P

T Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) is seeking Rp 4.5 trillion (US$459 million) in transactions from around 4.8 million visitors at the upcoming Jakarta Fair Festival, which will be held in conjunction with the celebration of the city'€™s 486th anniversary.

The target increased by 12.5 percent from last year'€™s transaction value of Rp 4 trillion from Rp 4.5 million visitors.

JIExpo managing director Prajna Murdaya told a press conference that he was optimistic more visitors would come to the 46th month-long fair, held at the Jakarta Fairground (PRJ) in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, from June 6 to July 7, as it would become the biggest multi-product exhibition, with 2,650 participants from various businesses comprising micro, medium to large scale enterprises in the capital.

Marketing director Ralph Scheunemann said besides big enterprises regularly taking part in the exhibition, his company gave bigger opportunities for small and medium enterprises to join in by providing 12,000 square-meters of space in its 13 halls and open spaces.

'€œState-owned firms and regional administrations will also take part in the exhibition,'€ he said.

Besides its product exhibition, the Jakarta Fair, with tickets priced at Rp 25,000 for Monday to Thursday and Rp 30,000 for Friday to Sunday, will also present music concerts every night for 32 days and other cultural activities like the Miss Jakarta Fair beauty pageant and folklore festival from nine countries.

Ralph said in order to make visitors comfortable; his company had prepared a number of facilities.

He said the company would provide hundreds of security guards, cleaning services, around 800 toilets and adequate parking space that would be able to accommodate 2,000 cars and 20,000 motorcycles.

'€œHowever, we suggest visitors to use public vehicles to ease traffic congestion and parking issues,'€ he said.

Ralph said that cooperating with the Jakarta Transportation Agency, JIExpo provided 10 shuttle buses from the National Monument (Monas) park in Central Jakarta and Kemayoran Transjakarta bus stop to accommodate visitors with public transportation.

According to JIExpo general manager Okky Setiawan, the company also cooperated with the Mangga Dua shopping center to open their parking facility for 24 hours and provide shuttle buses with fares of Rp 8,000 to Rp 10,000 to the fair.

Okky said the company would station hundreds of security guards comprising its internal security staff, the Public Order Agency, the police and the military.

Jakarta Regional Secretary assistant for economics Hasan Basri, who attended the press conference, said the Jakarta Fair was important for the city'€™s economic activities.

'€œBesides providing job opportunities, the fair also contributes significantly to regional tax income from parking retribution and advertisements,'€ he said.

Hasan added that the fair also drew tourists to the city, the tourism attraction of which relied on meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry.

Jakarta will hold 33 events to celebrate the anniversary. The events include Jakarta Great Sales, Car Free Night, Abang None beauty pageant, the Jakarta 10K and the World Golf Championships.