SHANXI MATURE VINEGAR EMBRACES NEW FLAVOURS WHILST STAYING TRUE TO ITS ROOTS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Bernama) -- When people think of China's Shanxi province, the ancient "Mature Vinegar" with over 3,000 years of history comes to mind.

This unique vinegar, known for its sour, fragrant, sweet, mellow, and fresh flavours, undergoes five main steps and 82 procedures, including steaming, fermenting, smoking, drenching, and ageing, in which the process can take anywhere from one year to over 10 years to complete.

In recent years, Shanxi has introduced vinegar-based health products and food-medicine homology products, further enhancing the health benefits of Shanxi Mature Vinegar, according to a statement.

While preserving the traditional taste of Mature Vinegar, Shanxi has deeply explored vinegar culture, leading to the emergence of trending products.

These include "Mature Vinegar Ice Cream", which combines vinegar and cream to create a delightful taste, and "Mature Vinegar Cuisine", featuring dishes like smoked fish with mature vinegar and vinegar-soaked walnuts.

These dishes not only retain traditional flavours but also highlight vinegar's health-promoting properties, reflecting the long-standing recognition of its health benefits by the people of Shanxi.

To fully showcase the traditional production techniques and cultural heritage of Shanxi Mature Vinegar, Shanxi has established vinegar-related museums and gardens, as well as conducted workshops in popular tourist destinations such as the ancient cities of Pingyao and Taiyuan.

These initiatives provide both domestic and international visitors with an opportunity to understand Shanxi's vinegar culture and experience the craftsmanship of this national intangible cultural heritage.

-- BERNAMA

SIX DECADES OF DEDICATION: MARY KAY PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE, PLANET

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- Mary Kay Inc, a global leader in corporate sustainability and advocacy in its 2024 Sustainability Report highlighted its promise to make decisions that are right for the planet and its people.

Organised by environmental, social, and economic impact, the report underscores the company’s commitment to creating and nurturing a business model that enriches women’s lives and supports communities while protecting the planet, according to a statement.

“Our iconic founder, Mary Kay Ash, was passionate about not only changing the world, but protecting it. I am proud of the work we have accomplished this year, and every year, in realising her dream. I think she would be proud, too,” said Mary Kay Inc Chief Operating Officer, Deborah Gibbins.

In a world that is rapidly evolving, Mary Kay stands at the forefront of change, championing the cause of women while recognising the immense power they hold in shaping the global economy and driving meaningful change.

The 2024 report highlighted initiatives for environmental sustainability, such as water stewardship with The Nature Conservancy to protect coral reefs; resource conservation with the Arbor Day Foundation, planting over 1.4 million trees in reforestation projects; and sustainable sourcing with Global Shea Alliance to promote economic well-being for the 16 million women shea collectors in West Africa.

In addition, under the social sustainability initiative, Mary Kay has donated over US$18 million to enrich women's lives worldwide through the Pink Changing Lives programme; joined the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) which offer guidance on women’s empowerment; as well as being committed to fostering women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). (US$1=RM4.67)

Meanwhile, under the economic sustainability initiative, the report highlighted Mary Kay Ash’s vision of enriching women’s lives for 60 years, providing an unparalleled entrepreneurship opportunity for women worldwide.

The beauty brand also enhances the capabilities of Independent Beauty Consultants via digital tools, including augmented reality apps and its Interactive Catalog, allowing them to excel in their businesses and realise their dreams, in addition to advocating for gender equality in artificial intelligence technologies.

-- BERNAMA

ASYATT. INC. BEGINS 2 BILLION YEN FUNDRAISING

 

_{Asyatt. is a Travel Experience Partner designing one-of-a-kind experiences. (Photo: Business Wire)} 

Pioneering New Opportunities in Snow Resort Hospitality from Niseko to the World

NISEKO, Japan, July 16 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Niseko-based Asyatt. Inc. (Headquarters: Kutchan Town, Hokkaido, CEO: Issei Watanabe), specializing in luxury hospitality for the UHNW (Ultra-high-net-worth) clients, has announced to launch a 2 billion yen fundraising effort. This decision was made at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting held on May 22, 2024, with the goal of enhancing its service quality and expanding the Japanese luxury travel market.
 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240701584719/en/ 

Market Opportunities and Growth Potential

Japan's tourism market is rapidly recovering, especially in the high-end sector, which holds untapped growth potential. Niseko is becoming a premier destination for the UHNW travelers worldwide for its finest snow quality and abundant tourist resources.

Asyatt. is currently leveraging its extensive expertise in maximizing tourism spending in snow resorts including Niseko.

This fundraising targets businesses and funds interested in the luxury market, resorts, and regional revitalization through inbound tourism. Additionally, Asyatt. is recruiting advisory board members and hands-on team members to join its forward-looking initiatives.

