News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that in August 2005, visitor arrivals in package tours totalled 255,237, up 13.2% over August 2004. Visitors from Mainland China (199,140) increased 10.1% year-on-year; visitors from Taiwan, China (21,080) increased 3.6% and those from Hong Kong (18,669) jumped 68.0%. In the first eight months of 2005, arrivals in package tours grew 7.1% over the same period of 2004 to 1,735,570. Number of Macao residents travelling in package tours totalled 42,396 in August 2005, a year-on-year increase of 29.6%. Mainland China, Thailand and Taiwan, China were the three more popular tour itineraries, which accounted for 83.1%, 4.8% and 3.4% of the total respectively. In the first eight months of 2005, Macao residents travelling in package tours surged 44.0% compared with the same period of 2004. Meanwhile, 35,872 Macao residents travelled under own arrangements with the assistance of travel agencies, an increase of 12.1% over August 2004; Mainland China (36.1%), Hong Kong (27.3%) and Taiwan, China (16.1%) were the major destinations. In the first eight months of 2005, Macao residents travelling under such arrangements rose 4.9% compared with the same period of 2004. At the end of August 2005, there were 10,549 rooms available in hotels and similar establishments, an increase of 1,268 rooms (+13.7%) over August 2004. In August 2005, a total of 384,807 guests checked into hotels and similar establishments in Macao, up 2.1% over August 2004. The average hotel occupancy rate fell by 6.6 percentage points to 75.8% compared with the same month of 2004, the highest average was in 3-star hotels, at 90.3%. The average length of stay of hotel guests showed an increase of 0.01 night over August 2004 to 1.16 nights. The majority of the guests came from Mainland China (54.4%), Hong Kong (32.6%) and Taiwan, China (3.2%). In the first eight months of 2005, number of hotel guests recorded a year-on-year growth of 1.6% to 2,669,213. In the first eight months of 2005, hotel guests (excluding Macao residents) accounted for 42.8% of the total number of tourists, which was lower than the 46.0% recorded in the same period of 2004.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today appointed seven legislators, to complete the 29-member third Legislative Assembly, five of them for the first time. They are Mr Lei Pui Lam, Mr Sam Chan Lo, Mr Tsui Wai Kwan, Mr Chui Sai Peng, Mr Philip Xavier, Mr Ieong Tou Hong and Mr Lao Pun Lap. Mr Tsui and Mr Xavier were members of the second Assembly. In accordance with the Basic Law, the third Legislative Assembly consists of 29 legislators, 12 of whom are elected directly, 10 indirectly and seven appointed by the Chief Executive.
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The Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) has completed the preliminary report relating to the incident involving the slight touch of an Boeing 747-400 of EVA Airways and a CRJ-700 of CR Airways in Macau International Airport on 16 September 2005. In accordance with AACM’s “Aircraft Accident or Incident Investigation Procedure”, the Authority immediately set up an incident investigation team to conduct the investigation after the incident occurred, including site inspection and interviews with the relevant personnel to collect information. ADA-Administration of Airports Ltd. and the two air carriers also submitted relevant data. The preliminary report pointed out that the incident occurred at 13:29 on that day. A Hong Kong registered CRJ-700 of CR Airways was holding short runway at holding point of Taxiway D after having completed base crew training. A Taiwan registered Boeing 747-400 of EVA Airways was taxiing on Taxiway C2 and while passing behind the CRJ-700, its left winglet slightly struck the left horizontal stabilizer of the CRJ-700. At that time, the CRJ-700 only had 4 crew members while the Boeing 747-400 had 388 passengers and 17 crew members. No one was injured. According to the report, the Boeing’s winglet leading edge was found with skin crack and twist. The CRJ-700’s left horizontal stabilizer lower skin was found scratched. AACM stated that the content of the preliminary report related to the facts of the incident. The incident investigation team will continue to collect more information for in-depth investigation and analysis to determine the cause with a view to preventing recurrence in the future. The final report is expected to be completed after two months.
