Meetings, conventions key to tourism industry
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja officially opened a convention bureau yesterday saying that it will lift the awareness of the city in the meetings and conventions market.
Started by a group of five-star hoteliers called the Casa Grande in November last year, the bureau, called the Jakarta Convention Bureau, is making Director of City Tourism Fauzi Bowo's pledge to develop the city as a service center a reality.
"The bureau has already identified and is pursuing business to the value of US$35 million over the next two or three years," said bureau chairman and chief executive officer of Sahid hotels Tony Bruggemans.
Despite its early success, the bureau's optimistic but realistic head, David Hall, stresses that there is mountains of work to be done.
"The first thing you have to do is sell the destination," he said, adding that this is where the convention bureau comes in. Hall is building a team of Indonesian professionals to act as a single voice in marketing Jakarta as a convention and meeting destination around the world.
Although not a new idea -- the first convention bureau was set up in Detroit, Michigan in 1896 and there are now 420 bureaus around the world -- the not-for-profit Jakarta Convention Bureau is the first of its type in Asia, Hall says. In other Asian cities, attracting conventions and meetings is handled by the city tourism board.
Funding
The convention bureau will receive half its funding from the city administration for the first two years. Contributions from members in cash will in turn help the bureau meet its mission to secure an increased share of the lucrative meetings, incentive travel and exhibitions market for Jakarta.
To achieve this, the bureau will act as an "impartial and unbiased information source between buyers and suppliers," Hall said.
"Our first priority will be to provide services and assistance to those products in Jakarta that support the bureau," Hall underlined, adding that the "convention bureau does not organize conventions," but establishes the links between sellers and buyers.
Bruggemans said that the creation of the bureau was an excellent example of a successful marriage between the government sector and the private sector which will benefit the tourism industry and the community at large. The convention bureau will also allow Jakarta to be recognized worldwide as a convention destiny, Fauzi said.
"Hopefully conventions will be the core of business in the city's tourism industry. How can you fill up the increasing number of rooms in Jakarta without having a convention business?" Fauzi asked.
Making Jakarta a convention haven will not happen over night. Lead times for international conventions can be as high as 14 years but usually range between 18 months and six years, Hall said.
To get the ball rolling, the bureau is establishing a state-of-the-art computerized data bank and communication links. Although having a broad market is important, Hall says targeting the serious buyers is crucial. "I only want to talk to 5,000 select people," he insists.
To narrow the field of prospective buyers, the bureau is focusing on meetings and exhibitions on subjects relevant to the needs of Indonesia, like telecommunications, housing, health and manufacturing. (08)