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Information from the Statistics and Census Service showed that value of total retail sales was estimated at MOP2.54 billion in the second quarter of 2006. Retail sales of motor vehicles; and watches, clocks & jewellery accounted for 13% each of the total, which were followed by sales of goods in department stores (12%); goods in supermarkets (11%); adults' clothing (7%); automotive fuels (6%); fuels for household use (5%) and household electric appliances (5%). In this quarter, value of retail sales rose by 20% compared with the second quarter of 2005, with marked increases in the sales of watches, clocks & jewellery, goods in supermarkets, adults' clothing, household electric appliances and fuels for household use. In comparison with the revised estimate of MOP2.48 billion in the first quarter, value of retail sales in this quarter increased by 2%. In the first half of 2006, value of total retail sales amounted to MOP5.02 billion, up by 18% over the same period of 2005. A comparison of the retailers’ opinions indicated that similar to the previous quarter, about 47% reported decrease in the sales volume in the second quarter of 2006, while 53% reported that the sales volume remained stable or increase. In terms of retail prices, about 64% and 15% reported the prices were stable and showed increase whereas 21% reported the prices decreased. Compared with the same quarter of 2005, about 79% said that the stock level was normal in the second quarter of 2006, while 11% indicated that the stock level was low. Regarding the prospect for the third quarter of 2006, about 65% of the retailers expected the sales volume to increase or remain stable, 35% expected it to decrease. Meanwhile, about 84% expected the retail prices to remain stable or increase, while 16% expected it to decrease.
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Information from Statistics and Census Service indicated that the Composite CPI for July 2006 was 108.67, up slightly by 0.05% over June. The increment was caused by the increase in the price indices of Housing & fuels; Recreation & culture; and Transport. However, the impacts were tapered off by the decrease in the indices of Clothing & footwear; and Food & non-alcoholic beverages. Compared with June 2006, the indices of Recreation & culture; Housing & fuels; and Transport increased by 1.38%, 1.12% and 0.92% respectively. The increments were led by higher charges for outbound package tours during summer holidays, rentals for housing, electricity fuel adjustment, as well as dearer taxi fares and air tickets. On the other hand, seasonal sale of men’s and women’s clothing and footwear, together with lower vegetable prices pushed down the indices of Clothing & footwear (-4.42%) and Food & non-alcoholic beverages (-0.65%). The Composite CPI for July 2006 registered a year-on-year increase of 5.07%. Average Composite CPI for January to July went up by 5.69% compared with the same period of 2005. For the 12 months ended July 2006, the average Composite CPI increased by 5.56% over the previous period. In addition, the CPI-A and CPI-B for July 2006 were 109.67 and 108.36, up by 0.01% and 0.04% respectively compared with June. Starting from January 2006, the CPI has been rebased to July 2004 to June 2005. The Composite CPI reflects the impacts of price changes for the general population. The CPI-A relates to about 49% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP 3,000 to MOP 9,999; the CPI-B relates to about 31% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of MOP 10,000 to MOP 19,999.
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Information from Statistics and Census Service indicated that visitor arrivals totalled 1,802,248 in July 2006, representing a year-on-year increase of 8.2%. Visitors from Mainland China and Hong Kong grew 4.1% and 13.4% respectively, whereas those from Taiwan, China decreased 3.8%. Meanwhile, same-day visitors accounted for 50.4% of the total arrivals, at 908,741. Visitors came mainly from Mainland China (52.7% of the total), Hong Kong (32.8%) and Taiwan, China (7.4%). Among those from Mainland China, 460,039 (48.4%) travelled to Macao under the Individual Visit Scheme. In the first seven months of 2006, visitor arrivals reached 12,224,728, a 15.4% growth over the same period of last year. Visitors from Mainland China rose 14.8% to 6,775,793, which accounted for 55.4% of the total arrivals; those from Hong Kong and Taiwan, China shared 30.9% and 6.7% respectively. Furthermore, same-day visitors made up 51.8% of the total, at 6,336,810. Analyzed by mode of transport, visitor arrivals by sea increased 15.2% to 4,345,229 in the first seven months of 2006, with 4,125,660 arriving at the Outer Harbour; the majority of these visitors were from Hong Kong (58.6%) and Mainland China (29.8%). Visitor arrivals at the Inner Harbour leaped 126.5% to 219,569. At the same time, the cumulative number of visitors arriving through the Border Gate soared 25.5% to 7,186,302. The majority of the visitors came from Mainland China (73.5%) and Hong Kong (18.6%). In addition, visitor arrivals by air were 693,197, up 14.3% compared with the same period of last year, with 687,460 arriving at the Macao International Airport (+14.6%). Visitors from Taiwan, China (54.7%) and Mainland China (20.3%) were the major users of this access.
