Heating Geopolitical Situation Also Casts Shadow on Jakarta Fair 2026

Jakarta Fair Kemayoran (JFK) 2026, the largest and longest exhibition event in Southeast Asia, is officially preparing to welcome the public. This year, the annual exhibition will run for a full 32 days, from 11 June to 12 July 2026, at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. The staging of Jakarta Fair 2026 holds strategic significance as it forms part of the series of celebrations for the 499th Anniversary of DKI Jakarta. This momentum is also seen as a precursor to the major 500th anniversary commemoration of the city of Jakarta in 2027. Marketing Director of JIExpo, Ralph Scheunemann, expressed high optimism for this year’s event. With a longer duration compared to last year, the organiser is targeting higher visitor numbers and transaction values. ‘We saw last year we achieved approximately 5.9 million visitors with transactions of Rp7.3 trillion. This year, we certainly hope that visitors will exceed 6 million and transactions will approach Rp8 trillion,’ said Ralph at JIExpo Kemayoran on Thursday (4/6). Jakarta Fair 2026 will be participated in by 2,800 exhibitors spread across 1,800 stands. The composition of participants this year shows a balance between large corporations and drivers of the people’s economy. A total of 55 percent of participants are from the private sector, while the remaining 45 percent are Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Various industrial sectors are confirmed to enliven the exhibition, ranging from automotive (cars and motorcycles), gadgets, computers, sports equipment, fashion, to household appliances. The culinary sector, creative industries, handicrafts, as well as banking and cosmetic services will also be major attractions for visitors from various backgrounds. Despite targeting positive growth, Ralph did not deny the challenges posed by the heating global geopolitical situation, particularly in the Middle East region. This condition has already caused the postponement of several international exhibition agendas abroad. However, he hopes the impact will not be significant on trading activities in Indonesia. ‘We hope that exhibition and trade activities will continue to run normally so that Jakarta Fair remains the economic driving force long awaited by the wider community, both from Jakarta and outside Java,’ he concluded.