News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the construction of 2 new buildings with a gross floor area of 24,159 m² has been started in the second quarter of 2008. Upon completion, these buildings will provide 14 units, 139 parking spaces for cars and 87 parking spaces for motorcycles. Meanwhile, a total of 10 buildings with a gross floor area of 31,210 m² were completed, providing altogether 144 units, as well as 75 and 40 parking spaces for cars and motorcycles respectively. There were 3,064 cases of real estate sale and purchase contracts made in the second quarter of 2008, involving 4,022 units that amounted to MOP4.11 billion, down by 7.8% and 2.9% respectively over the preceding quarter. Moreover, the total value of mortgage loans amounted to MOP5.45 billion, down notably by 77.2% compared with the preceding quarter. Sale and purchase of building units with stamp duty paid was 7,339 in the second quarter of 2008, and the total value amounted to MOP10.99 billion. Among these transactions, 3,147 units (42.9%), with a total value of MOP6.95 billion, were purchased and sold under Intermediate Transfer of Title. The majority (4,075 units valued at MOP9.2 billion) of these transactions were residential units that accounted for 55.5% of the total number of building units. Compared with the first quarter, transaction of residential units and value decreased by 10.7% and 16.2% respectively. Among these residential units, 3,155 units were situated in the Macao Peninsula, 902 in Taipa Island and 18 in Coloane Island. Analyzed by transaction price, number of residential units were sold for over MOP4,000,000 totalled 661 (16.2% of the total); 1,002 units (24.6%) for over MOP2,000,000 to MOP4,000,000; 864 units (21.2%) for over MOP1,000,000 to MOP2,000,000; and 1,548 units (38.0%) for MOP1,000,000 or less. In the second quarter of 2008, the overall average transaction price of residential units with stamp duty paid amounted to MOP24,741 per square meter of usable area, up slightly by 0.6% over the previous quarter. The average transaction price of those in the Macao Peninsula rose by 22.7% to MOP25,198 per square meter, with notable increase in the districts of NATAP and Patane & São Paulo; however, the average price of those in Taipa Island decreased by 28.8% to MOP23,553 per square meter. With regard to the transaction of residential units under Intermediate Transfer of Title, the overall average transaction price amounted to MOP37,268 per square meter, down by 6.6% over the previous quarter. The average price of the residential units in the Macao Peninsula increased by 15.2% to MOP40,808 per square meter, whereas the average price of those in Taipa Island decreased by 37.1% to MOP28,434 per square meter. In the second quarter of 2008, the average transaction price of industrial and office units amounted to MOP5,919 and 24,130 per square meter, up by 3.6% and 11.4% over the preceding quarter.
…

The Government had given all gaming operators until next Monday (18 August) to submit plans on how they would put more local staff into more senior positions. This includes time lines on when they would implement fully such plans, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tam Pak Yuen, disclosed today when he met with representatives of the Macau Gaming Enterprises Staff’s Association. He said the Government expected locals to be in some middle level management positions after an appropriate period. According to statistics up to the first half of this year, there were 2,900 foreign workers in technical positions, with 2,000 of them in managerial positions. Mr Tam said that after receiving the plans, the Government would meet with the gaming staff representatives again to hear their opinions.
…

Macao’s supporting committee to the Sichuan reconstruction works is in the province today, for a three-day fact-finding visit. The Committee, which comprised a number of department heads from the SAR Government, met with its counterpart in Sichuan immediately after they arrived in the capital city Chengdu. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On, who also chairs the committee, said at the meeting that the committee had commenced a number of preparatory works after receiving the proposal from Sichuan, and the two sides would discuss the construction plan in today’s meeting. He said that in the next three to five years, Macao would make its best effort in helping the reconstruction in Sichuan, and hoped to make some contribution to our “brothers” there. He also conveyed Macao people’s concerns and blessings to the people of Sichuan and said that some individuals and organisations in Macao would also take part in supporting Sichuan’s reconstruction. Mr Chui said the Macao SAR Government Tourism Office would meet with tourism officials of Sichuan during this visit, to draw up a plan for co-operation in tourism industry in the next two years. He said the resumption of scheduled flights between Macao and Chengdu would help promote the recovery of Sichuan’s tourism business. During the meeting, the Director of Sichuan provincial Development and Reform Commission, Mr Liu Jie, briefed the committee on the general plans for the 37 reconstruction projects proposed for Macao’s support, among which 17 are in Lizhou District of Guangyuen City, one of the most seriously affected region during the earthquake in May. The Mayor, Mr Ma Hua explained in details plans for these 17 projects. Before departing for Chengdu this morning, Mr Chui told reporters that the Sichuan authorities had proposed Macao support for the 17 reconstruction project in Guangyuen, so the committee would visit the city tomorrow to learn more about the planned projects.
…

