Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has commenced a study on the feasibility of imposing tourist tax in Macao, which includes case analysis and questionnaire surveys to be conducted among residents, visitors and members of the travel trade. The public opinion poll began today (20 May) for a whole month to solicit residents’ opinions via the form of online questionnaire. The collected opinions will become a significant consideration in the study.

With regard to the feasibility study of imposing tourist tax, MGTO designed an online questionnaire and consulted the Institute for Tourism Studies for relevant opinions. By carrying out the month-long opinion poll, the Office hopes to learn about the preference and points of view of residents regarding the feasibility of imposing tourist tax in Macao. The questionnaire is available in Traditional/Simplified Chinese, Portuguese and English. Local residents are welcome to join the opinion poll actively, fill out the questionnaire and express their valuable opinions by visiting the website of Macao Tourism Industry Net (http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo) or the direct link of the questionnaire: http://www.macaotourism.gov.mo/r/en/ottr (preferred language can be chosen for filling out the questionnaire) during 20 May to 20 June. After filling out and submitting the questionnaire, each participant will be given a souvenir and will be notified by MGTO of the details for obtaining the souvenir after the opinion poll comes to an end.

Besides collecting residents’ opinions through online questionnaire, the Office has also distributed questionnaires to members of the travel trade and is carrying out a face-to-face survey with visitors upon their departure at various ports in Macao, to collect opinions from a more diverse populace to serve as significant reference for the study.