Jakarta Fair breaks visitors, sales records

Jakarta Fair breaks visitors, sales records

JAKARTA (JP): The month-long Jakarta Fair closed last night
having broken records for the number of visitors and total sales.

Total sales reached Rp 181 billion (US$73.87 million) and more
than 2.52 million people went to the fair.

The fair was closed by Jakarta International Trade Fair Corp.
director Soekardjo Hardjosoewirjo, but an official closing
ceremony will be held today. Coordinating Minister of Production
and Distribution Hartarto will attend the ceremony.

Soekardjo said that the total sales figure of Rp 181 billion
exceeded the target of Rp 122.5 billion and was a big jump over
last year's Rp 35 billion.

"There was a high transaction level mainly because of
Indonesia's improved economy. Moreover, the products offered at
the fair were good quality," he said.

He said another reason sales increased so sharply was because
property businesses took part in the fair for the first time this
year.

He said that Rp 98 billion of the total sales were concluded
by property businesses alone, followed by motor vehicle sales at
Rp 42 billion and electronics at Rp 5 billion.

"Besides the concluded sales the committee also registered
another Rp 24 billion as being still under negotiation," he said.

Soekardjo said about 2,600 exhibitors participated in the
fair, including 1,234 big domestic and foreign companies.

He said last year only 2.2 million people went to the fair.

The city put on 520 extra busses, plying 29 routes, to help
people get to the fair.

Cultural and music performances were arranged in a bid to
attract visitors. One such performance was a demonstration of
Brazilians dancing the sensual Samba.

This was the 30th fair held in conjunction with Jakarta's
470th birthday. (jun/hhr)

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