TAT HOPES PACTS BOOST NUMBERS OF JAPANESE TOURISTS
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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will sign separate memoranda of understanding with the Japan External Trade Organisation, the Japan Association or Travel Agents and Asahi TV during the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to the coun
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the MoUs were for a joint cooperation to help Thailand attract 2 million Japanese tourists by 2020 or to account for no less than 10 per cent of all Japanese outbound travellers at that time.
The number of Japanese tourists to Thailand peaked at 1.6 million in 2013 but it fell to between 1.2 million and 1.4 million this year because of an economic slowdown in Japan and political unrest in Thailand.
Meanwhile, the Commerce Ministry said it would bring 70 Thai small and medium-sized enterprises on the Japan trip to meet up with Japanese companies interested in importing or exporting goods to or from Thai SMEs.
So far, 165 Japanese importers and exporters have confirmed their intention to join the matchmaking event.
MALAYSIA’S EVYAP SABUN LOOKS TO ASIA EXPORT MARKETS
Evyap Sabun Malaysia plans to start exporting personal-care products from its Johor plant to Asia within the next one or two years.
Evyap Group chief executive officer Mehmet Evyap said the region offered good business prospects.
He said China and India were the two biggest consumer markets in Asia with 1.40 billion and 1.28 billion people respectively, as well as 10 Asean nations with a combined population of 633 million.
“The Asian personal-care-products market is big enough for all and with the growing population, demand for the products will also be on the upward trend,’’ Mehmet said.
He said this after signing an agreement with German-based Nordmann and Rassmann (NRC) represented by its owner Datuk Edgar Nordamann.
Under the agreement, NRC will distribute Evyap’s palm-oil by-product fatty acid to third parties in the European market and they will use it to produce their own finished products.
Mehmet said the company’s products were popular in Turkey, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Middle East and North Africa.
The personal-wash products include bar and liquid soaps and shower gels, while the personal care products include skincare products, haircare, sun care, oral care products and men’s toiletries.
Parent company Evyap Sabun was founded in 1927 and it is known for producing a wide range of soap, liquid care/wash personal care, cosmetics and hygiene care products.
The company’s plant in Tanjung Langsat is one of the world’s largest fully integrated oleochemical and personal-care manufacturing facilities. – The Star/ Asia News Network
