Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that per-capita spending of visitors increased by 4% year-on-year to MOP 1,788 in the fourth quarter of 2008. Per-capita spending of Mainland visitors took the lead, at MOP 4,103 and that of Hong Kong visitors was MOP 1,167. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2007, per-capita spending of tourists went up by 4% to MOP 2,483, but that of same-day visitors dropped by 7% to MOP 499.

Per-capita non-shopping spending (excluding gaming expenses) of visitors in the fourth quarter of 2008 increased slightly by 1% year-on-year to MOP 1,082, of which the expenses on Accommodation and Food & Beverage accounted for 47% and 35% respectively. Besides, per-capita shopping spending rose by 10% to MOP 706, with expenses on Local Food Products and Clothing sharing 30% and 19% respectively.

Per-diem spending of visitors was MOP 1,561, an increase of 4% over the fourth quarter of 2007. Mainland visitors had the highest per-diem spending of MOP 2,786.

The average length of stay of visitors held stable at 1.1 days, same as in the fourth quarter of 2007. The average for tourists remained unchanged at 1.6 days, while that for same-day visitors decreased by 0.1 day to 0.2 day.