Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that per-capita spending of visitors for the first quarter of 2008 increased by 5% year-on-year to MOP 1,730. Per-capita spending of Mainland visitors took the lead, at MOP 3,430 and that of Hong Kong visitors was MOP 1,127. Compared with the first quarter of 2007, per-capita spending of tourists went up by 6% to MOP 2,365, but per-capita spending of same-day visitors was MOP 576, a decrease of 9%. Per-capita non-shopping spending (excluding gaming expenses) of visitors rose by 11% year-on-year to MOP 994, of which the expenses on accommodation and food & beverage accounted for 45% and 37% respectively. However, per-capita shopping spending decreased by 3% to MOP 737, with the expenses on local food products and clothing sharing 29% and 23% respectively. Per-diem spending of visitors was MOP 1,484, a decrease of 2% over the first quarter of 2007. Mainland visitors had the highest per-diem spending, at MOP 2,423. In the first quarter of 2008, the average length of stay of visitors extended by 0.1 day year-on-year to 1.2 days. The average for tourists increased by 0.1 day to 1.7 days, while that for the same-day visitors was same as the first quarter of 2007, at 0.2 day.
