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pbeat on the number of visitors to the Indonesia pavilion at the 2010 World Expo Shanghai China (WESC), the government has increased its target, aiming to receive 8 million visitors during the course of the event, a senior
official says.

Visitor numbers had exceeded their initial target of 3 million since the expo began on May 1, Coordinating Economic Minister secretary Eddy Abdurrahman said Thursday.

The Trade Ministry reported that as of July 14 the pavilion had attracted 3.3 million visitors, around 12 percent of the 27.1 million people who had visited the expo to date.

The Indonesia pavilion — a 2,400-square-meter building worth around US$10 million — features information on Indonesia’s natural resources and diverse cultural heritage, along a 700-meter ramp that allows visitors to enjoy the displays.

The pavilion is divided into three zones: a “bio” zone featuring aspects of Indonesia’s natural resources, a “diverse” zone showcasing equipment used by traditional societies in agriculture, and a “city” section presenting various food and beverages.

Eddy said Indonesia’s presence at the expo would strengthen its position on the world stage, as a rich country blessed with various cultures as well as natural and human resources.

“We have successfully achieved a six-month target in just two months,” Eddy said.

Indonesia’s participation in the expo also coincides with the 60th anniversary of its diplomatic relations with China, forming an important symbol of the developing ties between the two countries.

“[Our participation] will strengthen our bilateral relations,” Eddy said.

Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu welcomed the new target.

“We should make a new target after we’ve reached our previous one. This shows that we are optimistic about the role of the Indonesia pavilion in promoting a better image of Indonesia to the rest of the world,” she said.

The Indonesia pavilion received its 3 millionth visitor — Zhou Si Cheng (26), a police officer in Jingan, Shanghai — at 1:15 p.m. local time, last Thursday, on the 69th day of Indonesia’s participation in the expo.

As one of the WESC’s official sponsors, Garuda Indonesia gave Zhou two return tickets from Shanghai to Jakarta and Batam. The winner also received free accommodation at the Bintan Resort in Bintan, and a stay at the Borobodur Hotel in Jakarta.

Si Cheng also won Rp 3 million ($333) in cash and souvenirs from the National Agency for Export Development (NAFED). (ebf)