Following the feasibility study of family hostels in 2014, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) commissioned a research institute last year to conduct a tracking study of family hostels from 28^th July to 29^th August, 2016 to learn more about residents' latest stance on opening on family hostels in Macao. The results indicate that society's attitude towards the operation of family hostels remains fragmented, and has not reached a thorough consensus on the subject.

In the 2016 tracking study, data was collected via a face-to-face survey conducted in various districts throughout Macao and online questionnaires, targeting residents aged 18 or over residing in Macao for the previous 12 months. A total of 2,146 responses were collected through the face-to-face survey and online questionnaires, generating 2,102 and 44 responses, respectively.

The results indicate that the degree of concern and support from the surveyed residents towards the idea of family hostels had declined in 2016. The proportion of respondents who had heard about the topic of family hostels dropped from 58 per cent in 2014 to 55 per cent in 2016, while the proportion of supporters among respondents decreased slightly from over 62 per cent in 2014 to 61 per cent in 2016. On the other hand, the proportion of neutral responses increased from 42 per cent in 2014 to 84 per cent in 2016. In both tracking studies, results indicated that less than half of the surveyed residents (48 per cent in 2014 and 42 per cent in 2016) agreed that family hostels can be built in reconstructed residential premises or upon urban land designated for residential purposes, reflecting the general concern about change of land use.

In terms of family hostel development in one's own neighbourhood, the 2016 tracking study revealed that only the respondents living in Taipa and the Cathedral Parish approved of family hostels being opened in their own neighbourhoods, although only 60 per cent of them supported the idea. In 2014, only the respondents living in Cathedral Parish and Coloane approved of family hostels being run in their own neighbourhoods.

In summary, both studies reveal that residents tended to identify other neighbourhoods rather than their own as locations for family hostels. In other words, the development of family hostels in one's own neighbourhood does not have mainstream support in society. Respondents in general were concerned about issues such as public safety, environmental hygiene, traffic conditions and so forth.

In comparison with the particulars of the study in 2014, the tracking study in 2016 indicates that residents lay more stress on the necessity of governmental regulation (28 per cent in 2014 and 41 per cent in 2016), followed by the importance of governmental planning prior to family hostel development (32 per cent in 2014 and 22 per cent in 2016).

In summary of both studies, around 60 per cent of surveyed residents favoured the idea of family hostels. However, the tracking study indicates a slight decline in the degree of support as well as a lower level of concern about the topic of family hostels. The results of the tracking study suggest that it has not yet become mainstream in the community for residents to support the development of family hostels in their own neighbourhood.