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said the SAR Government would achieve its target of building 19,000 public housing units by 2012 to help those in need of subsidised accommodation. Speaking at the plenary session of the Legislative Assembly, he reiterated that the Government would not cut back on its housing policy and would carry out its plans on schedule. The housing policy will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, some 2,600 rental units will be built in 2009, with another 3,600 Home Ownership Scheme flats would be completed between six months and not more than a year later than scheduled. Mr Ho said the related departments were speeding up the progress of building public housing and that the Government had confidence to build 19,000 or even more units by the completion of the second phase, by 2012. Mr Ho also disclosed that a new scheme to subsidise newly married couples in renting their homes would be launched at the end of this year.
…

Macao will inject five billion patacas for reconstruction works in the earthquake-hit Sichuan province, and Macao Foundation will reserve 500 million patacas for works in the province as well, the Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah announced today. Mr Ho disclosed this when he attended a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly this afternoon to answer legislators’ questions on various issues. He said the Government would allocate five billion patacas in Sichuan’s reconstruction works over the next five years. In addition, the Macao Foundation would also reserve 500 million patacas for works in the province. Mr Ho said he believed that the donation will not bring any pressure on Macao’s public finance. In the first phase of Macao’s supporting effort, the Government would earmark 300 million patacas for Guangyuan, one of the most seriously affected cities in the province. Next, the Government would discuss with Macao’s business sectors and communities to co-ordinate their effort in helping Sichuan. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On, who chairs Macao’s committee for reconstruction works in Sichuan, will visit the province on Saturday and discuss with the authorities there on how to support the province’s reconstruction efforts. They will also discuss how to monitor the usage of Macao’s fund and what Macao could do to help re-invigorate Sichuan’s tourism industry.
…

The Government will not cut back on ongoing projects aimed at improving the livelihood of the people despite uncertainties in the global economy or even a slowdown in economic growth. This assurance was given today by the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, when he attended a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly to answer legislators’ questions on various issues. Macao had introduced a series of measures to relieve inflation, build public housing, and provide free 15 years of education to all students among other projects to improve the people’s livelihood. Considering the uncertainty in the global economy, it is estimated that Macao’s economic environment will be more challenging next year, with the inflation rate staying at a relatively high level, Mr Ho said. However, Macao would continue to undertake these projects, since the budgets had passed close scrutiny. Considering the future revenue of the Government and the surpluses amassed in the past few years, Macao had the financial muscle to carry out these projects. But Mr Ho reminded that we might see dips in Macao’s gaming revenue next year. To relieve inflation, the Government would continue to introduce measures to help the financially-challenged and families in difficulties, he said.
…

