Macao recorded 240,573 package tourist arrivals in February, a year-on-year rise of 26.8 percent, according to official statistics issued on Tuesday.

The figures from the government-run Statistics and Census Service (SCS) showed that the majority of package visitors came in the month from the Chinese mainland (196,061), Taiwan (10,839) and Hong Kong (10,504).

The SCS statistics also showed that the number of Macao residents traveling in package tours totaled 15,321 in February, a year-on-year increase of 20.7 percent and an indicator of the income hike of Macao residents.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2006)