MACAO - Macao's Tourist Price Index (TPI) for the first quarter of 2012 rose by 10.15 percent over the same period of last year, according to the figures released on Wednesday by the city's Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

The DSEC figures indicated that the price indices of restaurant services, entertainment and cultural activities, miscellaneous goods and accommodation increased notably during the period by 18.6 percent, 15.09 percent, 14.55 percent and 9.2 percent year-on-year respectively.

The notable increase was pushed by the soaring hotel room rate and charges for restaurant services during the Lunar New Year, as well as higher prices of food and gold jewelry, the DSEC said.

Compared with the fourth quarter of last year, the TPI for the first quarter of 2012 decreased by 2.93 percent quarter-to-quarter, of which the price indices of clothing and footwear and accommodation dropped by 10.12 percent and 9.08 percent respectively, according to the DSEC.

The average TPI for the last four quarters ending in the first quarter of 2012 increased by 14.24 percent from the previous period, with marked increases being observed in the index of accommodation (28.25 percent), miscellaneous goods (17.99 percent) and restaurant services (14.58 percent), the DSEC also said.

The TPI reflects the price changes of goods and services purchased by visitors, which is compiled according to the consumption pattern of visitors.