News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that per-capita spending of visitors decreased by 5% year-on-year to MOP 1,527 in the second quarter of 2009. Analysed by place of residence, per-capita spending of Mainland visitors took the lead, at MOP 3,564; per-capita spending of those from Taiwan, China; Southeast Asia; and Hong Kong amounted to MOP 1,705, MOP 1,684 and MOP 1,112 respectively. Compared with the second quarter of 2008, per-capita spending of tourists dropped by 12% to MOP 2,088, while that of same-day visitors rose by 2% to MOP 471. In the second quarter of 2009, per-capita non-shopping spending (excluding gaming expenses) of visitors increased by 4% year-on-year to MOP 1,017, of which expenses on Accommodation and Food & Beverage accounted for 43% and 37% respectively. Meanwhile, per-capita shopping spending fell notably by 20% to MOP 510, with expenses on Local Food Products and Clothing sharing 40% and 17% respectively. Per-diem spending of visitors amounted to MOP 1,364 in the second quarter of 2009, a year-on-year decrease of 4%. Mainland visitors had the highest per-diem spending of MOP 2,378 and the respective spending of visitors from Taiwan, China; Americas; Southeast Asia; and Hong Kong was MOP 1,309, MOP 1,187, MOP 1,185 and MOP 1,097. The average length of stay of visitors held stable at 1.1 days, same as the second quarter of 2008, with Mainland visitors staying an average of 1.5 days. The average of tourists went down by 0.1 day year-on-year to 1.6 days when that of same-day visitors remained unchanged at 0.2 day.
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The Macao SAR Government will hold an exhibtion in Beijing between November and January to showcase the achievements of the Macao SAR in the past decade. The exhibition, organised by the Government Information Bureau, will display Macao’s accomplishment in term of politics, economics and social development to the Mainland people by adopting a wide range of multi-media technology in its exhibits. Meeting the press today, the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Victor Chan Chi Ping, said that the Buerau began to prepare the exhibition as early as the fourth quarter of 2008 and the decision to outsource the preparation of the exhibition to Prime Marketing & Promotion Services Co Ltd was made that time. The decision was only gazetted and publicised earlier this month due to the necessary administrative procedures, Mr Chan said. He said that in the fourth quarter of 2008 no one could foresee the identities of the candidates of the Chief Executive election and their campaigners and there was no transfer of benefits in concession of contract. The owner of Prime is one of the members of the campaign office of the candidate of the Chief Executive Election. In accordance with Decree-Law 122/84/M, Prime won the contract without public tender since it was the only local MICE company with a Beijing branch, which was necessary for the smooth co-ordination in organising the exhibition. The exhibition would cost 32 million patacas -- with 14 million to be used for producing videos and leasing equipments to display multi-media exhibits. The Bureau also has plans to host the exhibition in other Mainland cities and some of the exhibits would also be shown in Shanghai World Expo.
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The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) helped locate a Macao teenager stranded in the typhoon-affected area of Kaohsiung in Taiwan. The teenager had already confirmed his safety to his family. GGCT received a phone call for assistance on August 11 in locating a Macao resident in the Chiahsien Village of Kaohsiung County, which had been affected by a typhoon. GGCT immediately contacted the representative of Macau Government Tourist Office in Taiwan and the head of the Chiahsien village as well as the local police in tracing the teenager. In the following two days, GGCT and MGTO had kept close contact with the teenager’s family, the police in Taiwan and the head of the village where the teenager lost contact. With the help of the local police, the teenager was located this morning (Aug 13) and he said over the phone that he was safe and had enough supply of food. However, he could not return to Kaohsiung to fly back to Macao due to the mudslide and damaged roads. His family had also contacted him this noon. Apart from the above case, the Office had not received other request for assistance up to the release time of the notice.
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Macao reported 16 new Influenza A (H1N1) cases today, taking the total number of such cases to 333. The 16 patients, 10 males and six females, were aged between 1 and 45. There were still 13 patients receiving treatment at hospital. Macao’s pandemic alert remained at Level VI, Blue, which indicated that there were no fatal cases and the spread of the virus was moderate.
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Macao reported 17 new Influenza A (H1N1) cases today, bringing the total number of such cases to 317. The 17 patients, eight males and nine females, were aged between 3 and 49. Meanwhile, three patients had recovered and were discharged from hospital today. There were still 11 patients receiving treatment at hospital. Macao’s pandemic alert remained at Level VI, Blue, which indicated that there were no fatal cases and the spread of the virus was moderate.
