SURVEY | Not in my backyard: 60 pct agree with family inns

The Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has revealed the main findings of a study on the feasibility of family hostels in Macau, showing that 60 percent of respondents agree with the implementation of this type of accommodation, but preferably not within their own neighborhoods.
The study was conducted by the University of Macau’s Center for Macau Studies through street interviews and an online survey, MGTO said in a statement.
“Although over 60% of interviewees in the opinion poll support the idea of family hostels, they demand the fulfillment of numerous preconditions including the development conditions of family hostels and the Government’s overall planning and effective supervision,” MGTO stated.
However, not many respondents seemed keen on welcoming family inns within their neighborhoods, as they worry about public security, hygiene, traffic, and the cost of housing.
“A thorough consensus has not been reached on this subject about the development of family hostels in Macau,” MGTO concluded. The bureau said that it will be paying close attention to the market demand and supply for accommodation in the future to understand which types of lodging are most needed.
“The study’s findings will serve as reference for future amendments and preparation of policies,” MGTO added.
Half of the respondents believe that this type of accommodation would be cheaper, and 30 percent are confident that this would deliver options for tourist accommodation.
The study’s budget reached MOP500,000, which MGTO’s director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes believes was worthwhile, TDM News reported. “We believe it’s money well spent. Of course we now see that 60 percent of the population agrees with it, but not if [these inns] are located in their residential area. So we need to have a more solid scientific base in order to pursue a fairer policy for cases of agreement and cases of disagreement on these types of inns,” she said. CP