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)