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Immigration authorities recorded a total of 1,830,863
crossing the five immigration checkpoints of the Macao SAR over the National Day Golden Week holidays (1 October to 7 October). Total number of arrivals stood at 916,758
with Border-gate: 729,995
Lotus Bridge: 4,514
Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal: 150,530
Inner Harbor Wharf Nº14: 12,826
Macao International Airport: 18,893 Total of departures stood at 914,105
with Border-gate: 763,748
Lotus Bridge: 5,101
Outer Harbor Ferry Terminal: 115,499
Inner Harbor Wharf Nº14: 8,783
Macao International Airport: 20,974 Meanwhile, total number of tourist arrivals in that period stood at 432,940
,with a growth of 8.36%
over the 399,537 arrivals in the same period of last year.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that in 2004, there were 1,450 cooked-food stalls, restaurants and similar establishments in business, a rise of 70 establishments over 2003. The enormous increase of visitors spurred continuous growth of the travel related industries; hence, business performance of restaurant services was comparatively better than 2003, with significant increases recorded in the principal indicators. Sales and other receipts totalled at MOP 2,466 million while expenditure amounted to 2,375 million, which showed increases of 34.4% and 29.4% respectively. In 2004, there were 1,403 restaurants and similar establishments, an increase of 78 establishments over 2003. Total number of persons engaged in the industry was 14,723 as at the end of 2004, up 22.4% over the preceding year. Sales and other receipts jumped by 34.4% at MOP 2,456 million while expenditure amounted to MOP 2,367 million, up by 29.4%. In terms of expenditure items, purchase of goods for sale took a predominant share of 42.0% of the total, with MOP 994 million; operating expenses and compensation of employees accounted for MOP 802 million and MOP 572 million. Gross value added and gross fixed capital formation of restaurants and similar establishments totalled at MOP 895 million and MOP 120 million respectively, equivalent to increases of 46.6% and 64.1% over 2003. In 2004, there were 47 cooked-food stalls in municipal markets, dropped by 8 stalls over 2003. Number of persons engaged dropped 11.3% over 2003 to 86 persons. Sales and other receipts rose 23.0% over 2003, to MOP 10.64 million. Expenditure amounted to MOP 7.81 million, rose by 24.5% over 2003.
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In accordance with the year plan approved by the “Facilitation and Security Committee” at the beginning of this year, the Macau International Airport (MIA) conducted an “Aircraft Bomb Threat Exercise” from 21:30 last night till 01:00 this early morning. The exercise simulated the scenario of a piece of luggage with explosives found in an aircraft. The airport then declared emergency and all relevant parties got ready. The exercise was a form of joint training to assess the effectiveness of the procedures and contingency plans. In addition, it also aimed at increasing the awareness of the vital role aviation security personnel play in maintaining a safe and efficient operating environment for civil aviation. Coordinated by Public Security Forces, the exercise also involved the participation of Unitary Police Service, Macao Customs, Public Security Coordination Office, Judiciary Police, Port Authority, Health Bureau, Fire Brigade, Civil Aviation Authority, CAM-Macau International Airport Company Ltd., ADA-Administration of Airports, Ltd., Macau Security Company Ltd., Air Macau Company Ltd., Menzies Macau Aviation Services and so on. More than 100 people took part in it. Carried out every year in MIA, the security exercise helps to enhance the ability of the participants to recognize and deal with aviation security emergencies, ensuring that MIA be one of the safest airports in the world.
