News

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, today praised the Portuguese community for their contribution to the development of Macao. Speaking at a cocktail to celebrate the Day of Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities, Mr Ho said the government would endeavour to understand more of the needs of the Portuguese community and to foster their unique culture. With the support of the Central Government, he said, Macao had developed into a business platform for the Mainland and Portuguese-speaking countries, forging a bright outlook for Macao. In the afternoon, the Chief Executive met the Minister of Justice of Portugal, Mr Alberto Costa. On behalf of the Portuguese Government, Mr Costa invited Mr Ho to visit Portugal, and Mr Ho said he would try to arrange for a visit next year.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicates that in April 2005, visitor arrivals in package tours totalled 231,739, down 2.5% over April 2004. Visitors from Mainland China (180,995) dropped 14.1% year-on-year; visitors from Taiwan, China (28,722) surged 136.3% and those from Hong Kong (6,378) decreased 4.4%. In the first four months of 2005, visitor arrivals in package tours grew 6.0% over the same period of 2004 to 828,599. Number of Macao residents travelling in package tours totalled 19,372 in April 2005, a year-on-year increase of 49.7%. Mainland China, Taiwan, China and Thailand were the three more popular tour itineraries, which accounted for 86.3%, 3.1% and 3.0% of the total respectively. In the first four months of 2005, Macao residents travelling in package tours went up 56.4% compared with the same period of 2004. Meanwhile, 23,552 Macao residents travelled under own arrangements with the assistance of travel agencies, an increase of 16.5% over April 2004; Mainland China (39.2%), Taiwan, China (20.5%) and Hong Kong (16.0%) were the major destinations. In the first four months of 2005, Macao residents travelling under such arrangements fell 4.5% compared with the same period of 2004. At the end of April 2005, there were 10,636 rooms available in hotels and similar establishments, an increase of 1,318 rooms (14.1%) over April 2004. In April 2005, a total of 330,819 guests checked into hotels and similar establishments in Macao, a slight decrease of 0.5% over April 2004. The average hotel occupancy rate fell 10.0 percentage points to 67.0% compared with the same month of 2004. The highest occupancy rate was in 3-star hotels, at 76.9%. The average length of stay of hotel guests dropped 0.02 night over April 2004 to 1.16 nights. The majority of the guests came from Mainland China (58.8%), Hong Kong (25.6%) and Taiwan, China (3.1%). In the first four months of 2005, number of hotel guests showed a marginal decrease of 0.1% to 1,240,528 over the same period of 2004. In the first four months of 2005, hotel guests (excluding Macao residents) accounted for 41.2% of the total number of tourists, which was lower than the 46.4% recorded in the same period of 2004.
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The 19th International Travel Expo (ITE) opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Mr. João Costa Antunes led a delegation of MGTO staff and more than 20 Macau tourism industry representatives to attend the opening ceremony. ITE HK is a prime tourism trade show in Asia and MGTO is one of the many supporters of this annual event, which attracts tourism boards and travel trade worldwide. With around 500 exhibitors from 50 countries and regions as well as thousands of local and overseas travel trade visitors and buyers participating, the ITE HK this year promises to be bigger and more comprehensive. The 100-square meter Macau booth this year is themed to emphasize the unique eastern and western architectural characteristics of Macau. Set against the backdrop of the magnificent Guia Lighthouse, counters resembling the pavilions of Lou Lim Ieoc Garden provide an area for over 20 representatives from Macau’s tourism industry, including hoteliers, travel agents, airlines and ferry companies to promote their tourism products and develop business opportunities. Photos of the “Macau 2005, the 4th East Asian Games” to be held between October 29 to November 6 in Macau and relevant information are also showcased at the entrance to the exhibition zone. MGTO hosted a trade reception at the booth in the afternoon after the opening ceremony to strengthen connections with officials and trade members of the Hong Kong tourism industry as well as trade visitors from around the world. MGTO also launched the brand new 2-day travel itinerary ‘Macau Talk, Macau Walk’ at ITE HK. In addition to the newly designed promotional brochure and tourist map, 3 on site presentation sessions are held to introduce the new itinerary to the travel trade and the public. ‘Macau Talk, Macau Walk’ presents to visitors the ‘wonders’ of Macau, including the place where the Portuguese first landed: A-Ma Temple, the oldest western charity in China: Holy House of Mercy and the site that possesses the highest number of fortress in China: Mount Fortress. This year, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau continue to join force to promote regional tourism of the Greater Pearl River Delta in ITE HK. The 19th International Travel Expo at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre covers an area of 14,000 square meters, an expansion of 40% over last year. The first two days are open only to the travel trade while the last two days are open to the public. To facilitate business contacts and exchange of information, the organizer arranged a series of seminars and product presentations for the trade days while the public can enjoy a variety of cultural performances and lucky draws in the two public days.
