Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that there were 3,422 establishments operating in the Transport, Storage & Communications Sector in 2020, an increase of 58 year-on-year; meanwhile, total number of persons engaged went down by 2,080 to 21,714. Receipts and expenditure of the sector amounted to MOP 16.94 billion and MOP 15.62 billion respectively, representing decreases of 48.0% and 40.6% year-on-year. Gross Surplus totalled MOP 1.28 billion, a shrinkage of 79.4% year-on-year. Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy fell by 48.4% year-on-year to MOP 6.10 billion, and Gross Fixed Capital Formation slid by 58.3% to MOP 798 million.
In the Transport & Storage Sector, operating establishments increased by 59 year-on-year to 3,383 in 2020, while number of persons engaged dropped by 2,033 to 19,243. Receipts of the sector fell by 57.9% year-on-year to MOP 10.45 billion, with those generated from Passenger Transport Services (MOP 2.84 billion), Services Rendered such as provision of package tours, room reservation, passenger transport ticketing and management services (MOP 2.78 billion) and Cargo Transport Services (MOP 1.59 billion) declining by 70.0%, 69.2% and 11.9% respectively. Expenditure of the sector slid by 45.6% year-on-year to MOP 11.44 billion, of which Operating Expenses (MOP 6.38 billion) and Compensation of Employees (MOP 3.82 billion) decreased by 38.2% and 17.6% respectively while Purchase of Goods & Services and Commission Paid (MOP 1.24 billion) tumbled by 79.6%. The sector registered a deficit of MOP 922 million, and Gross Value Added dipped by 65.7% year-on-year to MOP 2.90 billion.
In view of a substantial decline in demand for passenger transport between Macao and other places amid the pandemic, commercial flights and passenger ferry trips plunged by over 80% year-on-year in 2020, which led to a dreadful impact on the operation of the Transport & Storage Sector. Analysed by industry, receipts (MOP 1.13 billion) of Air Transport sank by 78.1% and expenditure (MOP 2.26 billion) fell by 54.9%; therefore, a deficit of MOP 1.14 billion was recorded. Meanwhile, receipts (MOP 450 million) and expenditure (MOP 886 million) of Sea Transport plummeted by 74.1% and 53.0% year-on-year respectively, with a loss of MOP 437 million. As regards Land Transport, receipts (MOP 4.61 billion) decreased by 15.3% year-on-year and expenditure (MOP 3.99 billion) edged down by 0.7%; Gross Surplus (MOP 692 million) registered a decline of 50.9%.
Regarding the Communications Sector, operating establishments totalled 39 in 2020, a decrease of 1 year-on-year; number of persons engaged went down by 47 to 2,471. Receipts of the sector decreased by 16.2% year-on-year to MOP 6.49 billion, on account of a 37.9% fall in receipts from Sales of Goods (MOP 1.93 billion) which was prompted by a decline in sales of electronic products; besides, receipts from Postal, Courier & Communications Services (MOP 3.40 billion) dropped by 5.0%. Expenditure of the sector slid by 20.7% year-on-year to MOP 4.19 billion, of which Purchase of Goods & Services and Commission Paid (MOP 2.28 billion) declined by 32.6% whereas Compensation of Employees (MOP 1.01 billion) and Operating Expenses (MOP 899 million) inched up by 0.2% and 0.8% respectively. Gross Surplus went down by 7.3% year-on-year to MOP 2.20 billion, and Gross Value Added shrank by 5.1% to MOP 3.20 billion.