Tourism price index slightly up
The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) reported that the tourist price index (TPI) for the second quarter of this year went up by 0.92 percent year-on-year to MOP126.35, marking the first year-on-year increase since the second quarter of 2015.
The year-on-year increase in the second quarter was mainly attributed to the rising charges for hotel accommodation, restaurant services and local food products. Among the selection of goods and services, price indices for accommodation, restaurant services and food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, rose by 9.21 percent, 5.99 percent and 8.39 percent respectively while the price indices for clothing and footwear, and transport and communications decreased by 10.43 percent and 7.96 percent respectively due to a reduction in the prices of handbags, men’s clothing and airfares.
Compared to the previous quarter, TPI for the second quarter of 2017 decreased by 2.06 percent. Price indices for accommodation, and transport and communications went down by 13.72 percent and 3.26 percent on account of lower hotel room rates and airfares after the Lunar New Year. At the same time, the arrival of summer clothing and footwear drove up the price index on clothing and footwear by 3.65 percent quarter-to-quarter.
TPI reflects the price change of goods and services purchased by visitors. Selections of TPI goods and services are according to the consumption pattern of visitors in relation to food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, clothing and footwear, accommodation, restaurant services, transport and communications, medicine and personal goods, entertainment and cultural activities, and miscellaneous goods.