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Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) held a promotional event, “Macau Carnival” in Kuala Lumpur. Deputy Director of MGTO, Ms Helena de Senna Fernandes, together with representatives of the Macau tourism industry, attended the activity. She also met with representatives of the tourism industry of Malaysia, strengthening mutual relationship for the promotion of Macau tourism. MGTO held “Macau Carnival” at One Utama shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur on 4-5 June. Deputy Director of MGTO, Ms Helena de Senna Fernandes and Chairman of the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents, Tunku Dato Seri Iskandar Tunku Abdullah hosted the opening ribbon cutting ceremony, which was accompanied by a lion dance performance. The promotional event, “Macau Carnival” included activities like Portuguese folk dance, street dance, games like stilt walkers, clowns with balloons, magicians, tattoo artists Chinese handicrafts demonstration, lucky draw and prize giving ceremony, and offers of free culinary delicacies from Macau. Besides, there is a trade discussion corner, sales promotion of Macau tours by travel agencies of Malaysia and an AirAsia booth selling air tickets of the Macau-Kuala Lumpur route. Approximately 5,000 persons visited the two days Macau Carnival. On 6 June, MGTO held a Travel Trade Luncheon for travel industry representatives of Malaysia and Macau. The two parities exchanged opinions, and agreed to enhance communications and relationships for future co-operation. In her welcome speech at the luncheon, MGTO Deputy Director, Ms Helena de Senna Fernandes expressed the significance of Southeast Asia as Macau’s source, market. Currently, several low-cost carriers have started services in Southeast Asian cities and she believed there will be more visitors from Southeast Asia, including Malaysia traveling to Macau. The year 2004 saw a record increase of Southeast Asian visitors to Macau. Visitor arrivals from Malaysia grew by 97%, ranking 8th among Macau’s major source markets, and was the source market with the highest rate of increase. AirAsia’s Macau-Kuala Lumpur route was officially launched at the end of 2004. It helps to actively promote tourism of the two places; while at the same time benefits the development and diversification of Macau’s tourist sources.
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The government would legislate for the new measures suggested in the educational reform proposals should members of the Education Council reach a consensus in a meeting next Friday. The Director of Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, Mr Sou Chio Fai, disclosed this last week after a meeting with representatives of the New Macau Association. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Dr Fernando Chui Sai On, hosted the meeting, during which they discussed the development of non-tertiary education in Macao. Mr Sou revealed that members of the Education Council were scheduled to meet next Friday to further discuss the proposals for educational reform, which include extending the period for free education to children in kindergarten, as well as other measures to enhance the overall quality of education in Macao. The proposals were made public in July 2003 for public consultation. Three mouths ago, members of the Education Council concluded that the period for free education should be extended from 10 to 12 years to benefit children in kindergarten.