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Statistics and Census Service released the results of Employment Survey for the second quarter of 2006. Principal indicators such as the labour force participation rate, unemployment rate and underemployment rate have been published in the brief report in July. In the second quarter of 2006, total labour force was estimated at 274,000; the employed and unemployed populations were 264,000 and 10,000 respectively. Compared with the previous quarter, the employed population increased 8,500, while the unemployed population decreased 100. Regarding the employed population, 53.3% were male. Analyzed by industry, the majority of the employed population were engaging in Recreational, cultural, gaming & other services (19.1%), Wholesale & retail trade (14.5%), Manufacturing (12.0%), as well as the Construction sector (11.8%). In terms of occupation, 21.9% of the employed population were Clerks (including casino dealers, floorpersons, betting service operators, etc.), 21.2% were Service & sales workers and 16.9% were Unskilled workers. The median actual hours worked per week was 47.1 hours; the median monthly employment earnings was MOP6,438. Within the unemployed, 90.4% were searching for a new job, while 9.6% had never worked and were searching for their first job. With regard to the educational attainment, 9.2% had lower than primary education; 29.5% had primary education; 34.6% had junior secondary education; 18.5% had senior secondary education and 8.3% had tertiary education. For the unemployed that were searching for a new job: Analyzed by the previous industry engaged, the majority had worked in Manufacturing (18.5%); Hotels, restaurants & similar activities (18.3%); Construction sector (17.3%); as well as Wholesale & retail trade (16.7%). In terms of the previous occupation, 35.6% were Service & sales workers; Unskilled workers (21.7%) and Craft and similar workers (14.8%).
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service shows that in the second quarter of 2006, construction of 9 buildings was started, with 152 units and 127,264 m² in gross floor area, down 50.3% and 87.5% respectively over the second quarter of 2005, and down 88.9% and 55.6% respectively in comparison with the first quarter of 2006. A sum of 359 parking spaces for cars and 44 parking spaces for motorcycles were provided. In the first half of 2006, the newly started buildings provided 1,524 units and 413,728 m² in gross floor area, up 59.1% and down 62.3% respectively in comparison with the same period of 2005. In the second quarter of 2006, a total of 21 buildings were completed or extended, involving 501 units and 345,581 m² in gross floor area, up 26.8 times and 52.2 times respectively over the second quarter of 2005, and up 41.5% and 91.3% respectively in comparison with the first quarter of 2006. A sum of 1,722 parking spaces for cars and 997 parking spaces for motorcycles were provided. In the first half of 2006, the completed and extended buildings provided 855 units and 526,214 m² in gross floor area, up 11.8 times and 4.9 times respectively in comparison with the same period of 2005. In the second quarter of 2006, the number of residential buildings completed and extended was only 5, supplying 453 building units, which went up 31.4 times and 39.8% over the second quarter of 2005 and the first quarter of 2006 respectively. The housing units were mainly T4 and over (i.e., with four or more rooms), making up 98% (444 units) of the total. The number of housing units completed in the first half of 2006 was 777 units, an increase of 15.5 times compared with the same period of 2005.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that per-capita spending of visitors amounted to MOP 1,468 in the second quarter of 2006, up by 10% over the same period of 2005. Per-capita spending of Mainland visitors led with MOP 2,875, while that of Hong Kong visitors was MOP-919. Moreover, per-capita spending of tourists and same-day visitors were MOP 2,091 and MOP 522 respectively, up by 10% and 13% compared with the second quarter of 2005. Per-capita non-shopping spending (excluding gaming expenses) of visitors increased by 2% year-on-year to MOP 800, of which the expenses on Food & Beverage and Accommodation accounted for 40% and 37% of the non-shopping spending. Furthermore, per-capita shopping spending surged by 22% to MOP 668; the expenses on Food & Candy and Clothing shared 26% and 18% of the per-capita shopping spending. Per-diem spending of visitors was MOP 1,415, up by 8% over the second quarter of 2005; Mainland visitors had the highest per-diem spending of MOP 2,341. In this quarter, the average length of stay of visitors (1.0 day) and same-day visitors (0.2 day) remained at the same level as the second quarter of 2005, while the average of tourists increased by 0.1 day to 1.6 days.
