News

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U, joined by members of the travel trade and Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), attended a dinner banquet to celebrate "World Tourism Day". Speaking at the dinner, MGTO Director João Manuel Costa Antunes expressed, "Last year Macau welcomed about 25 million visitors and in the first eight months of this year, over 18 million visitors traveled to Macau. The rapid development of Macau's tourism industry comes with many changes and challenges. To cope with the new development, MGTO has started to operate under a new structure and we have six department and division heads assume office today. The new departments and divisions will strengthen the whole organization and MGTO will embrace the future development of the tourism industry with a new status while moving towards the goal as a World Center of Tourism and Leisure." Autunes also announced the launch of MGTO's new promotional theme "Touching Moments, Experience Macau" and the corresponding promotional video. Earlier today, MGTO distributed souvenirs to the lucky tourists and organized an exciting Tray Race to celebrate World Tourism Day 2011.
Director of MGTO, João Manuel Costa Antunes and Deputy Directors Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Manuel Pires presented welcome gifts to lucky tourists at the Macau Ferry Terminal in the morning. Souvenirs were also distributed to visitors at MGTO Information Counters throughout the day. The lucky tourists of this year's World Tourism Day were from India. Mr Jayabalan and his eight family members will stay in Macau for one day.
The traditional tray race was held in the afternoon, where waiters and waitresses ran down the stoned-path from the Ruins of St Paul's to Senado Square carrying a tray with a bottle of beer on it. The race attracted a total of more than 250 waiters and waitresses from 37 hotels and restaurants in Macau this year. Crowds of visitors and locals cheered for the participants.
The winner of the men's division was Raymond Rubares from The Venetian Macao, and the winner of the women's division was Li Fu Ling, The Venetian Macao. The Best Costume Awards went to Christopher John Estremos of Hard Rock Hotel and Zhao Jin Yu of Holiday Inn Macau.
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in the third session of its General Assembly in Spain (September 1979), decided to designate September 27 as the annual "World Tourism Day". This is the 32nd year since the celebrations commenced in 1980. The main purpose of "World Tourism Day" is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic values. Each year, World Tourism Organization selects a different theme for "World Tourism Day". This year is the 32nd anniversary of World Tourism Day and the theme is "Tourism – Linking Cultures", representing an opportunity to address how tourism can serve as a catalyst for communication and exchange between the different cultures of the world. The official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2011 are launched on September 27th in Egypt, with more than a hundred countries and regions also carrying out activities to celebrate the day. For more details check http://wtd.unwto.org/en
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Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U presided over the opening ceremony of the Macau Tourism and Cultural Activities Center (CATC) this afternoon (Sept 27). The Center will provide a variety of services to the Macau residents and visitors to further enrich Macau's tourism resources. Secretary Cheong U, Director of MGTO João Manuel Costa Antunes, Deputy Directors Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Manuel Pires, travel trade representatives and other guests participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony and visited the facility. Situated near the Ruins of St Paul's, CATC has 5 floors. The ground floor of CATC is a multi-service floor houses counters of MGTO and the tourism sector that provide information on tourism, hotels, restaurants and transportation to the visitors. Foreign exchange services and "Made-in-Macau" brand products display and sales are also available. Visitors can enjoy Portuguese snacks and tasting activities at the Portuguese style café, LUSITANUS on the 1st floor. Tables on the corridor offer a wonderful view of the Ruins of St Paul's to the visitors tasting Portuguese egg tarts. Special menu is available at weekends accompanied by traditional Portuguese music. A selection of arts and crafts, wine, coffee and food products showing Portuguese culture are also on display and for sale. Located on the 2nd floor, Macau Tea Story showcases the art of tea through tea tasting, tea products promotion and exchange. Handicrafts of tea are also available for sale. Basement 2 features a multi-function hall exhibiting Macau's world heritage, latest city development and hotels to the Macau residents and visitors. Named Virtual Macau Experience, the facility shows the latest promotional video of MGTO from which visitors can obtain update tourism information. In the near future, a 3D model of Macau will be installed to show the Historic Center of Macau, famous tourist attractions and major regional infrastructures. Macau Creative Pavilion situated on Basement 1 is jointly operated by Cultural Affairs Bureau and Macau local creative entities to promote creative and cultural industry by displaying locally developed creative products.
