Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the second quarter of 2019 dropped by 1.39% year-on-year to 128.06. The decrease was mainly attributable to lower charges for hotel accommodation and falling prices of handbags and ladies’ clothing; yet, dearer prices of local food products and rising charges for restaurant services offset part of the decrease. Among the various sections of goods and services, price indices of Accommodation and Clothing & Footwear fell by 8.39% and 3.00% respectively year-on-year, whereas the indices of Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+2.84%) and Entertainment & Cultural Activities (+2.70%) saw increases.
In comparison with the previous quarter, TPI for the second quarter of 2019 dropped by 7.15%. Price index of Accommodation plunged by 31.64% quarter-to-quarter on account of a marked decrease in hotel room rates after the Lunar New Year. Price index of Transport & Communications (-4.21%) also registered decline owing to lower airfares. On the other hand, new arrival of summer clothing drove up the price index of Clothing & Footwear by 6.43%.
The average TPI for the last four quarters ended the second quarter of 2019 fell by 0.44% from the previous period, with the price index of Clothing & Footwear (-5.94%) recording a notable drop. Meanwhile, price indices of Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+3.62%) and Entertainment & Cultural Activities (+2.19%) increased. For the first half of 2019, TPI went down by 0.31% year-on-year, with the price index of Clothing & Footwear falling by 4.95%. By contrast, price indices of Entertainment & Cultural Activities and Food, Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco rose by 3.31% and 3.06% 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.
