Tourist Price Index rises 2.78pct in Q2

The Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the second quarter (Q2) of 2018 went up by 2.78 percent year-on-year to 129.86, according to information from the Statistics and Census Service. The rise was reportedly on account of rising charges for hotel accommodation and restaurant services, higher bus fares and airfares, and dearer prices of local food products.

Among the various sections of goods and services, the price indexes of accommodation and transport and communications rose by 7.05 percent and 6.3 percent respectively, while food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose by 4.25 percent.

In comparison with the previous quarter, the TPI for the second quarter of 2018 decreased by 5.17 percent, led by a significant drop of 22.6 percent in the price index of accommodation, owing to lower hotel room rates and airfares after the Lunar New Year.

For the first half of 2018, the TPI went up by 4.48 percent year-on-year, with price indices of accommodation and transport and communications rising by 13.64 percent and 6.44 percent respectively.

Meanwhile, the average TPI for the last four quarters ending in Q2 of 2018 rose by 4.21 percent from the previous period, with notable increases in the price indexes of accommodation and transport and communications.

The TPI reflects the price change of goods and services purchased by visitors, organized in categories according to the consumption patterns of tourists.