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To increase exchange and co-operation within Macao's cultural and creative industries, the Cultural Affairs Bureau has extended the scope of the Macao Database for Culture and Creative Industries to include information on businesses and legal institutions linked to the cultural and creative industries, as well as non-local cultural and creative professionals. Since the gathering of information for the Database began, the Bureau has received submissions from more than 200 local companies, organisations and professionals active in the cultural and creative industries. Having assisted in the development of several local promotional and sales initiatives, including the launch of a Culture and Creativity Network, the Database is now actively streamlining the circulation of information, promoting further co-operation and providing additional exposure for the talent and capacity of local cultural and creative entities. To strengthen the unity among primary and secondary industries, promote their mutual growth and to avoid excluding any sector of Macao's cultural and creative community, the Cultural Affairs Bureau is now broadening the scope of its database to include businesses and legal institutions that provide services related to the cultural and creative industries. In addition, the collection of data on individual professionals in Macao's cultural and creative industries has been expanded to include established non-locals. Entities belonging to the above new categories are invited to submit their information to the Cultural Affairs Bureau, as of today. In addition, local companies, organisations and professionals that have not yet submitted data are encouraged to do so. Data collection remains open for entities active in cultural and creative fields including visual arts, design, performing arts, fashion, publishing, popular music, film, video, animation and comics. The Information Collection Form can be downloaded from the websites of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (www.icm.gov.mo/dpicc) or the Macao Cultural and Creative Industries (www.macaucci.com). Interested parties should print and fill out the Information Collection Form and submit it, along with supporting electronic files and attachments, to the Department for the Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (located at Praça do Tap Seac). For more information, please call Ms. Lam or Ms. Lao at 8399 6919, during office hours, or email info.dpicc@icm.gov.mo.
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A Direcção dos Serviços de Estatística e Censos com base nos resultados do Inquérito ao Emprego, divulga as seguintes informações: a taxa de desemprego entre Junho e Agosto de 2011 foi de 2,6% e a taxa de subemprego alcançou 0,9%, isto é, caíram 0,1 e 0,2 pontos percentuais, respectivamente, face ao período anterior (Maio a Julho de 2011). No período de Junho a Agosto de 2011 a população activa totalizou 344 milhares de pessoas e a taxa de actividade correspondeu a 72,7%, expandiu-se 0,9 pontos percentuais em relação ao período transacto (Maio a Julho de 2011). A população empregada atingiu 335 milhares de indivíduos, aumentaram cerca de 3.700 pessoas comparativamente ao período precedente (Maio a Julho de 2011). Analisando por ramos de actividade, verificou-se que a população empregada no comércio por grosso e a retalho e nas actividades culturais e recreativas, lotarias e outros serviços cresceu, mas a empregada nas actividades imobiliárias e serviços prestados às empresas diminuiu. A população desempregada situou-se, no período de referência, nos 9 milhares de indivíduos, sendo semelhante à observada no período passado (Maio a Julho de 2011). O número de desempregados à procura do primeiro emprego representou 15,3% do total da população desempregada, ou seja, aumentou 3,0 pontos percentuais em relação ao período anterior (Maio a Julho de 2011). As taxas de desemprego e de subemprego desceram 0,3 e 0,6 pontos percentuais, respectivamente, em comparação com o período de Junho a Agosto de 2010, enquanto que a taxa de actividade subiu 1,3 pontos percentuais.
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Tomorrow is World Tourism Day, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U will officiate the Opening Ceremony of the Macau Tourism and Cultural Activities Centre (CATC) which will provide multi-functional services and, at the same time, further enrich tourism resources of Macau. At night, Secretary Cheong will attend World Tourism Day Dinner. The concept of World Tourism Day initiated in the 3rd session of UNWTO General Assembly in Spain. Since 1980, world is annually celebrating Tourism Day on September 27th. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community. This year is the 32nd anniversary of World Tourism Day and the theme is "Tourism – Linking Cultures", a celebration of tourism's role in linking together the cultures of the world through travel. Director of MGTO, João Manuel Costa Antunes and Deputy Directors Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Manuel Pires will present welcome gifts to lucky tourists at the Macau Ferry Terminal in the morning. The traditional Tray Race will be held in the afternoon, where waiters and waitresses from local hotels and restaurants will run down the stoned-path from the Ruins of St Paul's to Senado Square carrying a tray with a bottle of beer on it
