Jakarta Fair fails to reach target due to weather problem

Jakarta Fair fails to reach target due to weather problem

JAKARTA (JP): Worries that the month-long Jakarta Fair, which
closes today, would fail to reach its target to attract three
million visitors have come true.

As of yesterday, the organizer, PT Jakarta International Trade
Fair Corporation (JITC), had recorded only 1,715,839 visitors,
taking in Rp 2.5 billion ($1.2 million) in ticket sales.

Since 1992, when PT JITC moved the Jakarta Fairgrounds from
Monas Square to Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, the organizer has
never reached its target.

In 1992, PT JITC targeted 2.5 million visitors, but only 1.6
million attended the fair. In 1993, the number of visitors to the
Jakarta Fair rose to 1.8 million, still below the organizer's
target of 2.5 million.

The fair recorded its best turnout last year with 2.2 million
visitors, though they again fell short of their 2.5 million goal.

Soekardjo Hardjosoewito, the Director of PT JITC, conceded
that his company has had major trouble meeting the target.

The most serious problem, he said, was the unpredictable
weather. The frequent drizzling rain over the past month has
discouraged people from attending the fair.

When rains soaked Jakarta on the fourth day, for example, only
19,000 people came to the fair. The number was a four-year record
low, he said.

According to Soekardjo, an unreliable transport system was
also to blame for the flop. Many visitors complained that they
found it difficult to find buses home at night. What's more, taxi
drivers generally refused to use meters and people had to pay
higher fares.

Transport remained a major problem although the organizer in
cooperation with city bus company, PPD, had mobilized more than
450 buses for visitors.

The other problem was the parking lot, which Soekardjo said
was far from adequate.

Some visitors said that this year's Jakarta fair was less
attractive because of the absence of such popular participants as
the dinosaur show from Japan.

The fair is scheduled to be closed by Soekardjo tonight. (29)