Macao's average TPI (Tourist Price Index) for 2007 rose by 9.51 percent over 2006, according to official statistics released on Tuesday by the Statistics and Census Service (SCS) of the Macao Special Administrative Region government.

TPI covers eight sections of goods and services, including food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco, clothing and footwear, accommodation, restaurant service, transport and communications, medicine and personal goods, entertainment and culture and miscellaneous goods.

The statistics show that TPI growth was mainly attributable to the marked increase in the price index of miscellaneous goods, restaurant service and accommodation.

Accommodation price index soared by 33.53 percent during the National Day and Christmas holidays and the Macao Grand Prix period in 2007, while transport and communications fell slightly by 0.03 percent in the same period, according to SCS.

TPI reflects the price changes of goods and services purchased by visitors, which is compiled based on the consumption pattern of visitors derived from the Visitors Expenditure Survey.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2008)