News

Consumer Council pays close attention to commodity prices in local market. A list of reference prices for mobile phones is now available on the Council's website. Mobile phones have become consumers' crucial telecommunication device nowadays, and local mobile phone market has developed rapidly to include over 200 retail shops selling mobile phones. It is revealed in the complaint cases lodged at the Consumer Council that certain retailers adopt unscrupulous sales tactics or raise their selling prices for popular phones up to twice of the usual market price. To save time and effort of consumers, Consumer Council is working with the Macau Mobile Phones Sellers Association to collect a reference mobile phones price list from local mobile phone market. Consumer Council indicates that a total of 13 models from 6 different mobile phone brands are included in the first phase. Consumers may visit the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) to check the reference selling prices of these 13 models, and their reference lowest and highest selling prices. Though the listed data is for reference only, the Council believes those prices and market prices are alike. Consumers are reminded to compare prices from different retailers before making purchase and determine whether the offered price is reasonable or not. 'Certified Shops' selling mobile phones and members of the Macau Mobile Phones Sellers Association both follow the 'Code of Practice' for mobile phone sellers to safeguard consumers' interests. Members of the Macau Mobile Phones Sellers Association also have the association logo displayed at their shops. Besides looking for mobile phones prices, consumers can also find the list of 'Certified Shops' on the Council's website. The above information will also be delivered to consumers associations in mainland China as 'Consumer Alert'. Consumer Council hotline: 8988 9315.
…

As of 5pm today, the Macao Consumer Council has received 54 cases about the cessation of business of Macao Dragon for a total of 642 tickets valued at about MOP30,000. Consumer Council hotline: 8988 9315.
…

The Seminar on "Government Auditing within EU Member-States", organised by the Financial Services Bureau will commence, Monday, 19th September, at 6:150 p.m., in the Auditorium of the "Finanças" Building located on Avenida da Praia Grande, n.º 575-585, basement. Integrated in the 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, this seminar will feature as its keynote speaker Professor Rowan Harrison Jones, Professor of Public Sector Accounting, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, UK and co-founder of Comparative International Governmental Accounting Research Network. This seminar will be conducted in English; during the five daily sessions, which will take place between 6:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. until 23rd September, the following topics will be discussed: 1. Introduction to financial and regularity audits and performance audits;
2. Internal control, materiality and budget auditing;
3. Audit: UK perspectives;
4. Audit: other European countries perspectives;
5. Audit: critical approaches. This event aims at providing a comprehensive overview of the public audit systems in various EU member states, so as to further enhance knowledge in this area. The 2nd EU-Macao Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field, extending until December 2012, which embodies this seminar, has the "Consolidation of the Macao Legal System" as its main objective. The execution of the Co-operation Programme is coordinated by the Law Reform and International Law Bureau, with the participation of several other MSAR's entities and public departments, namely, the Legal and Judicial Training Centre, the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Economic Services, the Financial Services Bureau and the Institute of European Studies of Macau.
…

A statement today from the Maritime Administration said the operation of the temporary Taipa Ferry Terminal was not affected despite the liquidation of the sea transport provider Macao Dragon Ferry. The Administration had activated a contingency plan and asked other ferry companies to provide extra capacity if necessary: but there was no need to operate extra ferries. Despite the Maritime Administration having not received a formal notification from Macao Dragon Ferry about its announced liquidation and cease of operation, it would launch an investigation into the company's cease of ferry operations and legal liabilities, the statement said. It said the passenger limit capped on the ferries of the company was determined by the capacity of the temporary Taipa Ferry Terminal and the safety record as the authorities always put priority to the safety of passengers and maritime safety in monitoring maritime transport operations. The Administration had requested the company to reimburse passengers who had purchased tickets, the statement said. A statement by the Consumer Council said that as of 17:00 today, it had received 32 complaint involving 428 ferry tickets valued at about $24,000 patacas. The Council found that most bought their ferry tickets through 'Bee Crazy' and 'Groupon Hong Kong', two internet sites. The two companies assured the Council that passengers would be fully refunded. Affected consumers may contact the council (Tel: 853-89889315) for assistance, the council said. The council would refer the cases to the Consumer Council of Hong Kong if necessary: over the Council of Macao and its Hong Kong counterpart had always maintained good relations on issues of protecting consumer rights.
…

