Macao's visitor spending up 13% in Q2

MACAO -- Macao saw the total spending of visitors (excluding gaming expenses) reached 11.4 billion patacas ($1.4 billion) in the second quarter of 2012, up 13 percent year-on-year, according to figures released on Friday by the city's Statistics and Census Service.

In the second quarter of 2012, per capita spending of visitors was 1,713 patacas, an increase of 16 percent compared with 1,482 patacas a year earlier, the figures indicated.

Analyzed by place of residence, per capita spending of visitors from the Chinese mainland, Singapore, Japan and Thailand amounted to 2,209 patacas, 1,426 patacas, 1,372 patacas and 1,227 patacas respectively, the figures showed.

Meanwhile, per capita spending of tourists (overnight visitors) increased by 16 percent year-on-year to 2,895 patacas, and that of same-day visitors fell by two percent to 594 patacas.

In the second quarter of 2012, per capita non-shopping spending of visitors increased by 12 percent year-on-year to 878 patacas, of which expenses on accommodation and food and beverage accounted for 48 percent and 36 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, per capita shopping spending amounted to 835 patacas in the period.