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Consumer Council recently spot-checked 20 local bakeries to compare prices of white bread. In comparison with figures from last year, this year's result showed that minimal price decrease to obvious increase of up to 46 percent were recorded in prices of each 100g of white bread. Consumer Council collected prices of bagged white bread from 20 local bakeries in August and collected samples included packages of 4 slices, 6 slices, 7 slices, and 8 slices. The testing unit commissioned by Consumer Council used precise weighing machine to measure the net weight of packs of 5-piece white bread and calculated the selling price of each 100g of white bread after the weighing process. Test result indicated that prices of each 100g of white bread in the 20 bakeries ranged from $1.77 to $3.56, which reflected a price difference of 101.1 percent. Jim Sai Cake Shop, located at Rua de São Lourenço, recorded the lowest selling price while the highest was recorded in Saint Honore Cake Shop in Areia Preta. The Council further compared prices of white bread recorded this year with the figures from last year's test. Out of the 19 bakeries with comparable figures, 15 bakeries have increased their prices of bagged white bread and the percentage increase ranged from 1 percent to over 46 percent. The highest price increase of 46.3 percent was observed in Pastelaria Honoré located at Rua da Barca, however, 4 bakeries were found to have dropped their prices of each 100g of white bread and the most notable price decrease of 8 percent was recorded in Golden Cake Shop. Meanwhile, samples of bagged white bread from the same bakery were tested for their net weight differences. Testing result revealed that weight difference of bagged white bread from the same bakery varied from 5.1 percent to 36.5 percent. Café Free, located at Avenida Ouvidor Ariaga, recorded the biggest net weight difference. The above-mentioned test result of bread prices is available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo).
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The 24th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest is held on the Macau Tower shorefront during September 8th and October 1st. The fireworks display by "Marutamaya Ogatsu Fireworks Co., Ltd. from Japan", originally scheduled to perform on September 29 (Saturday) at 21:00 is cancelled. At this time slot, a Macau company, " Kat Sao (Macau) Fireworks" will make her display without participating in the contest. The latest fireworks program is available at: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/documents/img/24th_Fireworks_Program.jpg
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that there were 186 travel agencies operating in 2011, up by 9 compared with 2010. At the end of 2011, a total of 3,379 persons were engaged in travel agencies, an increase of 11% year-on-year. Sales & Other Receipts increased by 17% year-on-year to MOP 5.54 billion. Receipts from Reservation of Tickets (MOP 1.88 billion), Package Tours (MOP 1.38 billion) and Reservation of Rooms (MOP 1.37 billion) together accounted for 84% of the total. Total Expenditure of travel agencies amounted to MOP 5.36 billion, up by 18% year-on-year. Analysed by expenditure items, Purchase of Goods & Services (including tickets, package tours and room reservation) reached MOP 4.46 billion, up by 14% from 2010, of which Purchase of air, train & bus and ferry tickets amounted to MOP 1.85 billion. Besides, Operating Expenses (MOP 455 million) and Compensation of Employees (MOP 445 million) rose by 77% and 21% respectively year-on-year. In 2011, Gross Fixed Capital Formation of travel agencies surged by 236% over 2010 to MOP 200 million on account of acquisition of assets by some travel agencies. Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy increased by 10% year-on-year to MOP 619 million.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai, met Hong Kong's Chief Secretary for the Administration Mrs Carrie Lam today to exchange views on strengthening relationship on tourism co-operation. The meeting was held at Santa Sancha, where Mr Chui warmly welcomed Mrs Lam, who was on her first official visit to Macao as Chief Secretary. Mr Chui briefed Mrs Lam on the latest economic development in Macao and important policies to enhance people's livelihood. At the same time, he told Mrs Lam and her entourage that with the support of the Central Government, Macao has put much effort into developing into a world tourism leisure centre and a business co-operating service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. Because of this, Macao would have more opportunities to exchange with the Romance language-speaking countries to help boost Macao's diversified development. According to the Pearl River Delta Region Reform and Development Plan, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao could jointly develop as a world tourist destination which may provide new opportunities for these three places, said Mr Chui. He also said that these three places have their own advantages in term of tourism resources which may play a complementary role in regional tourism. Based on the good foundation, these three places may join hands to promote tourism in order to achieve mutual benefit. Mrs Lam said that the National "12th Five-Year Plan" speed up co-operation between these three areas, with the establishment of high-level liaison mechanism which promoted co-operation of the two regions. She said she expected that with the past co-operation foundation, the two regions would deepen tourism promotion and to promote multi-destination travel. Before meeting with the Chief Executive, Mrs Lam also met with the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Cheong U, at Government Headquarters where they exchanged views on tourism and social welfare issues.