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U met with experts from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) today (Sept 15). Accompanied by MGTO Director João Manuel Costa Antunes, Secretary Cheong met with the group of experts from various aspects, headed by Andrew Drysdale, at the Tourism Activities Centre. Cheong thanked the experts for coming to Macau for the field visit and take part in the task force project. He also introduced Macau's tourism development to the experts while task force leader, Andrew Drysdale, exchanged their findings after the field visit. Also participated in the meeting were MGTO Deputy Director Manuel Pires and Organizational Planning and Development Department head Cheng Wai Tong. MGTO has requested PATA to establish a task force to provide expert opinions in determining the future tourism policies and plans required to achieve the positioning of Macau as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. The members of the PATA task force are Andrew Drysdale, executive director of Mentor Aviation Services Pty Ltd., Australia, Jon Hutchison, managing director of Business Events Sydney, Alastair Morrison, chief executive officer of Belle Tourism International Consulting Ltd., China, Lindsay Turner from Victoria University, Australia, Susan Warren, director of Making Tourism Work Associates, New Zealand and UK, and Stewart Moore, chief executive officer of EC3 Global, Australia. The PATA task force membership also includes Dai Bin, president of China Tourism Academy.
…

The Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM) has commenced the subscription for the 2012 Year of the Dragon commemorative coins since 01 August 2011. Due to the overwhelming response, the 5 oz silver proof coins have been oversubscribed. For those who are still interested in ordering the commemorative coins, there are still a small number of 7.776 grams gold proof coins and 31.10 grams silver proof coins available for subscription before 30 September 2011. Subscription form can be submitted in person to AMCM with full payment in cash, personal cheque or cashier order; or send through postal mail attached with personal cheque or cashier order payable to "Autoridade Monetária de Macau"(Address: Autoridade Monetária de Macau, Calçada do Gaio, No. 24-26, Macau). Please specify on the envelope with "DFR - Subscription for coins". Subscription form can be downloaded from AMCM's website (www.amcm.gov.mo). Public sale for the Dragon commemorative coins is not available at AMCM. For any enquiries, please contact Mr. Martin Leong at 83952100 or Ms. Kubi Lou at 83952199. Specifications of the coins
(* Please find the attached file)
…

The Monetary Authority of Macao announced today that the preliminary estimate of Macao SAR's foreign exchange reserves amounted to MOP238.9 billion (USD29.75 billion) at the end of August 2011. The reserves rose by 3.1% from the revised value of MOP231.8 billion (USD28.88 billion) for the previous month. When compared with a year earlier, the reserves increased by MOP73.7 billion or 44.6%. Macao SAR's foreign exchange reserves at end-August 2011 represented 42 times the currency in circulation or 332.2% of Pataca M2 at end-July 2011. The trade-weighted effective exchange rate index for the pataca, a gauge of the domestic currency's exchange rates against the currencies of Macao's major trading partners, fell by 0.39 points month-to-month and 4.50 points year-on-year to 86.34 in August 2011. For enquiry, please contact:
Research and Statistics Department, Monetary Authority of Macao (Tel: 83952532; Fax: 28353042)
…

To promote the latest MICE development and tourism products of Macau in the Greater China market, the Macau Business Tourism Centre (MBTC) of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and 23 Macau trade participated in the prestigious China Incentive Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM) 2011 held in the China National Convention Centre (CNCC) in Beijing from 30th August to 1st September, 2011. CIBTM 2011 was co-hosted by China National Tourism Administration and Beijing Municipal People's Government and organized by Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development and Reed Travel Exhibitions. There were nearly 400 exhibiting companies, 323 Hosted Buyers and over 4500 professional visitors from around the world gathered, networked and exchanged business opportunities. MGTO has participated in the trade show for quite a few years now. This platform provided by CIBTM is great and it also allows the Macau trade to establish business networks with their counterparts in the Mainland, while serving as a gateway for Macau to get in touch with the industry professionals. This year, MGTO invited a total of 120 CIBTM hosted buyers and Macau trade representatives to a networking cocktail at the Macau booth on the first day of the trade show, which had successfully generated vast attention from the show floor. Feedback from both guests and Macau trade representatives indicated that the event was useful and facilitate their understanding about Macau's MICE development.
…

