Arrivals in Macao on package tours in 2005 grew 7.1 percent year-on-year to 2,675,753, according to statistics issued here on Monday. 

Figures from the government-run Statistics and Census Service (SCS) indicated that in December, visitor arrivals on package tours totaled 241,145, up 9.4 percent over December 2004.

The SCS figures showed that at the end of December, there were 10,832 rooms available in hotels and similar establishments in the region, a year-on-year increase of 18.2 percent.

In 2005, hotel guests accounted for 43.3 percent of the total number of tourists, according to the statistics.  

(Xinhua News Agency February 14, 2006)