briefs: 18 million tourists from January to July

Macau received 18 million visitors from January to July, which is an increase of 8 percent when compared with the same period in 2013, the region’s Statistics and Census Bureau has revealed. Tourists from mainland China (+14 pct), Taiwan (+2 pct) and the Republic of Korea (+19 pct) have increased, while visitor numbers from Hong Kong fell (-6 pct) year-on-year. In the seven-month period surveyed, visitor arrivals in Macau were mostly from mainland China (over 12 million), Hong Kong (3.7 million) and Taiwan (558,700). In July this year, 2.75 million people entered Macau, up by 7 percent year-on-year, with the overwhelming majority coming from mainland China (1.8 million – a rise of 12.7 pct) and Hong Kong (554,600 – a drop of 7.3 pct). In the month of July, tourists remained in Macau for an average period of 1.0 days, the same as in July 2013.

Cycling team stays home for fear of Ebola

The Macau cycling team has decided that it will not take part in the international cycling competition “Volta do Cacao” (Tour of Cacao) in Sao Tomé and Principe for fear of the deadly Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. In a letter to Joao Costa Alegre, the chairman of the Sao Tomé Olympic Committee, the chairman of the Macau team, Alex Vong Lao Lek, wrote: “Because of the apprehension and worry about the spread of the Ebola virus, which has spread across the African region, the team will take part in the next edition of the Cacao cycling tour next year.” With the absence of the Macau team, only three invited countries will take part in the competition, which will be held on August 28–31 over a distance of 281 kilometers. The Macau team took part in the Cacao tour last year, where it finished in last place.