• Average per capita spend of MICE visitors was 58.7 per cent higher than that of overall visitors

‘2016 Statistical Benchmark System for Measuring Progress in Macao’s Adequate Economic Diversification’ Report Published

LISTEN STOP Your browser does not support this feature

In order to reflect the development of the diversification of Macao's economy, the Macao SAR Government Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) published its '2016 Statistical Benchmark System for Measuring Progress in Macao's Adequate Economic Diversification Analysis Report' in December, 2017.

The report highlighted eight statistical indicators; namely, the diversification of industrial structure; diversification of the gaming industry; diversification of gaming concessionaire operation; diversification of the tourism market; diversification of the non-gaming industry; diversification of emerging industries; exploitation of Macao business and residents' development space via external and regional co-operation; and diversification of the employment opportunities of the populace of Macao.

Overnight visitors outstrip same-day visitors of 2016

Regarding the diversification of the tourism market, the Greater China region remained the main source of tourists to Macao, with those from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan region accounting for over 90 per cent of total visitors to the territory. Visitors from Mainland China, in particular, account for the largest proportion, taking up 66.1 per cent of total visitation in 2016.

With the enhancement of tourism facilities and increase in tourism attractions, the total number of overnight visitors outstripped same-day visitors for the first time since 2016. Overnight visitors accounted for 50.7 per cent of the total number of visitors, increasing 4.1 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the proportion of overnight visitors from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and the Taiwan region accounted for 50.1 per cent, 50.2 per cent and 50.6 per cent, respectively. Furthermore, the average per capita spend of overnight visitors was 3.9 times more than same-day visitors, while the total spending of overnight visitors quadrupled that of same-day visitors.

Vacation the priority, MICE visitors spend more

In 2016, some 15.52 million people visited Macao for vacation, representing 50.2 per cent of all visitors; 2.96 million visitors (9.6 per cent) came for shopping; 2.03 million visitors (6.6 per cent) came for gaming; while 1.54 million (5 per cent) came to visit relatives. Some 1.26 million and 20500 visitors came for business or to participate in MICE activities, accounting for 4.1 per cent and 0.7 per cent, respectively. One of the highlights is that the average per capita spending of visitors visiting Macao for MICE activities was 58.7 per cent higher than overall visitors, even though they only accounted for a small proportion of all visitors.

In addition, the average stay for visitors rose to 1.2 days in 2016, with visitors from Mainland China and Hong Kong - the two largest tourist sources of Macao - rising by 0.1 days in 2016 compared to 2015. Visitors from Mainland China, especially those visiting Macao via the Individual Visit Scheme, posted the highest proportion of spending on shopping (51.8 per cent and 61.2 per cent, respectively) among all visitors. Visitors from Hong Kong posted the highest proportion of spending on F&B (34.6 per cent), while other visitors were more likely to spend on hotel accommodation (from 33.4 per cent to 50.7 per cent)

Bright future for non-gaming

The report indicated that the non-gaming sector includes the construction business, hotel industry, wholesale and retail industry, catering industry, transport industry, storage and telecommunications industry (travel agency included), financial industry (banking, insurance and retirement fund included), and real estate, business and services industry (real estate, tenancy, services provided to enterprises included).

The total revenue of the above mentioned enterprises was MOP286.16 billion in 2013, rising to MOP357 billion in 2016, up 24.8 per cent. The three largest areas of revenue growth of the non-gaming sector were the construction business (up 70.9 per cent), financial industry (up 57.1 per cent) and catering industry (up 27.2 per cent). Meanwhile, the added value of non-gaming industries increased from MOP119.12 billion to MOP147.2 billion from 2013 to 2016; in which the ratio of added value between gaming industries and the non-gaming sector rose from 1 to 0.46 to 1 to 0.87; the ratio of GDP of the main non-gaming industries significantly rose from 29 per cent to 40.9 per cent, increasing 12 per cent in the past three years.

MICE industry contributing to related sectors

The MICE industry is one of the emerging industries that the Macao SAR Government is vigorously promoting. In the chapter on 'diversification of emerging industries', it noted that in 2016 some 1195 conventions were held, up 2.8 per cent year-on-year, with total participation of 176000 up 49.2 per cent year-on-year. Some 55 exhibitions were held, down 29.5 per cent year-on-year, while total visitors numbered 1.5 million, down 37.3 per cent year-on-year.

The report pointed out that with the growing size of conventions, after deducting intermediate consumption, the added value of MICE activities had grown from MOP1.5 billion in 2015 to MOP2.27 billion in 2016, registering a growth of 44.9 per cent; the ratio of added value of the MICE industry also grew from 0.4 per cent to 0.6 per cent. The report also highlighted that the MICE industry is the combination of a chain of services and that after comparing the statistics of 2015 and 2016 the MICE industry had posted a positive contribution to other related industries, of which the hotel industry registered the highest increase of 68.8 per cent, with 47.4 per cent for gaming and entertainment, 29 per cent for catering, and 21.3 per cent for the retail industry.

The report - uploaded to the DSCE website (www.dsec.gov.mo) in Chinese and Portuguese - is open for browsing and downloading.