Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that there were 221 travel agencies operating in 2018,  an increase of 11 year-on-year; total number of persons engaged edged up by 0.7% to 4,530. Receipts and expenditure of the travel agencies amounted to MOP 9.17 billion and MOP 8.75 billion respectively, up by 10.4% and 10.6% year-on-year.

With a growth in using services of travel agencies by outbound residents travelling under own arrangements, receipts of travel agencies generated from Room Reservation Services surged by 23.1% year-on-year to MOP 2.92 billion (31.8% of total), and those from Passenger Transport Ticketing grew by 6.4% to MOP 1.77 billion (19.3%). Meanwhile, receipts from Rentals of Coaches with Driver increased by 21.5% to MOP 1.21 billion (13.2%), whereas those from Package Tours inched down by 0.4% to MOP 2.48 billion (27.0%).

As regards expenditure, the majority was incurred on Purchase of Goods & Services and Commission Paid, up by 12.0% year-on-year to MOP 7.08 billion, with expenditure on Room Reservation Services (MOP 2.77 billion) and Passenger Transport Ticketing (MOP 1.78 billion) rising by 24.4% and 15.0% respectively; however, expenditure on Package Tours (MOP 2.09 billion) dropped by 4.5%. Operating Expenses decreased slightly by 0.8% year-on-year to MOP 847 million on account of a 4.9% fall in expenditure on rentals of motor vehicles (MOP 387 million), while expenditure on fuels (MOP 144 million) and rents of establishments (MOP 77.57 million) increased by 7.6% and 9.8% respectively. Compensation of Employees went up by 11.9% year-on-year to MOP 818 million.

Analysed by size of establishment, travel agencies with 50 or more persons totalled 20. Receipts of these travel agencies increased by 1.7% year-on-year to MOP 3.13 billion, which were mainly generated from Rentals of Coaches with Driver (MOP 993 million) and Room Reservation Services (MOP 743 million). Meanwhile, there were 12 travel agencies with 30 to 49 persons. These travel agencies recorded MOP 1.10 billion in receipts, an increase of 25.4%, with Room Reservation Services (MOP 625 million) taking up 56.6%.

There were 79 travel agencies with 10 to 29 persons. Their receipts increased by 12.2% to MOP 3.80 billion; Package Tours (MOP 1.50 billion) and Room Reservation Services (MOP 1.12 billion) accounted for the majority of the receipts. In addition, number of travel agencies with less than 10 persons totalled 110. Receipts of these travel agencies grew by 17.8% to MOP 1.13 billion, which were generated primarily from Room Reservation Services (MOP 432 million) and Passenger Transport Ticketing (MOP 350 million).

Gross Value Added that measures the sectoral contribution to the economy totalled MOP 1.24 billion, up by 10.0% year-on-year. Gross Surplus of the travel agencies rose by 6.4% to MOP 423 million, whereas Gross Surplus Ratio (4.6%) fell marginally by 0.2 percentage points, indicating that the industry was less effective in converting receipts into Gross Surplus compared to 2017. Moreover, Gross Fixed Capital Formation jumped by 222.6% year-on-year to MOP 196 million, in view of the acquisition of motor vehicles, shops and parking spaces by some travel agencies in 2018.