News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the first quarter of 2008 was 145.79, up by 15.08% year-on-year. The price indices of Miscellaneous goods, Restaurant services and Accommodation registered significant increase of 33.75%, 19.52% and 13.34% respectively. The increments were attributable to dearer jewellery prices driven by rising gold prices, as well as higher charges of restaurant services and hotel room rates during the Lunar New Year holidays. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2007, TPI rose by 6.92% in this quarter, with notable increase in the indices of Miscellaneous goods (+16.97%) and Restaurant services (+6.71%); meanwhile, price index of Entertainment & culture increased by 3.32% owing to rising prices of fireworks and firecrackers during the Lunar New Year holidays. The average TPI for the last 4 quarters ended the first quarter of 2008 increased by 10.86% over the previous period. TPI reflects the price changes of goods and services purchased by visitors, which is compiled based on the consumption pattern of visitors derived from the Visitor Expenditure Survey. TPI covers 8 sections of goods and services, namely Food, alcoholic drinks & tobacco; Clothing & footwear; Accommodation; Restaurant service; Transport & communications; Medicine & personal goods; Entertainment & culture; and Miscellaneous goods. The base year of TPI is from July 1999 to June 2000.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that Macao registered 392,277 visitor arrivals in package tours in February 2008, up by 3.8% from a year earlier. Visitors from Mainland China (281,620) and Japan (16,123) recorded year-on-year growth of 2.1% and 78.1% respectively, while those from Hong Kong (24,736) dropped by 36.8%. In the first two months of 2008, visitors arrived in package tours grew by 11.3% over the same period of 2007 to 773,273. In February 2008, the number of Macao residents travelling in package tours dropped by 8.9% year-on-year to 19,067. Mainland China; Thailand; and Taiwan, China were the three most popular tour itineraries, which accounted for 67.9%, 7.8% and 5.9% of the total respectively. In the first two months of 2008, Macao residents travelling in package tours rose by 3.4% over the same period of 2007 to 32,603. Meanwhile, 28,453 residents travelled under individual arrangements using services provided by travel agencies, up by 6.3% over February 2007. Hong Kong (42.1%), Mainland China (28.0%) and Taiwan, China (9.3%) were the major destinations. In the first two months of 2008, Macao residents travelled under such arrangements rose by 22.1% compared with the same period of 2007 to 61,510. At the end of February 2008, the total number of guest rooms available in the hotel sector increased by 3,052 (+23.4%) from a year earlier to 16,115 rooms. In February 2008, a total of 483,247 guests checked into hotels and similar establishments, representing a year-on-year growth of 13.1%. The majority of the guests came from Mainland China (48.1%) and Hong Kong (25.7%). The average hotel occupancy rate dropped by 2.7 percentage points to 71.4%, with 4-star hotels leading at 74.1%; in addition, the average length of stay of hotel guests extended by 0.2 night to 1.4 nights. Number of hotel guests totalled 1,045,923 in the first two months of 2008, up by 22.0% over the same period of 2007. In the first two months of 2008, visitor-guests staying in hotels accounted for 43.1% of the total number of tourists, up from 40.4% recorded in the corresponding period of 2007.
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President Mr Hu Jintao today met Macao Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah and members of the Macao and Hong Kong delegations who were in Hainan to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2008, which opened today. Speaking to members of the delegations, President Hu expressed his appreciation to their contribution to the prosperity and stability in the two Special Administrative Regions, and in the opening-up and modernisation of the Mainland. Prior to the meeting with President Hu, Mr Ho attended the opening ceremony of the annual conference. In the evening, he attended a welcoming reception hosted by the Hainan Provincial Government.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, left Macao for Hainan this morning to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2008 in Hainan. Asked by reporters for comments on Macao’s future role in cross-straits relations, Mr Ho said every Chinese would welcome closer ties across the straits. He said the Macao SAR would follow the Central Government’s policies relating to Taiwan and work closely with the Central Government in accordance to the Basic Law.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, is to attend the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2008 in Hainan tomorrow. President Mr Hu Jintao, the Prime Minister of Australia Mr Kevin Ruud, the President of Pakistan Mr Pervez Musharraf, and a host of world leaders from government and industry will attend the three-day forum. The event is scheduled to open in Qionghai on Hainan tomorrow, with the theme of ‘Green Asia: Moving Towards Win-Win Through Changes’. Over the three days of the 2008 Annual Conference, participants will debate over issues such as energy efficiency, climate change, sub-prime mortgage crisis, real estate market and the future of Asia. Mr Ho will leave for Qionghai tomorrow. The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan, will be Acting Chief Executive while Mr Ho is away.
