Jakarta Fair expected to end in success
Jakarta Fair expected to end in success
Urip Hudiono, Jakarta
With only two days remaining, organizers of the Jakarta Fair in
Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, are confident they will meet their
target of 2.2 million total visitors.
PT Jakarta International Expo project director Ralph R.
Scheunemann said that as of Thursday about 1.9 million people had
visited the annual fair, which opened on June 17.
"With about 100,000 visitors per working day and a higher
number on the weekends, we expect to reach the targeted 2.2
million visitors," he said on Friday afternoon.
Scheunemann said the month-long fair had generated about Rp
300 billion (US$33.5 million) in transactions, much higher than
the organizers' projection of Rp 250 billion.
This year's fair, which is part of the commemoration of the
city's 477th anniversary, which fell on June 22, has been more
successful than last year's version in terms of number of
visitors and transactions. Last year, about 1.7 millions people
visited the fair, generating about Rp 208 billion worth of
transactions.
However, only 800 exhibitors are taking part in the fair this
year, down from 1,186 last year.
The exhibitors, including six from China, Germany, Iran, Japan
and Malaysia, are occupying three main exhibition halls.
The fair also features 250 vendors, mostly food vendors, who
are located close to the exhibition grounds.
PT Central Citra Murdaya president director Hartati Murdaya --
the new owner of the Jakarta Fairground after she took it over
from PT Jakarta International Trade Fair, owned by Edward
Soeryadjaya -- promised to dedicate more space for next year's
fair.
"I will provide the 1,000-square-meter hall D as additional
space for the fair," she said.
The 2004 Jakarta Fair was officially opened by President
Megawati Soekarnoputri and will be closed on July 18 by Governor
Sutiyoso.
Besides an array of products ranging from electronics,
furniture, cosmetics and computer hardware, this year's fair also
features two new attractions: The Pavilion and Negeri Dongeng
(Fairyland).
The Pavilion is modeled after the famed Suzhou Pavilion in
China. It is decorated with Chinese lanterns and visitors can get
a glimpse of what ancient Chinese homes looked like. The Pavilion
also host cultural performances such as the Shaolin Kung Fu show
and the Suzhou lantern festival.
At Negeri Dongeng children can enjoy educational fun, with
competitions, creative workshops and art exhibitions.
A total of 100 music groups and solo artists, playing all
types of music from rock to dangdut, have entertained visitors
every Wednesday to Sunday night.
This Saturday visitors can enjoy a performance by the pop
group Stinky, while pop star Audy will perform on the fair's
final day on Sunday.
The annual Jakarta Fair was held for the first time in 1968 at
the National Monument Park in Central Jakarta. Since 1991, the
event has been held at the Jakarta Fairground.