Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the second quarter of 2017 went up by 0.92% year-on-year to 126.35, marking the first year-on-year increase since the second quarter of 2015. The year-on-year increase in the second quarter of 2017 was mainly attributable to rising charges for hotel accommodation and restaurant services, as well as dearer prices of local food products.  Among the various sections of goods and services, price indices of Accommodation, Restaurant Services and Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco rose by 9.21%, 5.99% and 3.49% respectively. On the other hand, price indices of Clothing & Footwear and Transport & Communications decreased by 10.43% and 7.96% respectively year-on-year, on account of reduced prices of handbags, men’s clothing and airfares.

In  comparison  with  the  previous  quarter,  TPI  for  the  second  quarter  of  2017 decreased by 2.06%. Price indices of Accommodation and Transport & Communications fell by 13.72% and 3.26% respectively on account of lower hotel room rates and airfares after the Lunar New Year. However, new arrival of summer clothing & footwear and dearer prices of handbags drove up the price index of Clothing & Footwear by 3.65% quarter-to-quarter.

The average TPI for the last four quarters ended the second quarter of 2017 fell by 3.22% from the previous period, with notable decrease in the price indices of Transport & Communication (-15.26%) and Accommodation (-10.83%). For the first half of 2017, TPI went down by 2.40% year-on-year, of which price indices of Transport & Communications and Clothing & Footwear dropped by 15.18% and 9.98% respectively; meanwhile, price indices of Restaurant Services and Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco increased by 5.43% and 2.63% respectively.

TPI reflects the price change of goods and services purchased by visitors. Sections of TPI goods and services are selected according to the consumption pattern of visitors, namely Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco; Clothing & Footwear; Accommodation; Restaurant Services; Transport & Communications; Medicine & Personal Goods; Entertainment & Cultural Activities; and Miscellaneous Goods.