Jakarta Fair attracts almost 1m visitors

Jakarta Fair attracts almost 1m visitors

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Twenty days after kick off, the Jakarta Fair has managed to
attract a significant number of visitors and is expected to hit
its target of Rp 200 billion in sales.

The fair recorded 972,609 visitors as of Friday, an increase
of 15 percent on the same period last year.

Numbers peaked on the day 10 with 110,154 visitors, even
managing to attract 77,000 visitors on the day of the World Cup
final.

The fair also managed to record significant rises in sales.

Budi, 25, a stand keeper of South Korean motorcycle company
Kymco boasted that his company had thus far sold 180 units.

"Last year, on the 20th day, we only sold no more than 100
units," he said.

His company sold the products priced between Rp 11 million and
42 million both in cash and on credit.

"Experience shows that the last days of the fair, the sales
even could reach more than 30 units a day. That's why I am
optimistic that we could reach our sales target off 400 units in
the next 10 days," Budi said.

This year, the organizer expected 2 million people to visit
the fair. Last year, the fair attracted 1.7 million people and Rp
173 billion in transactions.

Fauzan, 45, representing liquefied natural gas-stove company
Ariston, said his stand had managed to secure Rp 100 million in
sales so far.

"In fact, many more customers have been willing to buy our
products. But, most of them want to pay on credit instead of
cash," he said, adding that the company did not offer credit
schemes during the fair.

Fauzan said his company aimed to secure Rp 300 million from
the sale of its products which were available at between Rp 1
million and Rp 10 million.

The fair was not only an attraction for residents of Greater
Jakarta but also for many people from across the country.

Rani, 35, who arrived from Pekanbaru, Riau, on Thursday
visited the fair with her five relatives from Lenteng Agung,
South Jakarta.

"Almost every year, I come to the fair, especially to see the
new products on display," said Rani, who drove for an hour and a
half to visit the venue at Kamyoran, Central Jakarta.

Rani remarked that a wide variety of new products and the
fair's vast area were among the attractions compared to malls or
department store.

"We need a day long to see all the products. And, that's
really fun," Rani said, adding that she planned to enjoy the fair
from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. She said she had spent more than Rp 2
million for a number of items, including a South Korean-made
blender.

But, not all visitors come to shop, Diah, 30, a resident of
Pondok Gede, Bekasi, for instance, came to visit the fair to
spend time with her family.

"We have come to visit the fair three times since its opening.
Though we have to drive more than 1.5 hours from our home to
reach the venue, that's okay. Our children are happy to go around
here," Diah remarked.

She also did not mind paying the entrance fee, which is Rp
6,000 on weekdays and Rp 7,500 on the weekends.

Several visitors interviewed by The Jakarta Post expressed
their satisfaction during their visits to the fair, but they also
had complaints.

"It is difficult to find comfortable restrooms here," another
visitor, Andrew, 30, a resident of Pecenongan, West Jakarta.

The available mobile restrooms, Andrew said, were dirty, quiet
and dark.

Visitors also complained they could not find cheap food and
drinks.

"Many stalls sell very expensive food and beverages, sometime
unreasonable," said Benny, another visitor from Tanjung Duren.

A bottle of tea normally sold for Rp 2,000 could reach Rp
5,000," Benny said, adding that a plate of average fried rice
reached Rp 30,000.

The fair's spokesperson Adhie M. Massardi admitted that many
visitors had complained about the high price of food and drinks.

"We can still control prices at some stalls we have provided
for free to vendors under a profit-sharing scheme. But, we can
not impose similar controls on the tenants who have paid a lot to
rent the lots," Adhie said.

This year is the 35th Jakarta Fair. It was first staged at the
National Monument (Monas) park in Central Jakarta in 1968, during
the tenure of governor Ali Sadikin.

In a bid to attract visitors, the organizers feature not only
business and trade exhibitions but also cultural and art
performances with various noted performers.

In 1992, the fair was moved to a more spacious location at the
former Kemayoran airport. The fair, which was initially organized
by the administration, has been organized since the early 1990s
by the Jakarta International Trade Fair (JITF), which is owned by
businessman Edward Soerjadjaja.