In the first five months of 2014, visitor arrivals reached 12,851,806, up by 9% year-on-year, and same-day visitors accounted for 54% of the total according to he Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).
Analyzed by place of residence, visitors from Mainland China (+16%), the Republic of Korea (+17%) and Japan (+7%) increased year-on-year, while those from Hong Kong (-5%) and Taiwan (-1%) decreased.
Long-haul visitors from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom posted year-on-year increase; however, those from Canada registered decline.
Visitor arrivals totaled 2,525,026 in May 2014, up by 8% year-on-year; same-day visitors accounted for 54% of the total, at 1,351,799.
Visitors from Mainland China increased by 14% year-on-year to 1,699,778, coming primarily from Guangdong Province (713,949), Fujian Province (73,083) and Hunan Province (60,808).
Visitors from Taiwan (76,026), the Republic of Korea (39,798) and Japan (26,588) increased by 23%, 20% and 18% respectively year-on-year, while those from Hong Kong (497,244) decreased by 8%.
Long-haul visitors from the United States (15,504) and France (3,946) registered year-on-year increase; on the contrary, visitors from Australia (7,906), Canada (6,450) and the United Kingdom (4,663) marked decrease.
The average length of stay of visitors remained unchanged from a year earlier, at 1.0 day in May 2014; overnight and same-day visitors stayed an average of 2.0 days and 0.2 day respectively, DSEC said in a release.
Meanwhile the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Cheong U, attended a meeting Monday in Beijing to exchange ideas regarding measures to improve the Individual Visit Scheme.
Officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the Chinese State Council and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security also attended the meeting.
A statement from the Office of the Secretary said that the relevant policies to improve the Individual Visit Scheme are still in debate. (macaunews)
