Jakarta Fair 2004 to get makeover in 2004

Jakarta Fair 2004 to get makeover in 2004

Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta Fair 2004 is about to get bigger and brighter, with
more entertainment and cultural events in store to pull in larger
crowds, its new management says.

The joint management of Jakarta International Expo (JI Expo)
and Jakarta Propertindo said they planned to hold the fair at the
Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, from June 17 to
July 18.

JI Expo president director and fair organizing committee head
Siti Hartati Murdaya said on Monday the new concept of the fair
was aimed at attracting more people to come and participate in
the event.

"I'm trying my best to make this year's fair different from
the previous ones. I don't want it to be just like a night fair
where people come for food and then go home," Hartati said.

Aside from the usual products -- electronics, furniture,
cosmetics and food stands -- Jakarta Fair 2004 will have two new
attractions: The Pavilion and Negeri Dongeng (Fairy Land).

With a Chinese setting, Pavilion will display a Suzhou
Pavilion along with Chinese lanterns, where people can take a
peak at what ancient Chinese homes looked like. There will also
be other cultural attractions held in the pavilion.

Built to attract children, Negeri Dongeng will have an
entertaining atmosphere but emphasize education -- with
competitions, creative workshops and art exhibitions. There will
also be live shows featuring Indonesian child pop singers,
including Tina Toon and Marshanda.

"I want (the fair) to be like the Hanover Fair in Germany,
where people come to really enjoy the whole package," Hartati
said.

She said she wanted the fair to embody the Meeting Incentive
Convention & Exhibition (MICE) concept, which was proposed in
1992 to attract foreign visitors to Jakarta but was never
realized.

"The MICE concept is very good in terms of businesses as
people can come to our city not just for a meeting or a
convention, but also for shopping and recreation," Hartati said.

For security at the fair, management had cooperated with the
city administration to deploy officers throughout the grounds.

Although the approaching general election remained a concern
to many, Hartati played down fears it would affect the event.

"The election may run, but people will still have to eat, we
still have to live -- so we will do our part and they will do
theirs," Hartati said.

Carrying the theme "Go My Jakarta, Go My Indonesia, My NKRI
(Unitary State) forever," the fair is projected to employ 1,000
workers, attract 2.2 million people, and earn Rp 250 billion
(US$29.7 million).

Last year, the month-long fair had 900 employees, attracted
2.05 million people, and earned about Rp 208 billion.