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.