The number of tourists in group to China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) dropped 9 percent year on year to stand at 123,900 in July, according to the latest official figures.

China's inland remains the largest tourist source for Macao, with 70,200 visitors to the SAR. The figure, however, went down 16. 3 percent from a year ago.

The SAR reports a total of 844,600 tourist arrivals in group in the first seven months of this year, down 9.4 percent from a year ago.

On the other hand, 16,200 Macao residents, out of a total population of roughly 440,000, traveled to other places in July, soaring 34.7 percent year on year. Their first choice was China's inland, which received 64.2 percent of the Macao tourists. Thailand and Japan were also their favored destinations.

(Xinhua 09/11/2001)