Asyatt.'s Growth Strategy

Through this fundraising round, Asyatt. aims to advance five key initiatives:

1. Partnerships with Global High-end Brands: Positioning Niseko as a world-class resort, Asyatt. plans to close the revenue gap between Niseko and renowned Western resorts by leveraging the influence of global high-end brands. Past collaborations including exclusive events with luxury  brands and premium property providers will be further expanded.
2. Expansion to Overseas Snow Resorts: Asyatt. sees significant potential in Asia's underdeveloped snow resorts. The company plans to introduce its expertise in creating outdoor content beyond ski resorts to these growing markets.
3. Securing Assets in Niseko: With the growing development of Niseko resorts, there is a pressing need for commercial facilities. Asyatt. will use its hospitality expertise to secure real estate assets, strengthening the company’s foundation.
4. Developing and Operating Hospitality Content for Regional Revitalization: In order to address various challenges of the rural markets, Asyatt. seeks to enhance the add-value of the travel contents and per capita tourist spending at such markets. Asyatt. will re-evaluate and enhance tourism content, maximizing revenue by combining strengths across different locations.
5. Cross-selling to Existing Clients: Asyatt. will offer cross-selling opportunities to its clients, promoting other tourism destinations where it has contributed in content development.

These initiatives aim to increase revenue, diversify income sources, tap into new markets, and strengthen existing services. This growth will be supported by operational efficiency improvements and the acquisition of specialized talent.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=48984

Survey Shows 66 Pct Travel Companies' Profits Impacted By Inefficient Payment Systems

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Bernama) -- A new research revealed that 66 per cent of travel companies are seeing their profit margins impacted by outdated or complicated payment systems, with nine in 10 expected to prioritise modernising their financial operations this year.

In a report released by global payments and financial platform Airwallex, and travel research company Skift, the travel industry is also being challenged by shifting payment preferences since the COVID-19 pandemic. While revenue from cross-border payments is on the rise, the unprecedented diversity of payment methods in different markets complicates transactions for 70 per cent of travel companies.

Airwallex Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jack Zhang stated that as global travel continues to surge, travel companies increasingly rely on quick and seamless cross-border payments to surpass customer expectations at every touchpoint.

“However, our latest study shows that slow and outdated payment processes are increasing the cost of moving money internationally, which is eating into their profits - modest at the best of times.

“Modernising their financial operations with a unified and scalable payment solution will be critical to reducing the cost and friction associated with managing cross-border transactions. For smaller players, this can be what levels the playing field, enabling them to compete with larger, more established counterparts,” he said in a statement.

The findings provide a unique perspective on the financial challenges and opportunities that companies face as they grow and operate on a global scale, and offer rare insight into the issues travel businesses experience with end-to-end payments and financial operations, especially with the growing trend of cross-border transactions.

The report further showed that travel customer payment preferences are shifting with local payment methods being increasingly used. Despite credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets remain by far the most common customer payment methods, travellers are increasingly using local payment methods or peer-to-peer payment apps, which can vary widely by market.

In addition, cross-border transactions soar, but bring significant global payment challenges, with nearly 40 per cent of travel executives reporting half of their revenues to be from international customer payments, while inefficient payment systems are detrimental to profits with 90 per cent travel executives saying financial operational upgrades are a priority.

Airwallex and Skift surveyed 473 travel executives in April this year across seven global markets including Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The survey respondents confirmed that they make decisions about payment processes and financial operations for a travel company across the sector including online travel bookings, travel operators, tours and activities, and destination management.

-- BERNAMA

GREATER BAY AREA: MACAO'S ECONOMY THRIVES WITH DIVERSIFIED DEVELOPMENT

MACAU, China, July 2 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- According to data released by the Macao SAR Government, the number of tourists visiting Macao in the first quarter of 2024 reached 8.876 million, marking a year-on-year increase of 79.4%. The average occupancy rate of hotels exceeded 85%. Additionally, Macao's GDP grew by 25.7% in real terms, the unemployment rate fell to 2.1%, and the median working income of the employed population increased by MOP 1,000 year-on-year.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240701684884/en/

In the fiscal year 2023 government report, the Macao SAR government introduced the "1+4" strategy for moderate diversified development to foster four key industries. Over the past year, the government has pursued over a dozen investment plans in the science and technology sector, supporting several scientific research achievements with transformation and application prospects.

In the modern financial industry, Macao has leveraged its "free port" status, focusing on specialized finance areas such as bonds, wealth management, green finance, and financial leasing. The bond market and debt issuance have seen rapid growth. Furthermore, the establishment of the Hengqin Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone has expanded opportunities for Macao's diversified development. The development plan for the Cooperation Zone includes the construction of the Macao Brand Industrial Park. As of April 2024, the number of Macao enterprises in the Cooperation Zone reached 6,208, a year-on-year increase of 12.3%, and a 33.88% increase since the establishment of the Cooperation Zone. The model of "Headquartered in Macao and operating in Hengqin" has emerged as a new development paradigm for Macao's industries.

Despite its small size, Macao holds significant potential and opportunities, promising a bright future.

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/0HKff9CPD1U

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240701684884/en/

Contact

Yao Shunyu
Tel.: 008610-68994660
E-mail: 1023144989@qq.com

Source : Greater Bay Area