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Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) releases information on the expenditure-based GDP for the first quarter of 2005 as follows. Growth rates refers to the real growth rates of the reference period over the same period of the previous year, unless otherwise specified. In the first quarter of 2005, the GDP resumed to a normal pace at 8.5% real growth after a rapid expansion in 2004, lower than the 18.1% in the fourth quarter of 2004. Gross gaming receipts went up 11.7% in nominal terms and total visitor spending (excluding gaming expenses) rose 3.6% as the number of visitor arrivals increased. Investment continued to grow rapidly on the back of several large-scale construction projects in progress. Besides the gaming and tourism sector, investment was another driving force behind Macao’s economic growth. However, exports of goods fell 18.9%. In terms of major GDP components, private consumption expenditure in the first quarter of 2005 increased 8.3%, higher than the 7.9% in the fourth quarter of 2004. Household final consumption expenditure in the domestic market and abroad rose 6.0% and 22.9% respectively. The government final consumption expenditure increased 5.9%, higher than the 2.9% in the fourth quarter of 2004. Compensation of employees went up 3.4% and net purchases of goods and services surged 32.5%. Gross fixed capital formation, a gauge of investment, rose substantially by 39.2%, indicating a sustained robust expansion though the growth rate was slightly lower than the 39.4% in the fourth quarter of 2004. In the private sector, total investment recorded an increase of 43.9% mainly because investment in construction went up 88.6%; investment in equipment only rose 1.2%. On the other hand, total government investment dropped 55.8%, among which investment in construction fell 59.0% and that in equipment decreased 9.5%. Based on the data of the private sector and the government, total investment in construction expanded 75.7% in the first quarter of 2005, higher than the 45.1% in the fourth quarter of 2004; total investment in equipment increased 1.2%, lower than the 28.3% in the fourth quarter of 2004. In terms of visible trade, total export value of goods decreased 18.1% in nominal terms and 18.9% in real terms, reversing the upward trend that started in 2002. In nominal terms, exports of goods to the United States and the European Union fell 12.0% and 58.1% respectively. On the contrary, total import value of goods grew owing to an increase in demand, up 4.7% and 2.4% in nominal and real terms respectively, both lower than the corresponding 19.9% and 16.1% in the fourth quarter of 2004. As regards invisible trade (exports of services), exports of gaming services rose 11.6%; visitor spending (excluding gaming expenses) increased as a result of a rising number of visitor arrivals; however, the increase was largely attributed to lower spending same-day visitors, and thus the total visitor spending grew only 3.6%; exports of transportation services surged 54.1%. Based on integrated data of the exports of services, total exports of invisible trade recorded an increase of 10.9%, down from the 25.3% in the fourth quarter of 2004. Moreover, imports of services grew 17.6%, lower than the 24.5% in the fourth quarter of 2004. Please see the attachment!
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Minister of Health of the Central Government, Mr Gao Qiang, is scheduled to arrive in Macao today for a three-day visit. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Dr Fernando Chui Sai On, is scheduled to meet with Mr Gao, to review the co-operation with the Central Government on public health issues and seek means to enhance co-operative efforts. During his stay in Macao, Mr Gao will also meet the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, and visit hospitals and health facilities.
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(Macao – 3 June 2005)The Executive Council today discussed the city’s tax structure and proposed to reduce corporate tax to give a relief to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). An amendment bill, to be submitted to the Legislative Assembly for discussion and approval, will propose increasing the exemption of corporate tax from 20,000 Patacas to 32,000 Patacas, backdated to the 2004 fiscal year. Taxable profits and bands suggested were: Taxable profits (Patacas) Tax rate
0 -- 32,000 0%
32,001 -- 65,000 3%
65,001 -- 100,000 5%
100,001 -- 200,000 7%
200,001 -- 300,000 9%
300,000 above 12% The reduction would reduce the government’s revenue from corporate tax by 128 million Patacas in 2004, said spokesman for the Executive Council, Mr Tong Chi Kin. But he said he believed overall revenue would not dramatically fall because of increased economic activities in the year. Under the new rates, according to data of taxpayers in 2003, 10,000 businesses exempted among some 30,000 taxpayers; some 2,700 would enjoy a 30%-50% reduction, some 17,000 would pay less than 50% of what they were paying. The bill, which would be submitted to the Legislative Assembly for discussion and approval, would not only bring advantages to the community, but also lessen the tax burdens of the SMEs, said Mr Tong.
