VISITOR EXPENDITURE SURVEY
4th QUARTER / 2009
No. 4
Official Statistics. Reproduction of these data is allowed provided the source is quoted.
Statistics and Census Service
Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção, No. 411-417, Dynasty Plaza, 17th floor, Macao Tel: 8399 5311 Fax: 2830 7825
Per-capita spending of visitors increased by 1% year-on-year to MOP 1,807 in the fourth quarter of 2009, with per-capita spending of Mainland visitors leading at MOP 3,563. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2008, per-capita spending of tourists rose by 7% to MOP 2,659 and that of same-day visitors went up by 26% to MOP 631.
1. Per-Capita Spending of Visitors by Place of Residence
Visitor Tourist Same-Day Visitor
Q4 2008 Q4 2009 Q4 2009 Q4 2009
Place of Residence
MOP
Year-on-year change
(%) MOP
Year-on-year change
(%) MOP
Year-on-year change
(%)
Total 1 788 1 807 1.1 2 659 7.1 631 26.5
Mainland China 4 103 3 563 -13.2 5 010 -6.9 1 142 29.9 Hong Kong 1 167 1 212 3.9 1 743 10.2 512 13.5 Taiwan, China 1 421 1 606 13.0 3 053 32.7 320 39.6 Japan 928 1 193 28.5 2 068 5.3 461 6.9 Southeast Asia 1 699 1 814 6.7 2 462 21.2 607 37.0 Europe 1 255 1 496 19.2 2 542 25.1 456 19.2 Americas 1 283 1 383 7.8 2 340 22.0 525 16.5 Oceania 1 392 1 394 0.1 2 277 7.6 468 16.1
Per-Capita Non-Shopping and Shopping Spending
Per-capita non-shopping spending of visitors increased by 1% year-on-year to MOP 1,093.
Expenses on Accommodation and Food & Beverage accounted for 47% and 34% respectively of the non-shopping spending.
Per-capita shopping spending of visitors amounted to MOP 714, up by 1% over the fourth quarter of 2008. Local Food Products (28% of shopping spending) and Clothing (22%) were the two more popular shopping items.
Although gaming expenses are not considered in the per-capita spending of visitors, about 53% of the interviewed visitors in the fourth quarter claimed that they had participated in gaming activities during their stay in Macao.
2. Visitor Spending by Type of Expense a
Q4 2008 Q4 2009 Type of Expense
MOP
Year-on-year change
(%)
Per-Capita Spending 1 788 1 807 1.1
Non-Shopping Spending 1 082 1 093 1.0
Accommodation 510 512 0.5
Food and Beverage 374 368 -1.7
Local Transport 49 43 -12.9
Outbound Transport (excluding airfare) 123 130 5.8 Entertainment and Others 26 40 52.6
Shopping Spending 706 714 1.2
Clothing 136 158 16.1
Jewellery/Watches 104 116 11.3
Local Food Products 211 197 -6.5
Cosmetics/Perfume 71 71 -0.6
Cellular Phones/Electrical Equipment 37 31 -15.5
Shoes/Handbags/Wallets 86 88 3.0
Others 61 53 -13.1
Figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.
a Excluding gaming expenses.
Chart 1. Per-Capita Shopping Spending of Visitors by Place of Residence
0 500 1 000 1 500 2 000 2 500 3 000
Q4 2008 Q4 2009
Europe Americas S.E.
Asia Mainland
China
Hong Kong
Taiwan, China
Japan Oceania
MOP
With regard to the spending structure, visitors from Mainland China spent 63% of their per- capita spending on shopping, whereas those from Hong Kong; Taiwan, China; and Southeast Asia spent more on non-shopping items, accounting for 80%, 74% and 66% of their respective per- capita spending.
In addition, Mainland visitors inclined to purchase a wide variety of goods, including Clothing (23% of per-capita shopping spending), Jewellery/Watches (22%), Local Food Products (14%), Cosmetics/Perfume (13%) and Shoes/Handbags/Wallets (13%). Visitors from Hong Kong;
Taiwan, China; and Southeast Asia prefer to purchase Local Food Products, sharing 66%, 38% and 38% of their respective per-capita shopping spending.
Chart 2. Structure of Visitors’ Per-Capita Spending by Place of Residence
0 500 1 000 1 500 2 000 2 500 3 000 3 500 4 000
Per-Diem Spending
Per-diem spending of visitors amounted to MOP 1,679 in the fourth quarter of 2009, a year- on-year increase of 8%. Mainland visitors had the highest per-diem spending of MOP 2,837.
Length of Stay
The average length of stay of visitors held stable at 1.1 days, same as the fourth quarter of 2008. The average length of stay of both tourists and same-day visitors extended by 0.1 day to 1.7 days and 0.3 days respectively.
