Travel mart cut short amid unrest

Travel mart cut short amid unrest

JAKARTA (JP): The Tourism Indonesia Mart & Expo (TIME) 1999
closed one day ahead of schedule on Friday due to fears
escalating antigovernment protests would disrupt the annual
event.

"The early closing is the best decision in the interest of
participants, especially the buyers," the committee's chairwoman
Meity Robot said.

She said none of the participants pulled out of the event
despite mass student demonstrations during the last two days.

Five buyers cancelled their participation before the event
opened on Tuesday but it was because of personal reasons, she
added.

The demonstrations, the largest antigovernment rallies in the
capital since May 1998, paralyzed several main streets on
Thursday and Friday. Students and members of the public protested
the newly approved security law.

Dozens were injured and there were reportedly three
fatalities, including a policeman, during the clashes.

TIME participants still have several scheduled activities on
their itinerary, Meity said, including traveling to tourist sites
outside Java.

Susilowati Daud of the event organizer Pacto Convex said the
premature closing would likely cause a slight decrease from the
targeted transaction value concluded by the buyers and sellers
this year.

"Transactions recorded as of 3 p.m. on Friday were US$8.1
million. I think we'll end up about 5 percent higher, not 10
percent as we targeted previously, than last year's total
transaction of $8.7 million."

She added that the organizer estimated Rp 100 million net
profit from this year's event, an amount which would be divided
evenly between Pacto and the Indonesian Tourism Promotion Board
(BPPI).

Susilowati said 121 buyers from 29 foreign countries and 163
sellers from 17 provinces participated in TIME 1999, compared to
120 buyers from 25 countries and 144 sellers from 19 provinces in
last year's event.

BPPI has scheduled TIME 2000 for Sept. 8 to Sept. 13. (cst)