draw prizes include cash prizes of MOP2,000 (1 winner), MOP1,500 (2 winners), and MOP1,000 (3 winners). Another 50 winners will also be drawn for a special ‘Certified Shop’ edition of electronic money card of MOP100 each. Participate in our ‘Keep your shopping receipts’ activity to develop good spending habits By participating in this activity, the Council expects consumers to develop good spending habits and retain their shopping receipts after making purchases, as well as enhancing the consumer awareness of their rights. Interested parties may visit the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and ‘Certified Shops’ mobile app to check for the details and the list of all participating shops. For enquiry, please call 8988 7333.
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The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, kicks off its 2016-17 Concert Season with the concert “No. 1 Piano - Yulianna Avdeeva and Macao Orchestra” to be held on 3 September. In tandem with this concert season’s theme “My Time with Music”, the organizer will hold the “Music Hour with Yulianna Avdeeva” on 2 September, at 6:30pm, at the Macao Cultural Centre Conference Room. Admission is free and registrations are now open. Acclaimed by The New York Times for “blending a muscular approach with an ability to tease out Chopin’s singing lines expressively”, Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva won the first prize at the 2010 International Chopin Piano Competition due to her outstanding performance. Ever since she has been shining on international stages and her dedication to music led to her recognition as one of the greatest musicians of her time as well as one of the most renowned and acclaimed interpreters of Chopin. In her debut performance in Macao, she will play Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor as well as Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, offering music fans a rare concert not to be missed. This OM’s concert season featuring various excellent programmes, is themed “My Time with Music”, such as the “Music Hour With Yulianna Avdeeva”, which will allow the audience to understand the perseverance and devotion behind musicians. The sharing session will be held on 2 September, at 6:30pm, at the Macao Cultural Centre Conference Room. Admission is free. All interested parties can register before 29 August telephone number 2853 0782, during office hours, or through OM’s WeChat official account. Seats are limited. Registrations are accepted on a first come first served basis. Tickets for the concert “No. 1 Piano - Yulianna Avdeeva and Macao Orchestra” are available through the Macau Ticketing Network. Holders of the BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card can enjoy an exclusive 30% discount on ticket purchases. Ticketing Hotline: 2855 5555. Macao Orchestra’s 2016-17 Concert Season Programme can be obtained at Macao Ticketing retail shops for free. The electronic version and complete concert season programme can be downloaded at OM’s webpage www.icm.gov.mo.
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