The Macao SAR Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has released tourism related statistics, which reveal that in the first half of 2017, visitor arrivals totalled 15,564,303, up 5.4 per cent year-on-year, during which time guests of hotels & guesthouses totalled 6,345,000, up 15.8 per cent year-on-year. The average length of stay of guests remained stable at 1.4 nights when compared to the same period of last year. The Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the second quarter of 2017 went up by 0.92 per cent year-on-year to 126.35 for the first year-on-year increase since the second quarter of 2015.

According to the latest DSEC statistics, in the first half of 2017 overnight visitors (8,097,495) rose 13 per cent while same-day visitors (7,466,808) dropped 1.8 per cent. The average length of stay of visitors (1.2 days) and same-day visitors (0.2 days) held stable whilst overnight visitors (2.1 days) fell 0.1 days.

The average occupancy rate of hotels & guesthouses in the first half of 2017 stood at 84.2 per cent, up 4.9 per cent, with visitor-guests accounting for 73.8% of total overnight visitors, up 1.6 per cent year-on-year. The total number of outbound residents using the services of travel agencies was 665,000, up 10.9 per cent year-on-year.

Some 107 hotels & guesthouses were operating at the end of June 2017. The number of guestrooms increased by 13.9 per cent year-on-year to 37,000, with 33 5-star hotels offering 22,000 rooms accounting for up to 60.4 per cent of the total number of rooms, up 7.3 per cent.

The year-on-year increase of the Tourist Price Index (TPI) in the second quarter of 2017 was mainly attributable to rising charges for hotel accommodation and restaurant services, as well as dearer prices of local food products. Of the various sections of goods and services, the price indices of Accommodation, Restaurant Services and Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco rose 9.21 per cent, 5.99 per cent and 3.49 per cent, respectively. On the other hand, the price indices of Clothing & Footwear and Transport & Communications decreased 10.43 per cent and 7.96 per cent, respectively, year-on-year, on account of reduced prices of handbags, men's clothing and airfares.

Moreover, according to the latest information from Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM), the total number of passengers of Macao International Airport (MIA) for the first half of 2017 reached 3.35 million with a year-on-year increase of 3 per cent, while cargo traffic posted over 17,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 14.7 per cent; General aviation recorded over 1,400 aircraft movements, with a year-on-year increase of 14.89 per cent.

MIA currently operates 27 airlines flying 43 routes. With the North Extension project expected to be completed and put into operation in the second half of 2017, passenger handling capacity is expected to increase to around 7.5 million, providing more development opportunities for local aviation and tourism industries.