More than 1.5 million international visitors have come to Macao in the first six months of this year, a 46.5 per cent jump over the same period last year. And this does not include the 8.8 million Mainland residents who visited in the same period, the Deputy Director of the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, disclosed this morning. At a press conference entitled “Macao Tourism Industry - Diversified Development & New Challenges”, Ms Fernandes introduced the latest development of Macao’s tourism sector to Mainland and overseas journalists at a press conference in Beijing, together with the Director of Government Information Bureau, Mr Victor Chan Chi Ping. Ms Fernandes said of the more than 1.5 million international visitors, arrivals from East and Southeast Asian countries surged most notably, with growth which ranged from 29 to 82 per cent. The figures showed the increasing diversification of Macao’s tourism market, she said. On exploring tourist markets, she said the Government would continue to break ground in reinforcing the present major visitors base – the Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, China – while reaching out to develop international markets. In the first half of this year, the total number of tourist arrivals amounted to 14,925,604, a growth of 18.1 per cent over the same period last year. Visitors from the Mainland were central to Macao’s tourism industry and totalled 8,776,232, making up 58 per cent of the total tourist arrivals in this period. The purchasing power of Mainland visitors was also the highest among all visitors, with a per capita spending of 3,461 patacas - almost double that of other visitors. The number of Mainland tourists who visited Macao under the Facilitated Individual Travel (FIT) scheme totalled 3,736,726, which accounted for 42.6 per cent of total Mainland visitors. Despite the Mainland authorities having started to adjust the FIT scheme last May, the most up-to-date figures showed no signs of decline in the number of Mainland visitors. It is believed that these adjustments provided an opportunity for Macao to refine its strategies in developing a healthier and more rational tourism industry, Ms Fernandes said. As Macao’s tourism industry continued to expand, MGTO would continue to focus on fostering the development of tourism diversity and enhance the economic effects of tourism on the society and economy as a whole.
…

Wynn Macau – 20th Macau International Fireworks Displays Contest will be held on September 13, 14, 20, 27 and October 1 at the sea area in front of the Macau Tower. The Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, organized by Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), has always been an important event. This year Wynn Macau continues to be the title sponsor for the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest. MGTO Director João Manuel Costa Antunes and Wynn Macau President Ian Coughlan attended the press conference today. Antunes expressed that diversification is the key direction for the tourism development of Macau. While continuing to employ the promotional theme “Experience Macau” under the slogan “A World of Difference, the Difference is Macau”, this year MGTO has introduced a series of promotions for visitors to experience Macau with the five senses “See, Taste, Touch, Feel and Hear”. “I believe the annual Fireworks Display Contest would satisfy the audience’s senses of “See” and “Hear” while bringing wonderful memories to visitors and citizens,” he added. Wynn Macau – 20th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest will be held on September 13, 14, 20, 27 and October 1 at the sea area in front of the Macau Tower. As two dates of the contest, September 14 and October 1 fall on Mid Autumn Festival and China’s National Day, teams from Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia and China will deploy their skills to add extra sparkle to the celebrations. This year again, each participating team is requested to complement their display with music to enthrall the audience with a light and sound spectacular. To enhance the enjoyment, the organizer will install sound systems at the waterfront of the Macau Tower Outdoor Plaza, at the Macau Tower Street seaside and at the square in front of Kun Iam Statue on Ave. Dr Sun Yat Sen so that the public can enjoy synchronized music to the spectacular displays. In past years, world renowned pyrotechnic companies have participated in the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest. Likewise, 10 teams from various countries and regions were invited to take part this year again. To celebrate this 20th edition, MGTO has purposely invited teams with distinguished performances in international contests. A number of teams joining the contest this year have won championships before in Macau, including a two-time champion from Japan and winning teams from Portugal and France. The team from Australia, the company of which was restructured and renamed last year, has also won here before. The teams from Germany, the United Kingdom and China were also 1st runners up while the other teams all have excellent skills in fireworks production and displays. The Macau International Fireworks Display Contest has gained worldwide recognition for the quality of the participating teams, the scale and the performance standard of the contest. The contest this year features ten teams from Germany, Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Chinese Taiwan, the Philippines, France, Australia and China. Tamaya Art Pyro Technics from Japan won the championship in the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest in 2004 and 2005. They employ the latest techniques in producing fireworks and perform more than 150 fireworks shows a year in China, the United States and Europe. Brezac-Artifices from France is no stranger to the fireworks display contest and won the championship in 2006. Established in 1965, the company has been very active in France since the 80’s and in recent years has added multimedia elements to their fireworks shows. Macedo & Companhia Pirotecnia, Lda. of Portugal, who won the contest in 2000, was listed on the Guinness Book of World Records for launching the largest fireworks display consisting of 66,326 fireworks shells on December 31, 2006. To enhance the quality and attractiveness of the contest, MGTO have increased the production subsidy and cash prizes to the fireworks teams. The production subsidy has been raised from US$17,500 to US$20,000. Cash prize to the winner has increased from US$6,000 to US$8,000, while prizes to the first and second runners-up have increased from US$3,200 to US$4,000, and from US$1,800 to US$2,500 respectively. Macau’s tourism industry has entered a new phase and is moving towards diversification. During the first five months of this year, visitor arrivals reached almost 12.6 million, a growth of 17.4%. As of 2007, the market share of international visitors among total arrivals was 9.3%, and for the first five months of this year, the figure has increased to 10.5%, showing healthy progress towards diversification of source markets. It is expected more and more visitors from various markets will come for the fireworks display in Macau. MGTO will spare no effort to bring about the world’s most prominent international fireworks display to visitors and at the same time, will promote the fireworks display contest through various international, regional and local media channels, major media and travel magazines in Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as distribute posters and leaflets. MGTO and the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau will again jointly present the Fireworks Carnival to offer an array of live entertainment, cultural activities and culinary delights on the fireworks display nights. In order to capture the spectacular moments of the fireworks display contest, photo and drawing competitions will be held again this year. Wynn Macau – 20th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest Photo Competition and Wynn Macau – 20th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest Drawing Competition will invite entries soon. The winners of the two competitions will be entitled to premiums and trophies.
…