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In line with the concept of scientific development which prioritizes people and sustainability, the Macao Special Administrative Region Government will host the "2008 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (2008 MIECF)" from 23-25 April, for the first time. Maximizing Macao's advantage to create a meeting ground for environmental industries, neighboring regions, the Pan-Pearl River Delta region and economies which Macao has developed strong relationships to exchange technologies. Themed Water, Energy and Sustainable Development, the MIECF focus on the promotion of international cooperation on environmental protection and sustainable energy issues. One of its key topics will be the upgrading of the effectiveness of international energy conservation. The exhibition will also showcase the technological advances made on environmental protection, sustainable conservation and related research, as well as environment-related information generated by the meeting. MIECF is hosted by the Government of Macau SAR, co-organized by Provincial and Regional Governments of Pan-Pearl River Delta Region and is specially supported by Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China. It will be held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre of the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel on the Cotai Strip consecutively for three days. Ms. Chan Keng Hong, representative of the MIECF Organizing Committee and Executive Director of Board of Directors of the Macao SAR Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), explained at the press conference that environmental protection technology is highly needed, following by the great development of Macao, especially after hotels and other great projects have already started. The Macao S.A.R. Government and Macao citizens are also willing to take the responsibility of environmental protection while Mainland China shares the same need and request. Macao can take its geographical and economical advantages and serve as the interchange platform for China and European countries to introduce policies and technologies of environmental protection from European countries, in order to develop water, energy and recycling industries in China. Ms. Chan also indicated that 115 units and enterprise will set up their exhibitions in the convention center with a total area of 6900m2. Macao exhibition area will be established and 26 government departments and organizations have been invited to join the event. Meanwhile, Pan Pearl River Delta Exhibition hall, covering an area of 813m2, will be set up and over 80 enterprises are going to introduce the latest development and needs of green industries in different provinces. The MIECF committee has received registrations and requests of business matching by 39 enterprises from both Macao and Pan Pearl River Delta Area. Ms. Vong Man Hung, representative of the MIECF Organizing Committee, Acting President of the Executive Committee of the Environment Council of Macao Special Administrative Region, pointed out that Mr Xu Qinghua, Representative of Mr Zhou Shengxian, Minister of Environmental Protection of China, Mr Hu Siyi, Vice Minister of Water Resources of China, Mr. Subinay Nadny, Country Director of UNDP China and Mr. Thomas roe, Head of the Office of the European Commission in Hong Kong will host and give out speech at the opening ceremony. Presentations with different themes, including Agenda for International Co-operation, Energy Saving and Emission Reduction, Efficient Use and Treatment of Water Resources, Clean Manufacturing and Intelligent / Eco City & Sustainable Transportation, have already been confirmed by 54 high profile environmental expert speakers and key environmental players from 15 countries and areas, including China, EU, Belgium, Brazil, Finland, France, Korea, Germany, Japan, Philippines, Singapore and Spain, U.K. and U.S.A..