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Government Headquarters will be opened to members of the public, to take photographs and walk through the mansion and gardens on Saturday 8 October and Sunday 9 October, from 9 am to 6 pm. This will be the fifth open day: as in the past bands of the Public Police Security Force and the Chinese Orchestra of Macao will give two performances, in the morning and in the afternoon (please see following schedule). Special traffic arrangements will be in place and motorists are advised to cooperate and heed advice of traffic police in the area. Visitors should enter from the Travessa do Paiva to the front block of the complex. Macao Post will issue a souvenir cover for sale at the special desk located in Lakes Nam Van, where buyers could also have the covers stamped. Located on Avenida Praia Grande, Macao SAR Government Headquarters covers an area of 7,700 square meters and comprise three buildings with a total floor area of 10,000 square meters. The front block of the Headquarters, (the former Government House) is a two-storey mansion where the Chief Executive and the secretaries receive guests and hold official functions. The ground floor of the building accommodates the conference room of the Executive Council, the Lotus Room, a multi-purpose conference room and a pressroom. The first floor accommodates the office of the Chief Executive, the Green Room, the Yellow Room and the Blue Room, as well as the Secretariat of the Executive Council. Schedule of the concerts: 08-10-2005
10:00 am – 10:30 am Band of Public Police Security Force
11:00 am – 11:30 am Band of Public Police Security Force 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm Chinese Orchestra of Macao
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Chinese Orchestra of Macao 09-10-2005
10:00 am – 10:30 am Chinese Orchestra of Macao
11:00 am – 11:30 am Chinese Orchestra of Macao 3:00 am – 3:30 am Band of Public Police Security Force
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm Band of Public Police Security Force
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Organised by the Legal Affairs Bureau, and starting tomorrow, October 5, at 3 pm, in the Legal and Judicial Training Centre (Luso-International Bank Building, 10th floor) is a Workshop on the Contribution for Macau of the European Commission Experience on the Fields of Interpretation and Translation. As part of the Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, this training course will have as speakers two experts from the European Commission on the fields of interpretation and translation and will take place daily, until Friday, October 7, between 3 and 6 pm The first day will be on the “Multilingual Experience in the European Union: Management of Translations in the European Commission” having as speaker Maria Cristina de Preter, Head of Unit PT-1 (Legal Affairs, Economic and Financial, Competition) of the Directorate-General for Translation of the European Commission. The second day will be on “Quality Interpretation Towards Multilingual Communication” and will be conducted by Pedro Elston, Principal Interpreter of the Portuguese Unit of the Directorate-General for Interpretation of the European Commission. The third day will be left for debate. The workshop will be conducted in Portuguese and targets the interpreters-translators of the MSAR public departments, having 28 local participants registered to attend. The Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, in which this workshop is integrated, has as its main objective the “Consolidation of the Macao Legal System”. Currently in its fourth year of execution, the Co-operation Programme will proceed until February 2007. The total budget for the programme is of 1.980.000 euros, shared in equal parts by the European Union and Macao. The co-ordination of the Co-operation Programme is at the responsibility of the International Law Office, being the organisation of the pertaining activities ensured by several other entities of the MSAR’s Government, namely the Legal and Judicial Training Centre, the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Economic Services and the Institute of European Studies, other than the International Law Office itself.
