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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that, in April 2007, Macao’s total value of exports amounted to MOP1.60 billion, down 2.8% over the same month of 2006. Among this, the value of domestic exports dropped 15.8% to MOP938 million, and the value of re-exports increased 24.3% to MOP663 million. Total value of imports amounted to MOP3.61 billion, up 14.9% year-on-year. A trade deficit of MOP2.01 billion was recorded. During the period of January-April 2007, the value of total exports dropped 7.9% year-on-year to MOP5.92 billion. Among this, the value of domestic exports fell 21.0%, whereas the value of re-exports rose 27.3%. Meanwhile, the value of imports grew 17.8% to MOP12.76 billion, bringing Macao’s trade balance to a deficit of MOP6.85 billion. The exports/imports ratio decreased from 59.3% in the corresponding period of 2006 to 46.4%. During these four months, the value of Textile & garment exports, which accounted for 61.8% of the total exports, went down 24.3% over the same period of 2006, while the value of Non-textile exports rose 41.8%. As the major components of non-textile exports, Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof and Footwear surged 118.2% and 99.5% respectively year-on-year. The USA and the EU remained as Macao’s major export markets, together making up 56.4% of the total value of exports. Within this, exports to the USA, which made up 41.1% of the total export value, decreased 23.7%, and exports to the EU, which took up 15.3% of the total, decreased 18.0% year-on-year. During the period of January-April 2007, Macao’s total value of imports grew 17.8% year-on-year, mainly due to increases in import values of, by broad economic categories, Capital goods (+45.2%), Fuels & lubricants (+15.8%), Consumer goods (+14.6%) and Raw materials & semi-manufactures (+6.6%). Moreover, Macao’s main suppliers of imported goods still concentrated in the Asian region. Imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong, which together constituted 52.5% of the total import value, rose 14.5% and 10.5% respectively year-on-year.
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A group of representatives from the main Portuguese travel agencies is in Macau to experience the city’s new developments and explore the potential of expanding travel packages to Macau. “We brought to Macau the main tour operators from Portugal for a familiarization visit in a time when the Macau tourism industry is undergoing a great evolution”, points out Rodolfo Faustino, coordinator of the Macau Tourism Promotion and Information Center in Portugal. The group, which leaves Macau Thursday after a four-day visit, includes representatives from Club 1840/Abreu, Geotur, Nortravel, Soltrópico, Mundovip, ACP Viagens and Lufthansa (representative in Portugal). Currently, the majority of Portuguese travel agencies already offer packages that include a Macau stop, generally integrated in tours combined with visits to mainland China and Hong Kong. This familiarization visit aims to show the potential that Macau offers and encourage the Portuguese travel agents to double their efforts in the city, creating tours that enable tourists from Portugal to stay longer and experience Macau more.
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The Human Resources Office, a government agency responsible for analysing the labour market in Macao and examining imported labour applications, opened today. The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, officiated at a swearing-in ceremony of the Office's Co-ordinator, Mr Wong Chi Hong, and his deputy, Ms Lou Soi Peng. Speaking to the press after the ceremony, Mr Tam said the Office's establishment was to enhance efficiency of handling applications and to streamline the procedure. Imported labour application would not be approved unless there are not enough local workers to fill the prescribed job, Mr Tam reiterated. The Office had set up a website (www.grh.gov.mo) and a hotline (2840-0400) to provide information about its functions. At another occasion, Mr Iong Kong Leong was sworn in as the new Deputy Director of the Finance Services Bureau in the afternoon. The ceremony was also witnessed by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen. Meanwhile, the current Acting Deputy Director of the Statistics and Census Bureau, Ms Kong Pek Fong, will assume office as the Acting Director starting next month. This was announced by the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance in a press release. The incumbent Acting Director, Ms Mok Iun Lei, will become the Vice President of the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre.
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The Macao Historical Archives operates under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and is responsible for the preservation of records of historic value. Given Macao’s geographical location in a sub-tropical zone, it is essential to actively protect paper records in order to avoid deterioration and ensure their correct preservation. Such measures include regular pest control. The next scheduled pest control in the Macao Historical Archives will take place on 1st and 2nd of June. The Reading Room will be closed to the public from 2.30pm on Friday 1st June, and throughout the day on Saturday 2nd June. It will re-open to the public on Monday 4th June.