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The Macao Post announced that the reprint label stamp "World Heritage" will be sold in 10 automatic stamp vending machines located at different areas in Macao starting from 9:00a.m. on 9th October, 2012. (please refer to the appendix for details) The above machines will be temporarily suspended for the replacement of reprint label stamp from 8th, October 2012. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. The label stamp "World Heritage" was issued on 31st July, 2008. The reprint label stamp maintains the original design, but with the wording "REIMP 2009" indicating the reprint year at the bottom of the empty selvage.
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Consumer Council continues to expand its work on conducting price survey of specific products and provide consumers a more comprehensive source for price comparisons. Aside from the current 14 categories of specific product, the Council recently included 'biscuits' to its pool. The latest price survey on biscuits was conducted earlier by collecting prices of 8 brands of biscuits from 20 retail outlets and price differences of the same brand sold at different retail spots ranged from 5 to 33 percent. Consumer Council collected 8 brands of biscuits from 20 local retail outlets on 14th September. 'Garden Cream Wafers/200g', which was sold at $7.2 to $9.6, recorded the biggest price difference of 33.3 percent and 'Garden Original Saltine/200g', which was sold at $8.5 to $8.9, observed the smallest difference of 4.7 percent. A general price difference of about 20 to 30 percent was also recorded in products such as 'Mcvitie's Digestive/250g', 'OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies/9x29.4g' and 'Pacific Soda Cracker/200g'. The specific price survey on biscuits is now available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps.
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Hong Kong's Chief Secretary for the Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, is to visit Macao tomorrow at the invitation of the Macao SAR Government. The Government Spokesman Office, in a statement issued today, said Mrs Lam would pay a courtesy call on the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Cheong U, will meet with Mrs Lam, who is also scheduled to look at tourism, leisure and convention facilities before returning to Hong Kong on the same day.
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Deputy Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes visited Guangzhou and Shanghai to attend China (Guangdong) International Tourism Industry Expo (CITIE2012) and Shanghai Tourism Festival 2012 respectively to promote Macau and the joint tourism of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. MGTO set up a booth around the theme "Touching Moments, Experience Macau" in CITIE2012 and distributed tourism promotion materials. A joint booth for Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau was also set up in the Expo to promote the tourism products of the three places among Mainland and overseas buyers. Deputy Director Helena Fernandes and Head of Destination Marketing Department of MGTO, Betty Fok attended this event in Guangzhou on September 14 and promoted Macau tourism to the trade. Secretary of Guangdong Provincial Committee, Wang Yang, the Governor of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, Zhu Xiaodan and the Chairman of China National Tourism Administration, Shao Qiwei visited the joint booth of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. CITIE2012 grandly took place in Zone A of China Import & Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou during September 14 – 16. Leaders of the People's Government of Guangdong Province and Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province as well as over 200 overseas and domestic guests attended the Expo. CITIE2012 is a national-level expo co-organized by China National Tourism Administration and the People's Government of Guangdong Province. The Expo occupied an area of 100,000 square metres with several thousands of exhibition booths, providing a wider space for exhibiting enterprises. After the Expo, Deputy Director Helena Fernandes visited Shanghai to attend the Opening Ceremony Grand Parade of Shanghai Tourism Festival 2012 on September 15. The Grand Parade took place at the most bustling Huaihai Road in Shanghai. 23 floats and 31 performing teams came from over 20 countries and regions from overseas, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, China to present a fantastic performance in the Grand Parade. Macau's float showed unique features and won the audience's great applause at the show. According to the statistics by the tourism festival's organizing committee, about 500,000 Shanghai citizens, overseas and domestic visitors watched this splendid Opening Ceremony Grand Parade.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today exchanged views on the training of local civil servants and co-operation on public administration research when he met the Executive Vice President of Chinese Academy of Governance (CAG), Mr Li Jianhua. The meeting was held at Santa Sancha, after Mr Li had presided over the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding on co-operation between the Macao SAR Government and the CAG at Government Headquarters. During the meeting, Mr Chui expressed his gratitude to the CAG for its long-term support. He said the SAR Government would enhance co-operation with the CAG by expanding training courses in various areas and conducting more researches on public administration. Mr Chui said the Government was willing to invest in resources to raise civil servants' standards to meet the needs of the public and new developments of the society. Mr Li praised Mr Chui for the development of the MSAR after its establishment 13 years ago: the CAG would continue to support the SAR Government on training, policy consultation, research and other aspects.