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Macau Government Tourist Office Director João Manuel Costa Antunes and Deputy Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes attended the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) 57th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Board of Directors meeting from April 5 to 7 at Colombo, Sri Lanka. MGTO Director João Manuel Costa Antunes received a certificate and plaque of recognition for 50 Years of PATA Membership on behalf of MGTO at an award ceremony held during the Welcome Dinner on April 5. Macau has successfully won the bid for hosting the PATA Board of Directors Meeting and Annual General Meeting which will be held April 2009. MGTO was one of the organizations that submitted bid at the PATA Board of Directors Meeting on April 7, where Director of MGTO made a presentation on preparation work for the event. The members of the Board of Directors voted for Macau as the city to host the event. MGTO also hosted a lunch on April 7 for all the delegates of the meeting at Colombo and introduced the latest tourism development of Macau to the guests. The meeting featured a session that addressed global climate change, a topic which will be discussed at higher levels by travel and tourism stakeholders at the “PATA CEO Challenge 2008” to be held in Bangkok, Thailand at the end of April. Prof Mohan Munasinghe, Vice Chair of the Noble Peace Prize-winning Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change and representative of British Airport Authority were among the distinguished speakers at the session. In conjunction with the Board meeting, a seminar on "Human Capital Challenge - It's Time to Invest" was held on 7 April, where experts discussed the issue of human resources and talent management in the Asia Pacific region. Besides being Board member, Director of MGTO is member of the Membership Advisory Committee of PATA, while Deputy Director is outgoing Chairperson of the Strategic Intelligence Advisory Committee. The next PATA Board meeting will be held in conjuntion with the PATA Travel Mart in India in September 2008.
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The Secretary for Security, Mr Cheong Kuoc Va, today reaffirmed that Macao’s police force is capable of and is determined to ensure a smooth Olympic torch relay in the city. Speaking to the press after attending a session at the Legislative Assembly, Mr Cheong said the police are making the necessary preparations for the event such as risk evaluation, contingency plans, intelligence gathering and on-site inspections of the route. He disclosed that all police officers are required to be on duty during the period of torch relay. Moreover, the authority will step up surveillance of all terminals to prevent suspected criminals from entering Macao. The police will send officers to neighbouring regions and draw on their experience in the relay, Mr Cheong said. The torch relay’s Macao leg is scheduled for May 3.
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The development of the New Macao Central Library is a significant cultural project supported by the Macao SAR Government. By inviting submissions for the competition to select the Concept Design of the New Macao Central Library, the Macao SAR Government is seeking to draw on the professional experience and talents of local architects and is now inviting architects registered with the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau of the Macao SAR Government to participate in the event. A city’s public library is a significant factor in preserving the city’s cultural inheritance, conserving its memory and enriching its soul. Underpinning the design of the new Macao Central Library will be the core values of –“cultural legacy”, “guided learning”, “intellectual development”, and “service to society”. It will be dedicated to enriching cultural resources, carrying out cultural education, passing on documentary information, creating a reading atmosphere, and positioning itself as Macao’s city classroom, citizen’s square and cultural centre. The Library will be located in the former Courthouse on Avenida da Praia Grande and in the Headquarters of the Judiciary Police on Rua Central, encompassing a total floor space of 22,000m2. Construction will proceed in two phases: first the former Courthouse; and second the Headquarters of the Judiciary Police. Being inserted into a constantly changing, multicultural urban space like Macao, the Library should reflect the city’s unique identity, while being an important reference, both functionally and scientifically. The new Macao Central Library will reinterpret the social meaning and community function of public libraries, and endeavour to shift from institution-oriented to people-oriented and from book-oriented to reader-oriented. The design should be approachable, experiential, multi-functional, elegant and unique, taking its sustainable development into full account. Moreover, it should consider the long-term maintenance of the library’s architectural structure, facilities and equipment as well as cost issues and environmental concerns. On receiving the invitation from the Cultural Affairs Bureau, architects may participate individually, or in a team of architects. The selection panel will select 1 first prize (MOP$200,000), 1 second prize (MOP$120,000), 1 third prize (MOP$80,000) and 5 honourable mentions (MOP$20,000). The winning entries will be announced on July 15, 2008 and will constitute an essential or referential basis for the final project. Entries must be submitted to the Reception Desk of the Cultural Affairs Bureau on Tap Seac Square by 5pm on June 23, 2008 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, open at lunchtime. Closed on weekends and public holidays). The Regulations, Entry Form and Declaration are available on the Competition website: novaBC.icm.gov.mo.
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The total area of the new land reclamation project will be slightly larger then the original plan submitted to the Central Government in 2006, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Lao Si Iosaid today. Responding to media reports on the project, Mr Lao said the proposal has already submitted to the Central Government for final approval. He said the Central Government has commented on environment protection issues and amendments were accordingly made. But the overall project would still be based on the original plan, he said.
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