Convention business promising

Convention business promising

JAKARTA (JP): The business of trade and industrial exhibitions
and conventions in the Asia Pacific is highly promising given the
strong outlook of the economies in the region, industry
executives say.

Soekardjo Hardjosoewirjo from the Jakarta International Trade
Fair Corporation said yesterday that the booming economy would
have a positive impact on the business of exhibitions and
conventions.

Speaking after the opening ceremony of the General Assembly of
the Asia Pacific Exhibition and Convention Council, Soekardjo
acknowledged that the current economic downturn has slashed the
profit margins of exhibition and convention organizers.

The situation has been made worse by the mushrooming of new
convention and exhibition conference buildings throughout the
region.

This however is a welcome development as it is giving
customers more options on where they want to hold their
exhibitions or conventions, he added.

Indonesia alone now boasts a number of convention centers that
meet international standards. Besides the Jakarta Fairground in
Kemayoran, which is managed by the Jakarta International Trade
Fair Corporation, there is also the Jakarta Convention Center
adjacent to the Hilton Hotel and the Bali International
Convention Center in the Nusa Dua beach in Bali.

Soekardjo yesterday was formally elected chairman of the
the Asia Pacific Exhibition and Convention Council, at the
assembly's opening session. He replaced Praphant Asava-Aree of
NCC Management and Development Co. Ltd. of Thailand.

A rosy economic outlook of the region was given by Michel
Akavi of Reed Exhibitions Pte. Ltd. of Singapore.

Akavi told the participants that the Asia Pacific region
should be able to sustain the high economic growth rates that it
has seen over the last decade.

"Sustained economic growth in the United States and continuing
recovery in Europe will further reinforce Asia-Pacific growth,
especially export-oriented economies," he said.

He said Japan will remain the slowest growing economy after
three years of recession. Countries that will experience the
strongest growth are China, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore,
Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.

The four-day Asia Pacific Exhibition and Convention Council
General Assembly is participated in by 26 companies from 12
countries -- Canada, China, Japan, the United States, Hong Kong,
South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan,
Vietnam and Indonesia. (31)