3. Average Length of Stay of Visitors
Day Length of Stay
Type of Visitor
Q4 2008 Q4 2009 Difference
Visitor 1.1 1.1 -
Tourist 1.6 1.7 +0.1
Same-Day Visitor 0.2 0.3 +0.1
Non-Shopping Spending Shopping Spending
Europe Americas S.E.
Asia Mainland
China
Hong Kong
Taiwan, China
Japan Oceania
MOP
Characteristics of Visitors
Around 71% of the interviewed visitors came to Macao mainly for Vacation; other major purposes of visit included Business & Attending Conventions/Exhibitions (10%), Gaming (9%) and Visiting Relatives/Friends (6%).
Chart 3. Main Purpose of Visit
With regard to the occupation of visitors, 19% were senior officials & managers; 16% were professionals and 15% were clerks. Moreover, 21% were the unemployed and the economically inactive persons, including housewives, students and retired persons.
Visitors’ Comments
All the interviewed visitors commented on the environmental hygiene and points of tourist attractions in Macao. They were more satisfied with the environmental hygiene, with 73% in favour; however, 12% considered that the points of tourist attractions in Macao were inadequate.
For those travelling in package tours, 81% complimented on the services rendered by travel agencies. As regards other services and facilities, 76% of the visitor-users were satisfied with those of the gaming establishments; there were also favourable comments on the services of hotels (81%), shops (79%), public transport (69%) and restaurants (68%).
However, 8% of the interviewed visitors suggested that the public transport services should be improved.
4. Visitors’ Comments on Services and Facilities
% Services and Facilities Satisfied Fair Should Be
Improved No Comment
Travel Agencies 81 13 2 4
Hotels 81 16 2 1
Restaurants 68 27 4 1
Shops 79 18 2 1
Public Transport 69 22 8 2
Gaming Establishments 76 19 2 2
Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Visiting Relatives/Friends 6%
Others 4%
Vacation 71%
Gaming 9%
Business & Attending Conventions/Exhibitions
10%
Methodology In view of a substantial increase in sample size of the survey for the fourth quarter of 2009, the ratio of sample sizes of tourists and same-day visitors has changed, resulting in notable year-on- year variation in visitor expenditure.
Visitor Expenditure Survey is conducted at different departure points on a daily basis, to collect information on visitors’ spending (excluding gaming expenses) during their stay in Macao.
Sampling Method
Due to the vast volume of visitor movements at different departure points, systematic sampling method is applied in selecting samples from all visitors who are non-residents of Macao.
Sampling Errors
MOP
Visitor Tourist Same-Day Visitor
Type of Spending
Q4 2008 Q4 2009 Q4 2008 Q4 2009 Q4 2008 Q4 2009
Per-Capita Spending 51.3 24.1 76.0 39.6 11.8 7.8
Non-Shopping Spending 16.5 9.0 21.9 13.7 3.3 2.2
Shopping Spending 43.8 20.5 66.7 34.6 11.8 7.5
Concept Visitora:
Any person travelling to a place other than that of his/her usual environment for less than 12 consecutive months and whose main purpose of travel is other than the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited.
Classification of visitors:
a) Tourist (overnight visitor): visitor who stays at least one night in a collective or private accommodation in the country visiteda. In addition, we have added two criteria as follows:
1) visitor who stays for more than 24 hours in Macao, or
2) visitor who stays for less than 24 hours and does not stay overnight in Macao but with his/her arrangement made in a collective accommodation such as hotel, guest-house, etc.
b) Same-Day Visitora: visitor who does not spend the night in a collective or private accommodation in the country visited.
Main Purpose of Visita:
Purpose is a fundamental characteristic of the visit or trip since it represents the motivation for the visit or trip. It refers to the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have been made or the given destination would not have been visited.
Symbols and Abbreviations - Absolute value equals zero
MOP Macao Pataca
aWorld Tourism Organization, Concepts, Definitions and Classifications for Tourism Statistics, 1995
The following statistical tables are available for download from our website
1- Characteristics of interviewed visitors by place of residence
2- Average length of stay of interviewed visitors by place of residence 3- Per-capita spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence
4- Per-capita non-shopping spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence 5- Per-capita shopping spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence 6- Per-diem spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence
7- Per-capita spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence and type of expense
8- Per-capita shopping spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence and type of expense
9- Other characteristics of interviewed visitors by place of residence 10- Occupation of interviewed visitors by place of residence
11- Sampling errors of per-capita spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence and type of expense
12- Sampling errors of per-capita shopping spending of interviewed visitors by place of residence and type of expense
13- Interviewed visitors’ comments on services of travel agencies
14- Interviewed visitors’ comments on services of restaurants and similar establishments 15- Interviewed visitors’ comments on services of hotels and similar establishments 16- Interviewed visitors’ comments on services of shops
17- Interviewed visitors’ comments on services of public transport 18- Interviewed visitors’ comments on environmental hygiene 19- Interviewed visitors’ comments on points of tourist attractions
20- Interviewed visitors’ comments on services and facilities of gaming establishments