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Anabela Miranda Rodrigues, Aggregate Professor at the Law Faculty of the Coimbra University and Director of the Centre for Judicial Studies, Lisbon, Portugal, and Luís Manuel Cunha da Silva Pereira, Procurator of the Portuguese Republic and faculty member of the said Center, are the two lecturers of the Seminar on “Mutual Legal Assistance – Criminal Matters – Surrender of Fugitive Offenders” that commences tomorrow, June 6, at 6.30 pm, at the auditorium of the Legal and Judicial Training Centre (Luso-International Bank Building, 18th floor). Included in the Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, this seminar will last for four days and will be conducted in Portuguese. On the first day, the approached subjects will be “The fundamental components of International Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters”, “The Institutions for International Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters”, “Extradition”, “Request for extradition”, “The decision to extradite: prerogative of the Executive power or decision of the Judicial power?” and “The Limits to Extradition”. The second day, June 7, continues with the subject “The Limits to Extradition”, followed by “The Effects of Extradition”, “The legal framework applicable to the territory of Macao” and “The European experience – the European Council”. The third day, June 8, is entirely dedicated to the topic “The European Union and the Construction of an Area of Freedom, Security and Justice”. On the last day, June 9, the approached subjects will be “The surrender before International Criminal Jurisdictions”, “The concurrence of requests for surrender”, “Extradition and other requests of the surrendering of persons” and “Procedures alternative to Extradition”. Specially targeted at legal advisors, this seminar is organised by the Legal and Judicial Training Centre and the International Law Office and will count with a participation of around 50 local participants. The Co-operation Programme in the Legal Field between the European Union and Macao, which incorporates this seminar, has as its main objective the “Consolidation of the Macao Legal System” and is already in its fourth and last year, taking place until February 2006. 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 actions 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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Organized jointly by the Macau Sport Development Board (MSDB), Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and the China - Macau Autosports Club (ACMC), the FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships, Macau will be held on June 25 and 26 in Macau. Acting President of MSDB Alex Vong, Director of MGTO João Costa Antunes, President of the General Assembly of ACMC Lo Keng Chio, President of ACMC Chong Coc Veng and President of FIM-UAM Asian Motocross & Enduro Commission Stephan Carapiet were presented at the press conference today (June 2) to brief the media about the race arrangement. The FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships is organized by the world motorcycle sport governing body, the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and the Asian Motorcycling Union (UAM), with the Macau round organized by the MSDB, MGTO and the ACMC. Established in 1998, the UAM is the governing body for all motorcycle events held in Asia and is comprised of 18 member countries including Macau. To be held on June 25 and 26 at the track adjacent to Pousada Infante Hotel on COTAI (area between Taipa and Coloane), the event will be the 3rd round of the FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships for 2005. The event will be televised globally on Star TV and ESPN to a projected audience of 490 million households, putting Macau in the international spotlight. Macau Satellite TV will also transmit a 10-minute highlight of the races daily through satellite, facilitating more instant and convenient coverage by the international media. The satellite covers more than 30 countries and regions in the Commonwealth Independent States (CIS), Asia Pacific region and Pan Asia Pacific region. Famous actor Richie Jen, who is also motorcycle sports’ fan, will be present at the event and will try out a demonstration round on bike. The races of FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships, Macau this year include the 125cc Asian Motocross Championships, along with the 85cc Asian Junior Motocross Championships, 65cc Junior International Class and the Macau Cup Open. Over 60 participating riders from Australia, the Mainland China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, Saipan, the Philippines and Thailand will compete in the 3rd round of the Championships in Macau. The 2003 FIM-UAM Asian Motocross champion, Philippines’ Glenn Aguilar will join the series this year. This year’s series leader Australian rider Christian Horwood is replaced by Ford Dale due to injuries suffered during the Australian Motocross Championships. Japanese rider Tadakazu, champion of 2004 Asian Motocross Championships 125cc class will also participate in the Macau round. Glen Aguilar and James Robinson of New Zealand are now at the leading positions after the two rounds held in Guam and the Philippines early this year. Macau is the only round in Asia which hosts the 85cc Asian Junior Motocross Championships (age 12 to 15) and 65cc Junior International Class (12 years old and under). These international events provide opportunities for the upcoming young stars of motocross in Asia to gain valuable experience. The organizers will set up a press area to facilitate the coverage of media in a safe and orderly manner. The registered media should wear the bib provided by the organizers for identification. While admission is free, entry will be restricted to holders of admission coupons which are available at the main office of the Macau Sport Development Board (Macau Forum, Block 1, 4th floor, Av. Dr. Rodrigo Rodrigues), the China-Macau Autosports Club (Edf. Grande Prémio de Macau, Av. da Amizade) and 4 tourism information counters of MGTO at Senado Square, Macau International Airport, Macau Ferry Terminal and Border Gate Checkpoint. Limited amount of tickets will also be available on site on race days.
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