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According to the results of the Employment Survey released by the Statistics and Census Service, the unemployment rate for February - April 2007 was held stable at 3.2%, same as that in the previous period (January - March 2007), but down by 0.7 percentage point year-on-year. The underemployment rate was up by 0.1 percentage point over the previous period to 0.8%, but fell by 0.3 percentage point over the same period of 2006. About 800 unemployed persons were searching for their first job, representing 8.8% of the total unemployed population, down by 0.4 percentage point over the preceding period. Meanwhile, the unemployment situation improved in Manufacturing sector, but the situation was less favourable in Restaurants & similar activities. Total labour force was estimated at 296,000 in February - April 2007, among them, 287,000 were employed and 9,400 were unemployed. Labour force participation rate was 67.3%, up by 0.3 percentage point over the preceding period and 2.6 percentage points year-on-year.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that total land area of Macao measured 28.6 km2 at the end of 2006 and the population density reached 17,952 persons per km2. Total lane length of public roads was 383.6 km, density of motor vehicles was 425 vehicles per km. At the end of 2006, the number of trees on the roadside in Macao totalled 12,612, up by 18.7% over 2005, while the number of trees in the replantation area of the Islands increased slightly by 0.4% to about 460,000. The level of air quality observed at the 4 monitoring stations was classified as Good for most of the days in 2006; the best air quality level was observed in June. The Northern District monitoring station recorded a total of 26 days of which the observed value of respirable suspended particulates was higher than the standard value. Besides, the Ka Ho monitoring station recorded the lowest pH value of rainwater, at 3.6 (precipitation with pH value lower than 5.6 is classified as acid rain). The quality of drinking water of the distribution networks and the Water Treatment Plants was conformed to the standard according to the results of the analysis carried out by the Laboratory of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau. In addition, the approval rate of the samples taken from the 10 public swimming pools was over 90%, among which the water samples taken from 8 swimming pools all reached an approval rate of 100%. Water quality of Hac Sa and Cheoc Van beaches was classified as “not good enough”, yet adequate to use. In 2006, Companhia de Sistemas de Resíduos (CSR) collected 168,000 tonnes of domestic waste and 56,000 tonnes of waste from the business sector, which increased by 3.5% and 0.8% respectively compared with 2005. In addition, volume of waste sent to the Incineration Plant rose by 2.7% over 2005 to 286,000 tonnes. The average volume of waste water treated by all the Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP) in Macao was 152,000 m3 per day, down by 0.4% over 2005. In 2006, Public Security Police received 3,173 cases of noise complaints, up by 17.0% over 2005. The principal causes of complaints included noises from construction works, shouting, as well as music and karaoke. At the same time, the Environment Council received 101 cases of noise complaints, up by 6.3% over 2005. With regard to educational activities on environmental protection, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and the Environment Council organized 265 promotional activities in 2006; total expenses amounted to MOP2.96 million whilst more than 160,000 persons participated in these activities.
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From long-term and macro perspectives, the latest revision made by the Mainland authorities to the Facilitated Individual Travel (FIT) policy would be positive to the development of Macao's tourism industry, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Chui Sai On, said today. Mr Chui was attending a banquet for the 36th Skal Asian Area Congress this evening when he was asked by the press about the effect on Macao due to the tightening of applications for travel documents under the FIT policy. He said that it would be positive to the long-term development of the industry, and that he was confident that the growth in tourist arrivals would be in line with the government's projection. Tourist arrivals and spending was on the rise since the implementation of the FIT policy in July 2003, yet it took a long time planning in many aspects, including infrastructures construction and human resources training, to ensure a healthy and diversified tourism industry, which he believed was critical to the whole sector.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, visited Anshun this morning as he continued on his three-day visit to the southwestern China province of Guizhou. In the evening, the Government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) hosted a banquet to thank the warm reception accorded to them by the Guizhou authorities. In a message of thanks, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, said the current visit had broadened the Macao Government's and business sector's understanding of Guizhou and facilitated exchanges between the two places. Despite the geographical distance, economic and cultural exchanges had been on a steady rise and some businessmen in Macao see Guizhou as a stage for new ventures, Mr Tam said. He said Macao was adamant in promoting all kinds of reforms to facilitate its business environment, and he invited people from all walks of life in the two places to enhance exchanges and co-operation. In Anshun in the morning, the Chief Executive and the Macao delegation attended an introductory briefing on the development of the city. The Secretary of CPC Anshun Municipal Committee, Mr Chen Haifeng, said Macao and Anshun could co-operate on tourism industry, in which both hold great advantages. He explained that Aushun possessed rich tourism resources, while Macao had a well-established market and mature management expertise in the industry. Mr Ho and the delegation attended a welcome luncheon hosted by the Anshun Municipal Government and visited a famous attraction later in the afternoon. The Chief Executive and the Macao delegation are scheduled to return to Macao in the late evening on completion of their visit.
