It's not all fun at the fair for visitors<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Thousands of people from Greater Jakarta visited the 2002 Jakarta
\nFair at the Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on
\nthe first day of the month-long event on Saturday.<\/p>\n
However, some of the visitors complained about the difficulty
\nof getting to the venue.<\/p>\n
Many visitors with children said going to the fair was an
\nannual family tradition. They did not care too much about what
\nwas on offer.<\/p>\n
"Who cares about the goods or the performances? It's more
\nimportant to bring the whole family here to relax at the
\nweekend," said Suhendar, who came from Bekasi along with his wife
\nand two children.<\/p>\n
Suhendar took a city bus from Bekasi to Senen bus station and
\nchanged bus to head to Kemayoran. He was disappointed to find
\nthere were no direct city buses to Kemayoran and he found it
\ndifficult to change buses several times, particularly as he was
\nwith his small children, aged three years and five years.<\/p>\n
Sutini, who came from Semper, North Jakarta, with her husband
\nand daughter, had to spend Rp 20,000 (US$2.3) for the taxi fare
\nfrom her house to the venue.<\/p>\n
"If there were city buses from Tanjung Priok bus station to
\nthe fairground, we would not have spent so much money," she said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Fair spokesman Adhie M. Massardi, said there have been
\ndeals between the City Transport Agency and the organizers about
\ncity buses plying routes from various bus stations to the
\nfairground.<\/p>\n
"We have made a deal but I don't know why it has yet to
\nmaterialize. Maybe because the transport companies contacted by
\nthe agency have the right to reject the offer," he said.<\/p>\n
The organizers have also yet to provide shuttle buses
\ntraveling between the fairground to several star-rated hotels
\nalong Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. M.H. Thamrin.<\/p>\n
Adhie said the organizers have just finished negotiations with
\na bus company to provide air-conditioned shuttle buses.<\/p>\n
However, he failed to mention when the shuttle buses would
\nbegin operation. He could only say, "hopefully we can begin next
\nweek."<\/p>\n
But Ariyanto Wibowo, a Hotel Indonesia concierge, said, "We
\nhave only just found out about the shuttle buses from the
\nnewspaper. We haven't received official notification from the
\norganizers".<\/p>\n
Over 1,500 participants from companies and regions joined the
\nmonth-long event, which was opened by Vice President Hamzah Haz
\non Friday. President Megawati Soekarnoputri is scheduled to
\nattend the grand opening on June 26.<\/p>\n
Various performances including music shows, traditional dances
\nand children's contests will also be staged during the event,
\nwhich will run until July 14.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/its-not-all-fun-at-the-fair-for-visitors-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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