Visitor arrivals to Macau increased by 0.9 percent year-on-year to 2.55 million in May, according to data from the Macau Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).
The number of mainland Chinese travelling to the city fell for the third month in a row judged year-on-year, although the number of independent travellers from China was up in May.
Last month the number of tourists from mainland China decreased by 0.5 percent year-on-year to 1.69 million, according to figures released on Tuesday. Government data also show that the generally more affluent mainland visitors travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme rose by 3.5 percent from a year earlier.
Total visitor arrivals to Macau in the five months to May 31 fell by 2.7 percent from the prior-year period, to 12.51 million.
Mainland Chinese accounted for 66.4 percent of the aggregate number of visitors in the first five months this year – or 8.35 million visitors, down by 3.1 percent.
Information from the DSEC also indicated that the Composite Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May 2015 increased by 4.93% year-on-year to 105.39, up from the 4.51% growth in April 2015, attributable to higher rentals for residential flats and rising charges for eating out.
In comparison with May 2014, notable increase was observed in the price index of Housing & Fuels (+9.93%); Health (+6.02%); Household Goods & Furnishings (+5.43%) and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+5.16%) on account of rising rentals for residential flats, rising charges for eating out and out-patient services, as well as higher wages of domestic helpers. On the contrary, price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-2.07%) showed marked decrease.
The average Composite CPI for the first five months of 2015 increased by 4.92% year-on-year, with the price index of Housing & Fuels; Health; and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages rising by 10.53%, 5.56% and 5.12% respectively. (macaunews/GCS)
