Local exhibition industry lacks recognition: Iqbal

Local exhibition industry lacks recognition: Iqbal

JAKARTA (JP): The convention and exhibition industry in
Indonesia failed to do as well as was expected as the industry
still lacked networking with other businesses, an executive said
on Monday.

Chairman of the Indonesian Congress and Convention Association
(INCCA) Iqbal Abdullah said: "There is also a tendency for
companies organizing conventions to assign their own organizing
committees instead of hiring a professional convention organizer
(PCO)," he said.

He was speaking at a dialogue on the Meetings, Incentives,
Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry in Indonesia.

Iqbal stated that out of 945 events held in 1997, less than
100 were arranged by PCOs

This trait caused the development of human resources in the
MICE industry to falter, he said, adding that currently there
were only 34 PCOs in the country.

Pontjo Sutowo, chairman of the Indonesian Tourism Promotion
Board (BPPI), said the prospect for MICE industry in Indonesia
was very high, "just not very well-exploited yet."

He agreed with Iqbal that the lack of recognition in the
country's PCOs had partly contributed to the slow growth in the
industry.

"If there is an international event in the country, why not
hire professionals instead of assigning a national committee,"
Pontjo said.

"The government's acknowledgement of the industry will help
build up the people's awareness of the business," he said, adding
that the use of professional organizers would improve the quality
of the event, which would in return bring more benefits to the
participants of an exhibition or a convention.

Iqbal said the exhibitions and conventions could also bring in
more foreign exchange into the country.

The length of stay for a person attending MICE events was
approximately five days while spending at least US$500 a day,
compared to only $100 a day by tourists, he said.

"And a convention could have at least 500 participants," Iqbal
added.

This year the MICE industry is once again striving to make its
existence known, he said.

He said this year it would be able to earn at least 75 percent
of the targeted $1 billion.

"The special MICE exhibition at the Indonesian Tourism Mart
last month had made a difference," Iqbal said, adding that some
contracts have been made at the mart for MICE events in the
country both by local companies and multinational companies.

He said that Jakarta remains the favorite target for MICE,
especially for industries and the financial sectors, while Bali
is a popular spot for science conventions. (10)