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The Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) was informed by the Royal Danish Consulate General in Hong Kong, that the holders of the Macao SAR Passport have been exempted from visa requirements when visiting Greenland and Faroe Islands for a stay up to three months during any six-month period. Presently, a total of 74 countries and territories have already agreed to grant visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to the Macao SAR passport holders, including 57 countries and 15 territories with mutual visa exemption, and 2 countries granting visa upon arrival.
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Coming September, Macau will be showcased to the Thai audiences through the most popular television travel program, “The Spirit of Adventure”, currently being produced in the city. The “star” of the program decided to take advantage of the increasing number of flights between Bangkok and Macau to show the city to Thai audiences. “In the program, I will take the spectators in a discovery of Macau, showing that there’s not only casinos in the city. It is a easy destination to visit, only a few hours flight and much cheaper then others”, says Jongkolnee Satiraassavanant. The half-hour program aired every Sunday at the Thai television Channel-5 has an audience of around one million people. The program has also the peculiarity of trying to show new destinations and help to create new travel tendencies in Thailand. “We try to show a great variety of destinations”, points the TV-anchor, who has been travel the five continents and which South Africa its her next destination. Also in Macau, during this week, was another group from Thailand, this time leaded by a photographer with the mission to capture images of the city for an exhibition in Bangkok, aiming to show the cultural face of Macau to the Thai people. “I love to travel and when I do that I always try to stay in the old areas of the places I visit, and in Macau there’s a lot of old sites, with the advantage that here everything is close by”, tells the photographer Nat Prakobsantisuk Four daily flights leave Bangkok to Macau, operated by Air Macau and Air Asia, which have contributed for the current double digit growth of the number of Thai tourists visiting Macau. The visit of the two Thai groups have the support of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), that has an representative office in Bangkok. Every year, MGTO supports familiarization visits from opinion makers, as a way to promote Macau to the world. Close to five thousand people were invited to fam tours in Macau last year.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that visitor arrivals in package tours totalled 207,989 in June 2006, down 3.2% year-on-year. Visitors from Mainland China (162,975) and Taiwan, China (15,371) dropped 2.7% and 32.9% respectively; however, those from Hong Kong (7,560) grew 20.0% over June 2005. In the first half of 2006, visitor arrivals in package tours increased 17.6% over the same period of 2005 to 1,454,698. Number of Macao residents travelling in package tours was 21,712 in June 2006, a year-on-year decrease of 23.0%. Mainland China, Thailand and Japan were the three more popular tour itineraries, which accounted for 68.6%, 8.2% and 5.2% of the total respectively. In the first six months of 2006, Macao residents travelling in package tours (130,587) grew 3.3% compared with the same period of 2005. Meanwhile, 27,872 residents travelled under own arrangements using services provided by the travel agencies, an increase of 2.4% over June 2005; Mainland China (32.9%), Hong Kong (25.7%) and Taiwan, China (20.0%) were the major destinations. In the first half of 2006, Macao residents travelled under such arrangements surged 23.7% to 171,282 compared with the corresponding period of 2005. At the end of June 2006, number of guest rooms available in the hotel industry registered an increase of 1,177 rooms (+11.1%) over June 2005 to 11,748 rooms. In addition, a total of 346,970 guests checked into hotels and similar establishments, up by 3.5% compared with June 2005. The average hotel occupancy rate was 68.0%, representing a slight increase of 0.4 percentage point; the highest average was in the 4-star hotels, at 75.8%. The hotel guests stayed an average of 1.16 nights, which rose by 0.02 night compared with June 2005. The majority of the guests came from Mainland China (56.7%), Hong Kong (24.6%) and Taiwan, China (3.2%). In the first half of 2006, number of hotel guests increased 13.3% over 2005 to 2,159,068. In the first six months of 2006, hotel guests (excluding Macao residents) accounted for 40.8% of the total number of tourists, which was lower than the 42.4% recorded in the same period of 2005.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicates that in the first half of 2006, a total of 6,427 contracts of sales and purchases of real estate were made, with value of MOP4.83 billion. The number and value were down 47.0% and 52.5% respectively over the same period of 2005. In the second quarter of 2006, a total of 3,423 contracts of sales and purchases of real estate were made, of which 4,059 real estate units were transacted, amounting to MOP2.6 billion. The number and value went down 54.9% and 53.7% respectively over the second quarter of 2005. In comparison with the first quarter of 2006, the number and value increased 10.6% and 16.1% respectively. In the first half of 2006, the total value of mortgage credits reached MOP42.92 billion, up 3.9 times year on year. In the second quarter of 2006, the total value of mortgage credits was MOP40.26 billion, of which the mortgage credits not involving actual property transactions reached MOP39.08 billion, mainly due to the increase in the mortgage credits of the gaming sector. The mortgage credits related to purchases of real estate reached MOP1.18 billion, equivalent to 2.9% of the total. The total amount increased 7.4 times over the second quarter of 2005; credits involving actual property transactions registered a decrease of 44.1%. In comparison with the first quarter of 2006, the above indicators were up 14.2 times and 32.3% respectively. According to the information supplied by the Finance Services Bureau, the real estate market in the first half of 2006, a total of 10,397 units were transacted, with value of MOP 8.06 billion. In the second quarter of 2006, 5,594 units with a total value of MOP 4.69 billion were transacted. The majority was residential units (68.6% of the total; 3,835 units) with value of MOP 2.98 billion. Among all the units transacted, 1,065 units were exempted from property tax (i.e. they were new buildings) with their value amounting to MOP 2.07 billion. In the second quarter of 2006, the average transaction price of residential units per square meter of usable area in Macao and the Macao Peninsula were MOP10,008 and MOP8,760, down slightly by 0.6% and 0.7% over the second quarter of 2005, but up 2.7% and 6.3% over the first quarter of 2006 respectively. Moreover, the average transaction price of residential units in Taipa was MOP14,122/m2, up 5.1% over the second quarter of 2005 and down 4.4% over the first quarter of 2006. In the second quarter of 2006, the average transaction price of industrial units per square meter of usable area continued to rise, at MOP3,834, up 17.6% and 2.8% over the second quarter of 2005 and first quarter of 2006 respectively. In the second quarter of 2006, the average transaction price of office units per square meter of usable area was MOP17,653, up 24.8% and 2.2% over the second quarter of 2005 and first quarter of 2006 respectively. Among the office units, the area of NAPE e Aterros da Baía da Praia Grande recorded the highest average, at MOP19,611/m2, whereas the area of Zape had the lowest average, at MOP13,783.
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