Next year's Jakarta Fair promises a new look

JAKARTA (JP): Next year's Jakarta Fair will undergo a major facelift with many new facilities, an organizer said yesterday.

Rudi Hendra, the deputy general manager of PT Jakarta International Trade Corporation (JITC), said the facelift would include a new boulevard and a wider car park.

"We will also provide more attractions and better transportation and security facilities for visitors. In short, next year's fair will be better managed in various respects, providing more comfort and entertainment for both the participants and visitors alike," he said.

Rudy said JITC had allocated Rp 7 billion for the fair, Rp 2 billion of which was for new facilities.

"All this is being done by JITC to make the annual fair more attractive and glamorous. It is also part of the organizers' activities to celebrate the fair's 30th anniversary," he said.

He said the main reason for the facelift was to attract more "quality" visitors, especially from overseas.

Rudy said he was optimistic the investment could be returned from the sales of stalls, admission tickets, parking tickets and the sponsor's money.

"We have set the target of reaping Rp 2 billion in financial profit. With the assumption that next year's fair can attract two million visitors like last year we have every reason to believe this target can be achieved."

He said the city administration and the city's public works office had promised to help JITC manage the fair more professionally.

"They will help finance the construction of a through road from Jl. Benyamin Sueb toward Jl. Martadinata which will help ease traffic jams on the streets leading to the fair ground in Kemayoran, "Rudi said.

He said 11 more entrance gates would be added to the current six. "Three for vehicles and 14 for visitors. The new parking lot can accommodate at least 5,000 cars."

A 200-meter-long and 15-meter-wide boulevard and a water fountain will be built at the fair ground.

"A street festival featuring various attractions, including musical and cultural shows performed by local and foreign artists will be held along the boulevard," Rudi said. An internationally reputed acrobatic troupe from China and a musical and dancing carnival from Brazil will be two of the festival's drawcards.

Four huge halls, called A, B, C and D halls, will house the fair's participants.

Hall A, which covers 8,000 square meters, will house high-tech product stands.

Hall B, covering 4,000 square meters, will serve as "the hall of nations" where foreign companies from Italy, China, Japan, Taiwan, Myanmar and Vietnam, among others, will display their products.

"Hall C will house pavilions from all 27 provinces across the country, while hall D will house stalls displaying various domestic products and services," Rudi said.

To make access to the fair easier JITC will provide 500 big buses plying 20 routes to the fair ground.

To guarantee public order and security organizers would deploy 1000 security personnel, including Armed Forces members and the city's civil security department, Rudi said.

Admission is Rp 2,000 per person. For a group of 25 or more admission is Rp 1,500 per person. (bas)