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that Macao registered 337,927 visitor arrivals in package tours in June 2008, up by 30.9% from a year earlier. Visitors from Mainland China (222,027) and Southeast Asia (34,775) grew notably by 49.7% and 131.0% year-on-year, while those from Hong Kong (22,579) decreased by 28.2%. In the first half year of 2008, visitors arrived in package tours rose by 23.2% over the same period of 2007 to 2,411,290. The number of Macao residents travelling outbound in package tours in June 2008 decreased slightly by 1.5% year-on-year to 20,179. Mainland China (54.1%), Japan (13.0%) and Thailand (10.5%) were the three most popular tour itineraries. In the first half year of 2008, Macao residents travelling in package tours rose by 8.8% over the same period of 2007 to 106,595. Meanwhile, 32,941 residents travelled outbound under individual arrangements using services provided by travel agencies, up slightly by 1.1% over June 2007. Hong Kong (44.7%), Mainland China (22.1%) and Taiwan, China (10.0%) were the major destinations. In the first half year of 2008, Macao residents travelled under such arrangements rose by 16.1% year-on-year to 182,925. At the end of June 2008, the total number of guest rooms available in the hotel sector grew by 3,013 (+22.8%) from a year earlier to 16,235 rooms. In June 2008, a total of 510,018 guests checked into hotels and similar establishments, representing a year-on-year increase of 25.1%; the majority of the guests came from Mainland China (43.7%) and Hong Kong (25.8%). The average hotel occupancy rate rose by 4.4 percentage points to 73.3%, with 5-star hotels leading at 76.4%; in addition, the average length of stay of hotel guests extended by 0.2 night to 1.4 nights. Total number of hotel guests reached 3,207,588 in the first half year of 2008, up by 19.0% over the same period of 2007. In the first half year of 2008, visitor-guests staying in hotels accounted for 43.2% of the total number of tourists, up from 42.7% in the corresponding period of 2007.
…

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, left today for Beijing to attend tomorrow’s opening ceremony of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
.
Speaking to the press on his departure, Mr Ho said he wished the games every success, to display unique characteristics and to make every Chinese proud. In addition to tomorrow’s opening ceremony, today Mr Ho will also attend the inauguration of the new office of Office of the Macao Special Administrative Region in Beijing and visit an art exhibition. The President of the Legislative Assembly, a number of principal officials and some 20 dignitaries left for Beijing together with the Chief Executive. The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Lau Si Io, will be Acting Chief Executive while Mr Ho is away.
…