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that a total of 1,648 restaurants & similar establishments, as well as cooked-food stalls in markets were in operation in 2010, an increase of 33 compared with 2009, comprising 1,586 restaurants & similar establishments and 62 cooked-food stalls. Total number of persons engaged was 22,172 in 2010, up by 12.3% (+2,434) year-on-year. Sales & Other Receipts of the sector increased by 15.0% over 2009 to MOP 5.51 billion and Total Expenditure rose by 16.7% to MOP 5.17 billion. In addition, Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy amounted to MOP 2.16 billion, up by 14.0% year-on-year; Gross Fixed Capital Formation went down by 13.2% to MOP 217 million. There were 1,586 restaurants & similar establishments operating in 2010, up by 16 year-on-year; number of persons engaged increased by 12.2% to 22,055. Sales & Other Receipts amounted to MOP 5.49 billion, up by 14.9% over 2009, Sales & Other Receipts of 1,252 eating places (MOP 3.41 billion) accounted for 62.1% of the total and those of restaurants (MOP 1.77 billion) took up 32.3%. Total Expenditure of restaurants & similar establishments amounted to MOP 5.16 billion, up by 16.7% year-on-year, with that of eating places (MOP 3.17 billion) accounting for 61.4% of the total. Analyzed by item, Purchase of Goods (MOP 2.09 billion), Compensation of Employees (MOP 1.81 billion) and Operating Expenses (MOP 1.26 billion) increased by 17.3%, 18.4% and 13.3% respectively. Gross Value Added rose by 13.9% year-on-year to MOP 2.15 billion; however, Gross Fixed Capital Formation decreased by 13.2% to MOP 217 million. Total number of cooked-food stalls in markets surged to 62 in 2010, an increase of 17 from 2009 upon operation of those in the S. Lourenço market. Number of persons engaged totalled 117 and only 8 were paid employees. Receipts and Expenditure of the cooked-food stalls amounted to MOP 20.18 million and MOP 11.77 million respectively, up by 39.0% and 34.3% year-on-year. Gross Value Added soared by 57.9% to MOP 9.16 million. Coverage of the Restaurants & Similar Establishments Survey includes licensed restaurants, eating & drinking places, and cooked-food stalls in municipal markets in 2010, excluding hotel-operated restaurants and similar facilities, as well as street hawkers.
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The opening ceremony of the exhibition For the People – Sun Yat-sen and Macao took place at 5pm on Friday, the 23rd of September, at the Macao Museum. Presiding over the opening ceremony was the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao S.A.R. Cheong U, in the company of the Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao S.A.R. Mao Siwei, the Director of the Liaison Office Culture and Education Department Liu Weining, the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau Ung Vai Meng, the granddaughter of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Lily Sun, the Committee Member of the Cultural Consultative Committee Lei Pang Chu, the President of the General Union of the Neighbourhood Associations of Macau Leung Heng Teng and the The President of the Chinese Educators Association of Macau Lei Pui Lam. Organised by the Macao Museum, under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the exhibition showcases nearly 235 precious and original cultural artefacts, gathered from amongst various museums and individual collectors in Macao and several Mainland Chinese cities. The objects reveal the close connection that exists between Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Macao, and some of the rarer items are being displayed in public for the very first time. With the Xinhai Revolution serving as the historical backdrop, the exhibition is divided into four themes: 'Macao, a port for setting sail to a great life', 'Macao, a cradle for nurturing revolution', 'Macao, a warm place to entrust to family love' and 'Macao, a small city bound closely with the pioneer'. Given its special political environment, Macao contributed in a unique manner to the Xinhai Revolution, the centennial of which is being celebrated this year. Macao, which once served as a shelter for the revolutionaries, has close ties with Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Exhibits will be displayed by means of relic displays and multi-media devices offering both images and videos. With this exhibition, the Organiser hopes to shed light on the important role Macao played during the Revolution. Through the display of images and written documents, exhibition-goers will be able to better understand the historical significance of the Revolution and Macao's contribution to it. The exhibition also seeks to expose the strong, deep roots that Dr. Sun Yat-sen and his family put down Macao, explaining his eternal presence here and the fond memories Macao people hold for Dr. Sun Yat-sen to this day. In solemn commemoration of the Centennial of the Xinhai Revolution, the Cultural Affairs Bureau and various departments under its auspices have collaborated on a series of activities, all of which will be held in the Macao Museum Auditorium: 'Allegiance of Revolutionaries: Seminar commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Revolution' on 24th September from 9:30am to 5:30pm; 'The Macanese Community and the 1911 Revolution' by Dr. Li Changsen on 29th October; and 'Newspaper Industry in Macao around the 1911 Revolution' by Dr. Lam Iok Fong on 12th November. The exhibition will run from 24th September to 11th December, open to the public Tuesdays to Sundays (public holidays included) from 10am to 6pm (doors close at 5.30pm). For more information regarding the exhibition, please call (853) 2835 7911 during office hours or visit the Macao Museum website at www.macaumuseum.gov.mo. For more information regarding the commemorative activities held in conjunction with the Centennial of the Xinhai Revolution, please visit the Cultural Affairs Bureau website at www.icm.gov.mo.