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(Macao - 26 May 2007) The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah said today a revision in the Individual Visit Scheme would promote quality enhancement in Macao's tourism industry. Mr Ho said it was normal and rational to review and revise the Scheme after it has been implemented for some time."It would not come to a stop and would not reverse the growth in Macao's tourism industry, though a slight adjustment is expected. "It is not likely to pose any negative effect on Macao¡¦s tourism industry and the SAR's revenue," he said. Mr Ho said the new arrangement would contribute to a more rational development in Macao¡¦s tourism and related industries, promoting the development in quality instead of mere quantity, as continued rapid growth would also pose stresses on infrastructures and related industries. "The Mainland will continue to support Macao¡¦s development in all aspects including the healthy growth in tourism industry." Mr Ho also said Macao would continue to support the Central Government’s ban on gambling by Mainland officials. The Individual Visit scheme was introduced in 2003, under which residents for a number of Guangdong cities could visit Macao on their own instead of in group tours. The scheme was then extended to residents of other provinces. On his visit to Guizhou, Mr Ho said it fostered a better understanding of the province's vast natural resources and its great potential in the tourism industry. Mr Ho said Guizhou had entered a new phase of development and many new industries were emerging, creating many business opportunities for Macao entrepreneurs. He said the SAR Government would continue to promote trade and tourism co-operation between Macao and Guizhou as well as encouraging establishments of Macao enterprises in Guizhou.
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The 36th Skål Asian Area Congress swung open its doors today to top-notch tourism personnel and leaders from all over the world, who will in a two-day congress held at the Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Center, probe into the current trends of tourism development and share their insights and valuable experiences in crisis management. João Manuel Costa Antunes, Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Chairman of the Macau Organizing Committee for the 36th Skål Asian Area Congress and Chairman of the General Assembly of Skål Macau, Phillip Sims, Vice President of the Executive Committee of Skål International, Earl Wieman, President of Asian Area of Skål International, Nuno Jorge, President of the Board of Directors of Skål Macau, Jim Power, Secretary General of Skål International, members of the Commission for Tourism Development and representatives of the local tourism trade are among the 200 guests and Skålleagues taking part in the congress, which features themed presentations, President’s Meeting, business to business workshops, site inspections of convention and exhibition venues and tourist attractions. João Manuel Costa Antunes, Phillip Sims, Earl Wieman and Nuno Jorge delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Deputy Director of MGTO Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes conducted a brief presentation on Macau’s latest tourism development, which was followed by an introduction on the business tourism development of Macau by Mike Williams, Consultant for Business Tourism Development of Macau, and a session on Crisis Management by Bert van Walbeek, a consultant of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and an expert on Crisis Management. Bert van Walbeek’s expertise with Crisis Management started with the First Gulf Crisis. He was a member of the PATA Bali Task Force in 2002 and has conducted seminars on Crisis Prevention and Reputation Management in Bali, Bangkok, Beijing, Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Taipei and Wuhan. Mike Williams has been involved in international sales and marketing in both the leisure and business events industry for over 27 years. This includes working in a senior role with the Australian Tourism Commission (now Tourism Australia), and he was the General Manager Sales for the Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau which has played a major part in positioning Melbourne as one of the world’s most successful convention destinations. Mike has held several industry leadership positions including Chair of the Best Cities Global Alliance, National President of Meetings and Events Australia (MEA), and Councilor on the Business Events Council of Australia. The 36th Skål Asian Area Congress Gala Dinner will be held on May 27 at Wynn Macau and Secretary for Social Affairs and Cultural Chui Sai On will address the congress. Founded in 1932, Skål International is a professional organization of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. Headquartered in Spain, it is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Its members are managers or executives directly involved in tourism management, sales and promotions, in specified travel and tourism businesses, including: airlines, cruise companies, travel and tour operators and agencies, tourism organizations, governments and non-government tourism councils, hotels, convention centers, travel media etc. Skål International today has approximately 22,000 members in 500 Clubs throughout 90 nations/regions. Macau Skål International was officially established in 1979, with currently 37 active members from hotels, airlines, tourism studies institutes and restaurants, in addition to associate members and honorary life members. Back in 1981 Macau co-hosted the Assembly together with the Skål Club of Hong Kong, while in 1994, Macau Skål International hosted the 25th Skål Asian Assembly on its own. The 37th Skål Asian Area Congress will be held in Koh Samui and the 2008 Skål World Congress will take place in Taipei.
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