News

Consumer Council conducted its price check on 16 brands of rice from 23 retail spots (including supermarkets and grocery stores) on 2nd May, relevant data has been uploaded to the 'Specific Product Price Information Platform' on the Council's website. The abovementioned survey included 2 Japanese rice brands, 2 Australian rice brands, and 12 Thai rice brands. Survey result showed that selling price of the same brand in different retail stores differed and the price discrepancy ranged from 1.02% to 20.98%. Prices of 'Golden Rabbit (10Kg)' differed significantly in different stores, the lowest selling price recorded was $123.00 while the highest was $148.80, which amounted to a difference of over 20%. Consumers may access the relevant resources on the 'Specific Product Price Information Platform' on the Council's website and make price comparisons. For enquiry, please call 89889315.
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Consumer Council continues to improve its channels for releasing supermarket price data. After launching the "Supermarket Price Information Platform" app for iPhone, the Council extends its service and launches a version for consumers using smart phones running Android. The public are welcome to download both versions of the mentioned app. The Council continues to open up new channels for releasing supermarket price data. Aside from the "Supermarket Price Information Platform" and "Specific Product Price Information Platform" on the Council's website, local mobile phone users can also get access to resources of the latest "Supermarket Price Survey" through WAP channels on their mobile phones. Consumer Council launched its 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' app for iPhone in late 2011, since then, over 24,000 users have downloaded the app and a browsing record of over 1 million has been recorded, this reflects that many consumers now have the habit of making price comparisons on their mobile phones. Consumer Council now launches its "Supermarket Price Information Platform" app for Android for the provision of better service to consumers. Consumers can now search for the platform app in Google play shop, or download it directly from the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo). To make it easier for local citizens and tourists to browse its contents, the interface and contents of "Supermarket Price Information Platform" are available in Chinese, English, and Portuguese. "Supermarket Price Information Platform" app provides consumers with retail prices of around 300 kinds of products from over 10 local supermarkets, and consists of 'Supermarket Price Watch', 'Best Price in Town', and 'Shopping Basket' for consumers to browse, compare, and search for their desired items. "Supermarket Price Information Platform" also includes a list of 'Certified Shops'. For enquiry, please call 89889315.
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Kelly Kong, Helen Liu and Jelana Wang, students of Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT), won the 'Audience's Choice' Award in the PATA Social Entrepreneurs' Challenge organised by Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). They are currently enrolled in first and second year of IFT's bachelor degree programme in Tourism Business Management. The 2012 PATA Social Entrepreneur Challenge is a platform to showcase the new ideas of the young, dynamic and creative talents in the tourism and hospitality industry. It also serves the purpose of providing new socially responsible business plan for entrepreneurs. It challenged full-time undergraduate students from PATA member schools in tourism, hospitality or culinary arts to submit a video on a socially responsible tourism business idea on YouTube (maximum 5 minutes) fitting either of the following themes: changes in travelling patterns; changes in tourism and hospitality sectors; innovation in tourism and hospitality products; exploration of new tourism products; the influence of technology in the tourism industry; and tourism's extra disciplinary roles. The competition attracted more than 26 individual and group participants from various regions and countries of the Asia Pacific region. PATA announced the 3 finalists of the competition and one of them was the IFT Team with the topic of "The Influence of Technology in Tourism Industry". The three finalists were invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges at PATA Annual Conference in Kuala Lumpur, 21-22 April, 2012, after a rigorous competition, IFT Team performed outstandingly and won the "Audience's Choice" Award. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a membership association acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. In partnership with PATA's private and public sector members, it enhances the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within the region.