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The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today told World Trade Organization delegates attending a meeting in Macao that the SAR Government would maintain its transparent and open trade policy to provide a level-playing field for local and foreign businesses. Mr Ho made the pledge as he addressed the opening session of “Delivering on the WTO Round: A High-Level Government-Business Dialogue for Development”, jointly held by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and International Trade Centre (ITC). Among the delegates at the session were the Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, Dr. Kim Hak-Su, and the Director of Division of Trade Support Services of ITC, Mr. Ramamurti Badrinath. “In accordance with the ‘One country, Two systems’ principle and under the Basic Law, our mini-constitution, the SAR Government will insist on taking responsibilities as a member of the international community by maintaining a transparent and open trade policy as a right way forward in creating a level-playing field for local and foreign businesses.” Mr Ho said in the past few years, Macao had achieved successful regional integration on trade and services with the Pearl River Delta and increasingly greater access to the Mainland under the framework of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). And last year, cooperation had further widened to the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region, which includes nine Mainland provinces and the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao. “In order to maintain the momentum of growth, we endeavour to foster closer and long-term trade cooperation with other economies. Our main thrust now is to work together with places closer to us.” He said that UNESCAP had worked strenuously in uniting its 62 members in search of human development, social and economic progress, and had assisted governments in member countries to more effectively participate in regional and global trade. Meanwhile, the ITC helped the business sectors of developing countries to deepen their understanding of the WTO rules. Today’s meeting also helped forge a timely opportunity to evaluate the progress of the Doha Development Agenda, which provided ground for negotiations towards a fair trading environment at both national and international levels, and promoted dialogue to shelter the complexities involved in cooperation among different economies in the region characterised by extreme diversity. “In a geographic area with economies as diverse as those in the UNESCAP region, an even and fair distribution of costs and benefits across countries would have to be a recurring concern when trade openness and regional integration take shape,” Mfr Ho said. Under-Secretary General of UN and Executive Secretary of the UNESCAP, Dr Kim Hak-Su, said that Macao’s history was inextricably linked to trade and the wealth brought by trade. Macao’s unique history had blended diverse cultures and the signs of a vibrant economy were amply evident. “But more important for me, is to observe how economic prosperity blends with a stable and harmonious society,” Dr Kim said. The Director of Division of Trade Support Services of ITC, Mr Ramamurti Badrinath, said the objective of the meeting was to bring participating businesspeople and government officials closer together to let them contribute to the success of the Doha Development Round for the benefit of their own businesses and countries. At the opening session, Senior Under Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, Mr Thomas Aquino, was elected Chairman of the meeting. Mr Sou Tim Peng, Acting Director of Macao Economic Services, was elected Deputy Chairman. More then 150 officials, prominent entreplenures, intrnational organisation delegates and academics had participated in the meeting to discuss regional commerce and the related effects, in serach of enhancing dicision making in trade policy
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicates that, in August 2005, Macao’s total value of exports amounted to MOP2.06 billion, down 13.2% over the same month of 2004. Among this, the value of domestic exports decreased 15.1% to MOP1.64 billion and the value of re-exports fell 4.6% to MOP422 million. Value of imports amounted to MOP2.92 billion, up 17.8% over the same period of 2004. A trade deficit of MOP854 million was recorded this month. During the period of January – August 2005, the value of total exports decreased 24.1% year-on-year to MOP11.28 billion. Among this, the value of domestic exports and re-exports decreased 31.1% and 1.2% respectively. Meanwhile, the value of imports amounted to MOP19.24 billion, up 7.4% over the same period of 2004. In the first eight months of 2005, Macao’s trade balance registered a deficit of MOP7.96 billion. During this period, the exports/imports ratio decreased from 82.9% in the corresponding period of 2004 to 58.6%. In the first eight months of 2005, the value of Textile & garment exports, which accounted for 75.5% of the total exports, decreased 28.7% over the same period of 2004. Moreover, the value of Non-textile exports also dropped 5.3%. As the major components of non-textile exports, Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof expanded 11.6%, whereas Footwear fell 91.2% year-on-year. The USA and the EU remained as Macao’s major export markets, together making up 61.6% of the total value of exports. Among this, exports to the USA, which made up 48.4% of the total value of exports, decreased 23.9% over the same period of 2004; exports to the EU, which made up 13.2% of the total value of exports, also decreased 54.7% over the same period of 2004. During the period of January – August 2005, Macao’s total value of imports increased 7.4% year-on-year. In terms of broad economic categories, Fuels & lubricants, Capital goods and Consumer goods rose 40.4%, 22.2% and 4.6% respectively, whereas Raw materials & semi-manufactures registered a year-on-year decrease of 2.6%. Meanwhile, Macao’s main suppliers of imported goods still concentrated in the Asian region. Imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong together constituted 52.0% of the total value of imports. Compared with the same period of 2004, the value of imports from Mainland China and Hong Kong rose 1.6% and 1.3% respectively.
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