The Shinki Shirasagi Association (294 members, Chairman Iwasaki Mototaka, Iwasaki, Misasa Onsen, Tottori Prefecture), which is made up of accommodation and reception facilities under contract with the Shinki Bus Group (Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture), recently held its 2017 general meeting at the Himeji Castle Grandvrio Hotel in the city. Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, the association has vowed to make a leap forward by strengthening support for the company, which is taking various measures to expand its travel business. Shinki Bus President Nagao Makoto, who is also an advisor to the association, reported on the results for fiscal 2016. For the entire group, sales increased 1.5% year on year to 45.5 billion yen, and ordinary profits decreased 7.6% to 3 billion yen. Although rental income increased, there was an increase in labor costs and the purchase of new vehicles, resulting in an increase in sales but a decrease in profits. The chartered bus business recorded ordinary profits of 100 million yen, but profits decreased due to a backlash from the increase caused by the revision of the chartered bus fare system last year. Shinki Bus Tours' travel business had a turnover of 7 billion yen, down 2.5% year on year. Due to a drop in demand due to the FIT trend in inbound tourism, both businesses were in the black combined, but the travel business alone was back in the red. However, President Nagao said this was "expected." In October last year, the company launched the domestic tour brand "Yui" with luxury bus tours, and for inbound tourism, it introduced the brand "LIMON" which includes private buses, and opened an office in Bangkok, Thailand in April last year. The company plans to start a travel planning and sales business in Osaka in April next year, and has opened an "Osaka Marketing Office" in advance, as it continues to make advance investments to expand its business. President Nagao expressed his confidence and called for the support of the association's members, saying, "Even in this era of declining birthrates and an aging population, Shinki Bus has a large and encouraging market. They are proactive in expanding their business, and we have high hopes for the future." All of the proposals were approved. This year, the association will hold information exchange meetings and individual business meetings, operate a website exclusively for its members, and hold sales promotion campaigns. To commemorate the 90th anniversary of its founding, the association also went on a training trip to Thailand in August.