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The 'Macau Slow Food Awards 2011' will be held by IFT Tourism Event Management Year 2 students, on the 24th of November 2011 at the IFT Amphitheatre. We are inviting applications from restaurants' and pastry shops' now. Aiming at rewarding food & beverage outlets operating according to the philosophy of slow food culture and promoting the slow food culture and its advantages, this event is going to award the nominated restaurants with Gold, Silver and Bronze trophies in the following categories: "Best Western Restaurant", "Best Asian Restaurant", "Best Chinese Restaurant", "Best Pastry Shop". In addition to the trophy and certificate, awards winners will also be graciously invited to the 'Macau Slow Food Gala Dinner 2011'. Important guests and professionals from the government and tourism as well as hospitality industry will be attending the event. Meanwhile, all profits generated by this event will be donated to "Caritas Macau" after costs deduction. The organiser encourages restaurants and pastry shops to actively participate in the award so as to contribute to the spread of Slow Food culture and to charity and also seize a unique opportunity to showcase their restaurants/companies to a captive audience who may become their potential long-term and repeat guests. The presence of the restaurants/companies there will be promoted on the Facebook page of the organiser and media will be invited to cover the events on the day of the award. The due date for the application is 10th of October, 2011. Should there be any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Lau (6229 8890), Ms. Lon (6625 4072) and Mr. Cheang (6203 2656); or e-mail to macauslowfood2011@live.com.
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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) will publish the rates of different hotel and guesthouse room categories during October 1 People's Republic of China National Day holiday, to make consultation easier for residents and visitors. During May 1 Labor Day holiday this year, MGTO published for the first time the rates of different hotel room categories reported by the trade ahead of the holiday. The move was well received and MGTO decided to continue with the procedure during October China National Day holiday, to increase transparency and help consumers to make a more informed choice. Starting from September 24, MGTO will publish on its website the room rates submitted by the hotel industry referring to the period from September 26 to October 9. MGTO has already notified Consumer Council and travel agents association about the procedure. Guests can check hotel information and the published room rates at MGTO website (http://www.macautourism.gov.mo) or call Tourism Hotline 28333000 to file complaint. To facilitate investigation, complainants should state clearly information such as the date of check in, hotel name, room category and/or room number, booking voucher and receipt. MGTO expressed that for guests who reserve rooms directly with the hotels, the price cannot exceed the limit of the rates published, but if bookings are done through any other channel, namely travel agencies overseas or on-line reservation services, the room rates published on the website can only be taken as reference. According to the current regulation, each hotel needs to inform MGTO of any revised room rates. The rate of a rented room should not be higher than the registered one and MGTO will conduct investigation upon receiving complaint.
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The delegation of Macao SAR attended the peer review meeting held from 19 to 23 September in Paris, France, as invited by the OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purpose. The delegation introduced in the meeting the work that Macao SAR had done in recent years regarding the promotion of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes, and provided detailed answers to inquiries raised by the peer review panel. At the end, the review panel members unanimously agreed that Macao SAR had the relevant legal and regulatory framework in place that could ensure the effective implementation of tax information exchange, and that Macao SAR complied with the internationally agreed standards. The panel would therefore proposed the Global Forum to officially adopted the Phase I Peer Review Report for Macao SAR in the general meeting of the Global Forum to be held from 25 to 26 October in Paris, France. The Phase I Review was mainly about the legal and regulatory framework regarding information exchange, and it covered areas in Commercial Code, Commercial Registry Code, Civil Code, Offshore Business Act, anti-money laundering regulations and guidelines, tax laws, Financial System Act, as well as Information Exchange Act. It also covered the various tax agreements that Macao SAR had concluded with other jurisdictions. The passage of the review report would mark a cornerstone in Macao SAR's work of promoting transparency in tax matters. Macao SAR would study and follow up the suggestions for improvement made in the report, and would continue its efforts to conclude more tax agreements with different countries and regions in order to fulfill its international obligation as the Forum's member. Macao SAR has, so far, concluded Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs) or Double Taxation Conventions (DTCs) that comply with the latest internationally agreed standards with 12 different countries or regions. The SAR has also initially signed TIEAs with India, Malta, and Jamaica respectively. In addition, it is now actively negotiating TIEAs with Ireland, New Zealand, Germany and Argentina. Besides, a new round of working level meeting with Vietnam and Hong Kong SAR on DTC negotiation is expected to be held later this year.
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