A group of experts from Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is in Macau for a field visit as the starting point for a task force project to provide insight and recommendations for the positioning of the city as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has requested PATA, which is recognized as a leading tourism organization in the Asia Pacific Region, to establish a task force to provide expert opinions in determining the future tourism policies and plans required to achieve the positioning of Macau as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. To integrate the task force project PATA has appointed seven experts from the academic and consultancy fields covering area of expertise ranging from aviation to destination management and branding. The task force is expected to submit a report to MGTO by beginning of 2012. The task force members arrived in Macau on Sunday and will depart on Friday. The program of the group in Macau includes meetings with MGTO, several government and tourism industry entities, a tour to the Macau World Heritage and the new tourism developments, and a visit to Hengqin to learn more about the development plan in Zhuhai, among others. The members of the PATA task force are Andrew Drysdale, executive director of Mentor Aviation Services Pty Ltd., Australia, Jon Hutchison, managing director of Business Events Sydney, Alastair Morrison, chief executive officer of Belle Tourism International Consulting Ltd., China, Lindsay Turner from Victoria University, Australia, Susan Warren, director of Making Tourism Work Associates, New Zealand and UK, and Stewart Moore, chief executive officer of EC3 Global, Australia. The PATA task force membership also includes Dai Bin, president of China Tourism Academy, but he is not joining the field trip to Macau. PATA has been requested by MGTO to conduct five other task force projects in the past, namely: balance between preservation and tourism development (1980); education and training framework to meet short and long term manpower needs (1990); development of a meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) destination (1994); about setting up overseas representation offices (1996); and market diversification and interrelationship between aviation network and marketing promotion (2002).
…

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that visitor arrivals in package tours soared by 46.1% year-on-year to 670,664 in July 2011. Visitors from Mainland China (489,503); Taiwan, China (46,776); Republic of Korea (31,066) and Hong Kong (28,839) surged by 51.2%, 90.8%, 151.1% and 19.3% respectively. On the contrary, visitors from Japan (14,879) decreased by 38.2%. In the first seven months of 2011, visitor arrivals in package tours went up by 7.7% year-on-year to 3,795,979. In July 2011, Macao residents travelling outbound in package tours increased by 5.3% year-on-year to 26,427. The most popular tour itineraries are Mainland China (72.3% of total), Thailand (7.1%) and Malaysia (5.0%). In the first seven months of 2011, outbound residents in package tours increased slightly by 0.1% year-on-year to 135,789. Meanwhile, outbound residents travelling under own arrangements using services of travel agencies rose by 30.0% year-on-year to 65,018; the main destinations were Mainland China (47.3% of total); Hong Kong (20.5%); and Taiwan, China (15.2%). In the first seven months of 2011, outbound residents travelling under such arrangements went up by 25.4% year-on-year to 335,149. At the end of July 2011, total number of available guest rooms of hotels and guest-houses increased by 2,080 (+10.5%) year-on-year to 21,804 rooms, with that of 5-star hotels accounting for 62.8% of the total. Hotels and guest-houses received 795,827 guests in July 2011, up by 21.5% year-on-year, with the majority coming from Mainland China (54.2% of total) and Hong Kong (21.5%). The average length of stay of guests decreased by 0.07 night to 1.4 nights. The average occupancy rate of hotels and guest-houses notched up a record high of 88.2%, up by 8.2 percentage points year-on-year. Average occupancy rate of hotels reached 88.9%, with 4-star hotels leading at 93.1%. Hotel guests increased by 7.4% year-on-year to 4,784,618 in the first seven months of 2011; average occupancy rate of hotels and guest-houses stood at 82.9%, up by 4.1 percentage points from a year earlier. In the first seven months of 2011, visitor-guests accounted for 61.5% of the total number of tourists (overnight visitors), higher than 60.5% in the same period of 2010.
…