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The Chief Executive-designate, Mr Chui Sai On, today expressed his gratitude for the Central Government’s appointment and confidence in him. Mr Chui said this when he met the press in Beijing after having met President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao and received his appointment decree after his election to become the Third-term Chief Executive was confirmed by a State Council decree. He said he had communicated his plans in administering Macao to the state leaders, such as innovating the political system, strengthening the accountability system and introducing a think-tank to support the Chief Executive. He said that he would begin the formation of his team after returning to Macao. The ideas and advice he gathered from members of the public, organisations, academics and experts during the election campaign would be reflected in his first policy address, he said. Mr Chui also thanked Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah for allowing the Vice President of Macao Sport Development Board, Ms O Lam, to assist him in forming his team.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that visitor arrivals in package tours in June 2009 declined further by 46.1% year-on-year to 183,140. Visitors from Mainland China (108,662); Hong Kong (15,422); Taiwan, China (12,630) and Japan (9,322) decreased substantially by 51.1%, 31.7%, 23.2% and 44.6% respectively. In the first half year of 2009, visitor arrivals in package tours fell by 5.7% year-on-year to 2,274,500. In June 2009, the number of Macao residents travelling outbound in package tours decreased significantly by 40.0% year-on-year to 12,105. Mainland China (62.3%); Taiwan, China (11.4%); and Thailand (5.6%) were the most popular tour itineraries. In the first half year of 2009, residents travelling outbound in package tours dropped by 14.0% year-on-year to 91,638. Meanwhile, 33,420 residents travelling outbound under own arrangements with services of travel agencies, up by 1.5% over June 2008. Mainland China (48.9%); Hong Kong (19.1%) and Taiwan, China (17.1%) were the main destinations. In the first half year of 2009, outbound residents travelling under such arrangements rose by 7.5% year-on-year to 196,627. At the end of June 2009, total number of guest rooms available in the hotel sector increased by 1,899 (+11.7%) from a year earlier to 18,128 rooms. In June 2009, a total of 445,756 guests checked into hotels and similar establishments, down by 12.6% year-on-year, with the majority of guests coming from Mainland China (40.0%) and Hong Kong (29.5%). The average hotel occupancy rate plunged notably by 12.6 percentage points year-on-year to 60.7%, with 4-star hotels leading at 64.5%. The average length of stay of hotel guests increased by 0.13 night year-on-year to 1.52 nights. The cumulative number of hotel guests decreased by 3.2% in the first six months of 2009 to 3,104,723. In the first half year of 2009, visitor-guests of hotels accounted for 61.7% of the total number of tourists, up from 56.9% in the corresponding period of 2008.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today congratulated Mr Chui Sai On on his formal appointment by the Central Government as the next Chief Executive, according to a Macao SAR Government statement today. The Premier, Mr Wen Jiabao, today presented Mr Chui a State Council decree stating his appointment as the Third-term Chief Executive, after the State Council’s confirmation yesterday. Mr Ho praised Mr Chui for his patriotism and love for Macao and his performance as the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture. Mr Ho said Mr Chui’s election reflected the wish of the members of the public and he believed that Mr Chui would lead the Macao people and bring prosperity and stability to Macao. Mr Ho said to ensure a smooth transition, he would issue executive orders to all public entities for them to give their full support to Mr Chui in forming his team.
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The Third-term Chief Exeuctive-Elect Mr Chui Sai On is scheduled to leave for Beijing on 10 August to receive his appointment letter from the State Council. Mr Chui will be accompanied by his wife, Mrs Winnie Chui, and expected to remain in the capital for three days.
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The Chief Executive-Elect, Mr Chui Sai On, left for Beijing this morning to receive his appointment letter from the State Council. Mr Chui spoke to reporters at Macao International Airport before his departure and told them that at an earlier meeting with Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Mr Ho had pledged his full support as Mr Chui prepared to take up his post in December. Mr Chui said that on his return from Beijing he would immediately start to prepare his new office and the new third-term Special Administration Region Government (SARG). His election office would end its mission on 25 August, but he would continue to work in the new office. Mr Chui will be in the capital for three days. He is accompanied by his wife, Mrs Winnie Chui and several staff from the Government Information Bureau and the Protocol Department. He will be the second SARG chief executive after Mr Ho.
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