According to information released by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), total visitor spending (excluding gaming expenses) increased by 17.4 per cent year-on-year to MOP14.64 billion in the third quarter of 2016, putting to an end the seven consecutive quarters of year-on-year decline. The third quarter also showed an expansion of more than 25 per cent over the second quarter of 2016.
Total spending of overnight visitors during the quarter amounted to MOP11.92 billion, while that of same-day visitors reached MOP2.72 billion, rising by 21.5 per cent and 2.1 per cent year-on-year respectively.
Per capita spending of visitors increased by 17.3 per cent year-on-year to MOP1,806 in the third quarter, while per capita spending of overnight visitors expanded by 11.5 per cent to MOP2,809 year-on-year.
Analyzed by place of visitor origin, those from mainland China spent about 18.2 per cent more in the third quarter (MOP2,100 per capita) than they did in the comparable period last year. The spending of those from Guangdong Province (MOP1,672) and Fujian Province (MOP1,411) rose by 16.2 per cent and 27.6 per cent year-on-year respectively.
Meanwhile, per capita spending of visitors from Singapore (MOP1,912), Hong Kong (MOP1,092) and Taiwan (MOP1,638) all saw double-digit growth, increasing by 17.1 per cent, 19.7 per cent and 16.9 per cent respectively.
Among long-haul visitors, per capita spending of those from the United States (MOP1,177) dropped by 13 per cent year-on-year, while Australians and British visitors spent on average MOP1,421 and MOP1,183 respectively, rising by 8.3 per cent and 7.2 per cent.
According to DSEC, visitors to the territory spent mainly on shopping (43.4 per cent), accommodation (27.3 per cent) and food and beverage (21.3 per cent). Per capita spending on shopping increased by 16.8 per cent year-on-year during the third quarter to MOP783.
Additionally, the results of the Visitors’ Comments Survey for the third quarter of 2016 indicate that 90.5 per cent of surveyed visitors were satisfied with the services and facilities of hotels, up marginally by 0.4 percentage points quarter-to-quarter.
Visitors who expressed satisfaction with services of retail shops (85.0 per cent), gaming establishments (83.5 per cent) and tourist attractions rose by 2.5, 1.7 and 5.5 percentage points respectively. On the other hand, visitors satisfied with public transport (67.4 per cent) saw a quarter-to-quarter decline of 3.3 percentage points.
(Macau News / Macau Daily Times)