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Consumer Council conducted its price check on 16 brands of dairy products from 20 retail spots on 25th April, relevant data has been uploaded to the 'Specific Product Price Information Platform' on the Council's website. The abovementioned survey includes 6 brands of milk cartons, 1 yogurt drink, 3 butters, 1 whipping cream, and 5 cheeses. Among the 6 different milk cartons, selling prices of the same brand in different retail outlets were similar, only 'Pauls Milk - Pure Milk (paper pack 1L)' recorded an obvious price discrepancy of 42.01%, ranging from $16.90 to $24.00. For butter, the lowest price of 'Anchor Pure New Zealand Butter (salted) 227g' recorded was $14.50 while the highest recorded was $21.30, resulting a price discrepancy of 46.90%. Price discrepancies also existed in the 5 different brands of cheeses surveyed, as prices of 'The Laughing Cow Belcube Cheese Spread - 15cubes' ranged from $23.50 to $34.80, which equaled to a difference of 48.09%. Price differences and comparisons can be accessed on the 'Specific Product Price Information Platform' on the Council's website. The latest specific price survey on dairy products is now available online on the Council's official website (www.consumer.gov.mo). For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
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The statistical data of joint operations of combating illegal workers by PSP and DSAL during March 2012 is as follows: During the operations solely launched by our Force, we have inspected 416 locations, 9 of which were referred by DSAL, and a total of 59 illegal workers were caught. During the operations solely launched by DSAL, they have inspected a total of 17 locations, and 8 illegal workers were caught. Moreover, no any joint operation launched by PSP and DSAL. The above locations of inspection consisted of construction sites, private flats, business and industrial venues, etc.
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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) participated at "Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2012" to expand the Middle East market source and to promote the positioning of Macau as a World Center of Tourism and Leisure.
Head of MGTO Advertising and Production Division Alice Coelho led the Macau delegation comprising representatives from local tour operator, hotels and resorts, convention and exhibition to the ATM 2012, held from April 30 to May 3 in Dubai.
MGTO has been striving to explore opportunities to expand the tourism market from the Middle East, a market with huge potential. The 50 square meter Macau booth at the event was dedicated to the theme "Touching Moments Experience Macau" showcased the latest updates and tourism products in Macau.
Last year, Macau welcomed over 10,000 visitors from the Middle East, a growth of 24.38%. In the first quarter of 2012, visitors from the Middle East registered a significant growth of 40.7%.
ATM is the leading travel and tourism exhibition in the Arabic world and the Middle East. According to organizer, the event attracted last year 2,236 exhibitors and 22,000 visitors. This press release is available at http://www.macautourism.gov.mo
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This was the core message delivered by Professor Greg Richards from University of Tilburg in the Netherlands who delivered a public seminar "Tourism, Culture and Creativity" at IFT on 24 April 2012 before a diverse audience made up of members of government agencies, professionals, scholars, students and local residents. The seminar was delivered as part of Prof Richards' visit to IFT from 23-25 April 2012. Prof. Richards is the author of "Eventful Cities" which aims to analyse the processes of cultural event development, management and marketing, and link these processes to their wider cultural, social and economic context. Events offer the potential to achieve economic, social, cultural and environmental aims within broader urban development strategies. He is a Professor of Leisure Studies at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands. He has worked on projects for numerous national governments, national tourism organisations and municipalities, and he has extensive experience in tourism research and education. During the seminar, Prof. Richards discussed the rapidly developing relationship between tourism and creativity, and how "creative tourism", which enables tourists to discover local cultures through their own creative activities, is becoming a niche in its own right. "Creative place requires creative people. Creative people require creative place. Tourists are always looking for the 'secret corners' of the city. One of the best ways to attract tourists is to have good local lifestyle. People are not only here to visit as tourist but also as people in engaging the creativity in the community which generates income" said Prof. Richards at the seminar. Prof. Richards highlighted the case studies of Barcelona, Auckland, and Edinburg, etc. and their experiences of transforming into world creative cities. Examples such as gastronomy and souvenir contribute in this transformation. Tourists may learn Macanese Cuisine anywhere in the world, but the difference is the authentic Macanese Cuisine can only be learnt here in Macao and that would enable tourists to experience Macao. Souvenir is another way of making tourists involve in the city's creative works and remember the city. In concluding his lecture, Prof. Richards emphasised the immense opportunities that lie ahead for Macao to become a creative world city and to help shed its predominant image of merely a leisure and gambling centre.
