TPI increased by 10.15% for first quarter

Macau’s Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the first quarter of 2012 rose by 10.15 percent over that of the same period last year, according to the figures released on Wednesday by the city’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC). The DSEC figures indicated that the price indices of restaurant services, entertainment and cultural activities, miscellaneous goods and accommodation increased notably in the aforementioned period by 18.6 percent, 15.09 percent, 14.55 percent and 9.2 percent respectively.
The notable increase was pushed by the soaring hotel room rates and charges for restaurant services during the Lunar New Year, as well as higher prices of food and gold jewelry, the DSEC said. Compared with the fourth quarter of last year, the TPI for the first quarter of 2012 decreased by 2.93 percent quarter-to-quarter, of which the price indices of clothing and footwear, and accommodation, dropped by 10.12 percent and 9.08 percent respectively, according to the DSEC. However, the price index of Restaurant Services has increased by 4.20%.
The average TPI for the last four quarters ending in the first quarter of 2012 increased by 14.24 percent from the previous quarter, with marked increases observed in the accommodation index (28.25 percent), miscellaneous goods (17.99 percent) and restaurant services (14.58 percent), the DSEC also said. 
The 2009/2010-based TPI reflects the price changes of goods and services purchased by visitors. Sections of TPI goods and services are based on the consumption pattern of visitors, namely in the areas of Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco; Clothing & Footwear; Accommodation; Restaurant Services; Transport & Communications; Medicine & Personal Goods; Entertainment & Cultural Activities; and Miscellaneous Goods.