Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 210 travel agencies were operating in 2017, an increase of 1 year-on-year. Total number of persons engaged rose by 5.9% to 4,500. Attributable to the increase in outbound residents using services of travel agencies, receipts of the industry (MOP 8.00 billion) grew by 20.7% year-on-year; meanwhile, expenditure rose by 19.8% to MOP 7.61 billion.
Among the various items of receipts, those generated from Package Tours (MOP 2.49 billion), Room Reservation Services (MOP 2.06 billion) and Passenger Transport Ticketing (MOP 1.66 billion) increased by 20.5%, 61.2% and 0.9% respectively year-on-year, whereas those from Rental of Coaches with Driver (MOP 942 million) dropped by 3.5%.As regards expenditure, Purchase of Goods & Services and Commission Paid increased by 26.0% to MOP 6.02 billion, accounting for 79.1% of the total, with expenditure on Package Tours (MOP 2.43 billion), Room Reservation Services (MOP 1.68 billion) and Passenger Transport Ticketing (MOP 1.55 billion) rising 27.2%, 59.3% and 1.0% respectively. In addition, Operating Expenses (MOP 860 million) and Compensation of Employees (MOP 732 million) grew by 0.4% and 1.7% year-on-year.
Analysed by number of persons engaged, travel agencies with 50 or more persons totalled 18 (+1 establishment) and the number of persons engaged rose by 7.8% year-on-year to 2,024. Receipts of these travel agencies increased by 7.5% year-on-year to MOP 2.77 billion, of which those from Room Reservation Services (MOP 727 million) went up by 11.1%; however, those from Rental of Coaches with Driver (MOP 692 million) dropped by 5.8%. Meanwhile, there were 17 travel agencies with 30 to 49 persons (-2 establishments) and number of persons engaged fell by 8.9% to 612. These travel agencies registered a total of MOP 881 million in receipts, up by 16.0%, with the majority coming from Passenger Transport Ticketing (MOP 388 million), an upsurge of 49.8%.
On the other hand, the 88 travel agencies with 10 to 29 persons engaged (+6 establishments) had 1,416 persons, up by 13.3% year-on-year. Receipts of these travel agencies expanded by 49.8% to MOP 3.38 billion, which were primarily generated from Package Tours (MOP 1.51 billion) and Room Reservation Services (MOP 882 million), representing a jump of 45.2% and 253.2% respectively. Travel agencies with less than 10 persons totalled 87 (-4 establishments) and number of persons engaged edged down by 0.7% to 448. Their receipts amounted to MOP 962 million, down by 6.5%, of which those from Passenger Transport Ticketing (MOP 356 million) decreased by 23.9% whereas those from Room Reservation Services (MOP 354 million) rose by 20.3%.
Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy totalled MOP 1.12 billion, up by 12.9% year-on-year. Gross Surplus of the travel agencies surged by 42.6% to MOP 388 million and Gross Surplus Ratio went up by 0.8 percentage points to 4.9%. Meanwhile, Gross Fixed Capital Formation of the industry plunged by 57.2% year-on-year to MOP 60.74 million, on account of a reduction in acquisition of vehicles in 2017.