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To prepare for 1st May festive holiday, Consumer Council, Economic Services Department (DSE), Macau Government Tourist Office (DST), Transport Bureau (DSAT), Judiciary Police (PJ), Public Security Police Force (PSP), Macao Custom Service and Provisional Municipal Council (IACM) met earlier to discuss measure on protecting consumer rights and combating 'unscrupulous shops'. In order to enhance the knowledge of 'Adherents' and 'Certified Shops' about intellectual property, and to improve professional knowledge and service quality of retail salespersons, Consumer Council and representative from Macao Custom Service reached a mutual agreement on the meeting to co-organize talks for 'Adherents' and 'Certified Shops' of the Council about regulations concerning intellectual property in Macao. Participating departments agreed to keep on strengthening communication and cooperation with one another, especially in protecting the interests of tourists in Macao, and to work closely and enhance their surveillance work during this peak shopping season. Further, business owners in all industries, especially restaurants, are called on to take note that price setting is regulated by law in Macao (Section 8, Article 3 of Decree Law No. 16/96/M), business owners should abide by this. Businesses, especially 'Certified Shops' and 'Adherents', should let customers well informed of the prices charged. Consumer Council will also assign its staff to receive consumers' phone calls during '1st May Golden Week' (11AM-18PM, 30th April to 1st May, office will resume service on 2nd May). For enquiry and complaint, please call 8988 9315.
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Consumer Council published its issue no. 224 of Consumer Report. In the current issue, the assessment mechanism for evaluating 'Certified Shop' is introduced, and an interview with the owners of 'Certified Shops' awarded Class A in 2012 is featured. Last year, Consumer Council reviewed and renewed its assessment mechanism for evaluating 'Certified Shop' which had been using for ten years and adopted the new mechanism featuring classes. 'Certified Shops' are classified according to their scores into six classes; those which acquire the highest class are publicly announced and awarded while those which fail the assessment lose their entitlement as 'Certified Shops'. Consumer Council believes that the new mechanism helps better the work of monitoring 'Certified Shops' and encourages 'Certified Shops' to improve by awarding them or ceasing their qualifications as 'Certified Shops'. The assessment mechanism for evaluating 'Certified Shop' is introduced in the latest issue of Consumer Report to let consumers and business owners informed of its contents, an interview with the owners of two Class A 'Certified Shops' is also featured in the magazine. The latest Consumer Report also covers an article on 'Electricity Subsidy Scheme', stating the rights and responsibilities of consumers. Recent activities of the Council, worldwide information about consumer rights, and other articles are also covered. Consumer Report is now available free of charge at the office of Consumer Council (Rua Inácio Baptista, Nº 6-6A Edificio Seaview Garden R/C), and the service counter of Consumer Council at Macao SAR Government Service Centre (Rua Nova da Areia Preta, Nº52), Public Information Centre at Vicky Plaza and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources online at the Council's official website (http://www.consumer.gov.mo). For enquiries, please call 8988 9315.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export for March 2012 amounted to MOP704 million, up by 15.8% year-on-year; value of re-exports (MOP503 million) increased by 24.4%, but that of domestic exports (MOP200 million) decreased by 1.2%. Total merchandise import amounted to MOP6.02 billion, up by 26.1% year-on-year. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP5.32 billion in March 2012. In the first quarter of 2012, total value of merchandise export increased by 22.1% year-on-year to MOP1.98 billion, of which value of re-exports and domestic exports rose by 33.2% and 1.4% respectively; meanwhile, total value of merchandise import increased by 32.1% to MOP17.35 billion. Merchandise trade deficit for the first quarter of 2012 widened by 33.6% year-on-year to MOP15.37 billion. Merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP1.02 billion) and Mainland China (MOP283 million) in the first quarter of 2012 increased by 40.7% and 21.9% respectively year-on-year. Exports of Non-textile (MOP1.69 billion) expanded by 32.0%, of which exports of Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof (MOP294 million) and Articles for casino (MOP73 million) surged by 152.5% and 247.1% respectively; however, exports of Textile & garment declined by 15.5% to MOP285 million. In the first quarter of 2012, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP5.39 billion) and the EU (MOP4.09 billion) expanded by 39.2% and 21.4% respectively year-on-year. Imports of Consumer goods rose by 32.2% to MOP10.63 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP1.66 billion), Watches (MOP1.15 billion) and Handbags & wallets (MOP1.02 billion) increasing by 57.5%, 49.4% and 49.8% respectively. Moreover, imports of Capital goods (MOP3.34 billion) registered year-on-year increase of 38.9%. In the first quarter of 2012, total value of external merchandise trade amounted to MOP19.32 billion, up by 31.0% compared with MOP14.75 billion a year earlier.
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