The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan, who was also at the meeting, said she was thankful for the CAG's support and that the SAR Government would participate in more projects provided by CAG in the near future.
Dean of CAG, Mr Yang Keqin, Head of Graduate Institute, Mr Guo Xiaolai, Head of Training Centre, Mr Shao Wenhai, the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Tam Chon Weng, the Secretary-General of the Executive Council, Ms O Lam, the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Cheong Chui Ling, and the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng also attended the meeting.
The new memorandum of understanding provides for more co-operation between the SAR Government and CAG on training, scientific research and decision consulting, to comprehensively improve the SAR Government's policy making features.
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The Inaugural Meeting of the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and the Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit are held under the theme "Better City Life through Tourism" in China National Convention Centre in Beijing during September 14 – 16, 2012. The Macau Special Administrative Region is elected a city member of the Council of World Tourism Cities Federation. Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), João Manuel Costa Antunes attends the event on behalf of the Macau Special Administrative Region. The Inaugural Meeting of World Tourism Cities Federation will be held on September 15. The General Assembly and the Council meeting were first held today to elect the first tenure of city Council members and non-city Council members. Acting Mayor of Beijing is appointed the Chairperson of the Council while the Macau Special Administrative Region, represented by Macau Government Tourist Office, is elected a city member of the Council. During the meeting, Director João Manuel Costa Antunes signed the "World Tourism Cities Federation Beijing Declaration" on behalf of the Macau Special Administrative Region. The 1st World Tourism Cities Expo made its grand inauguration at Wangfujing Street in the afternoon concurrently. Acting Mayor of Beijing, Wang Anshun and Vice Chairman of China National Tourism Administration, Du Yili ,etc. attended the opening ceremony. Different city members set up booths to showcase their tourism resources in the Expo. MGTO designed the booth around the theme "Touching Moments, Experience Macau" and promoted Macau tourism products and attractions towards Beijing citizens and visitors. Director João Manuel Costa Antunes will address the topic "Tourism Industry Development in Boosting City Development" at the Panel Session of the World Tourism Cities Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit on September 15 and introduce the Macau tourism industry situation to the participants. He will also use the case of Macau to illustrate the event's theme "Better City Life through Tourism" in three perspectives, namely Tourism Economy in Macau, Interplay between Tourism and Economic Development as well as Tourism in Boosting City Development. Many programs are also held during the Summit including World Tourism Cities Gourmet Festival, World Tourism Cities Film Festival, Award Ceremony of Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit of WTCF, among others. Beijing takes the lead and joins hands with various renowned foreign and domestic tourist cities including Barcelona, Berlin, Dubai, Los Angeles, Ottawa, Tianjin and Chongqing to co-establish the World Tourism Cities Federation. According to the Federation, it is a non-profit and non-governmental international organization jointly organized by tourist cities and tourism-related entities in different countries and regions across the world. It is also the world's first international tourism organization which regards cities as major units. World Tourism Cities Federation is founded not only to promote tourism resources among cities but also to foster the implementation of tourism policies at national level through tourism exchange among member cities. World Tourism Cities Federation is ranked the world's 4th largest tourism organization after World Tourism Organization, World Travel & Tourism Council and Pacific Asia Travel Association. Its headquarters will be based permanently in Beijing. Currently the Federation has its first batch of 58 city and non-city members in total as well as 1 observer city.
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