W

ith Jakarta rapidly emerging as an exciting destination to mix business with pleasure, many hotels have expanded their convention and exhibition facilities to meet growing demand of the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions industry (MICE).

While it is commonplace to hold events in the heart of the capital, there is also increasing interest in alternative convention venues, with the added attraction of a variety of activities on the sidelines of convention events, such as trips to local tourism spots or a chance for a round at local golf courses.

One hotel offering a unique MICE experience is The Dharmawangsa in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. Sully Suharjo, the hotel’s assistant director of events, said its location in a quiet leafy residential area in South Jakarta provided tranquility, which was perfect for MICE activities that required focus and concentration. The hotel has 10 function rooms and two ballrooms, the Nusantara and Grand Ballroom.

“Our meeting rooms also use day lighting, which gives a different nuance to normal MICE activities. The natural lighting and the quiet neighborhood can create good convention results,” she said.

According to Sully, the hotel usually hosted about three local and between two and three international conferences a month, in the ballrooms or its several meeting rooms. To expand its MICE offerings, the hotel plans to renovate its ballroom and garden in the middle of this year.

Another hotel slightly outside traditional MICE locations is the Hotel Santika Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Guido Andriano said that although the hotel only recently opened, its occupancy rate reached 80 percent, with its guests mostly coming for MICE events held in the hotel’s meeting rooms.

“We were surprised and happy with the result. We will develop MICE events here,” Guido said.

The hotel is located on the periphery of Taman Mini, the hotel plans to offer tour packages that include admission to the park and other activities that exist in the area.

Located across from Sentul International Convention Center, the Hotel Harris Sentul also attracts customers of MICE events held in the center. Only 30 minutes from Jakarta, the hotel offers fresh air, a great landscape view and a traffic-free venue.

Eric Simard, the director of project and operations of Hotel Harris Sentul, said that besides housing meetings held by companies, the hotel also welcomed performers holding concerts in the convention center.

“We also offer golf packages because there are good golf courses here and bike tour around the area. We will try to make local tourism grow too,” he said.

Yani Sinulingga, corporate communication manager of Tauzia Hotel Management, which operates, among other hotels, the Hotel Harris and POP! Hotels, said that the MICE occupancy rate of the Hotel Harris Sentul reached up to 80 percent, as the hotel’s meeting rooms were usually full on weekdays.

Another venue improving its MICE facilities is the theme park Ancol Taman Impian in Ancol, North Jakarta. Budi Karya Sumadi, the president director of PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, told the news portal okezone.com that the theme park aimed to be Asia’s biggest tourism area.

“We hope that by 2016, Ancol will be the chosen tourism area for foreign tourists and will be on the same playing field with other tourism aresa in the world,” Budi Karya said.

The MICE industry will play an important role in Ancol as the market continues to flourish. The improving national economic condition has boosted the growth of Indonesian companies, boosting the MICE demand.

“Indonesia has a competitive potential in this MICE market. After Indonesia entered the investment-grade group of nations, it means we will see more foreign investors coming in, as well as more meetings, conferences and exhibitions here,” he said.

To support the business, the park has prepared various concepts and programs to make the area Indonesia’s leading MICE provider. By incorporating the concepts of green lifestyle tourism and promotion of the creative industry, Ancol Taman Impian is developing MICE facilities in three locations: the 2,000-square-meter Candi Bentar that can house 4,500 people in Putri Duyung Cottages, the 4,200-square-meter multi-purpose hall at Ocean Ecopark Ancol and the international-standard auditorium with a 20,000-person capacity in Ancol Beach City.

“Besides serving as a “MICE City”, the facilities can also make Ancol as an interesting shopping area because of its strategic location and on the seaside,” Budi Karya said.

Astied Julias, the director of sales and marketing of international specialized exhibition company PT Pamerindo Indonesia, told news portal okezone.com that MICE development in Indonesia was good.

Astied said that in the last couple of years there was an increase of between 30 and 40 percent in MICE demand. PT Pamerindo Indonesia, for example, will hold seven large-scale exhibitions in several cities, including Bali and Surabaya, East Java.

According to Deputy Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sapta Nirwandar, 40 percent of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in 2009 were here for business trips. MICE tourists, he added, could not be differentiated from tourists coming for business trips because the immigration card completed by arriving tourists only listed business trip as an option.

“We want to put MICE on the immigration card. These tourists spend quite a long time because those coming for MICE will also take time to tour around the city,” he said as quoted by newsportal okezone.com.

Sapta said that from the statistics, it was estimated that the number of business-trip tourists, including MICE tourists, was 3.2 million.

“The number is supporting the target of 8 million foreign tourists in 2012 that was set by the ministry,” he said.

Jakarta MICE Events 2012 (including completed events)

• The International Conference and Exhibition on Palm Oil 2012. May 9-11. Jakarta Convention Center.

• INAMARINE 2012. The Indonesia International Shipbuilding, Offshore, Marine, Machinery and Equipment Exhibition and Conference. May 9–12 at 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Kemayoran, Jakarta.

• Indo Leather and Footwear Expo 2012. The 7th International Exhibition on Leather and Footwear Machinery, Manufacturing Technology, Materials and Services. May 10-13. JIExpo, Kemayoran, Jakarta.

• INDOMEDICARE Expo 2012. The 5th International Exhibition on Medical, Pharmaceutical Products, Dental and Hospital Equipment, Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Health Care, Supplies and Services. May 10-13. Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) Senayan, Jakarta.

• Indo Health Expo 2012. The 4th International Exhibition and Conference on Health and Lifestyle, Spa and Wellness, Natural and Organic Products and Services. May 10-13. Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) Senayan, Jakarta.

• Indo Beauty Expo 2012. The 4th International Exhibition and Conference on Cosmetics, Beauty and Cosmetic Products, Skincare, Fragrance and Hair Products, Equipment and Packaging Technology. May 10-13. Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) – Senayan, Jakarta.

• The 36th IPA Annual Convention and Exhibition 2012. May 23-25. Jakarta Convention Center, Assembly Hall 1, 2, 3 Cendrawasih Room 1/1 Lower Lobby Meeting Rooms Plenary Hall (whole). Telp: 021 5155959

• Indonesia Tourism and Culture Expo. Travel and Culture Highlights 2012. May 24-27. Information: 021 7892939.  Hall B, Jakarta Convention Center.

• Indoautomotive. Indonesian International Automotive, Spare Parts and Accesories Exhibition. May 24 – 26. The Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Jakarta.

• ASEAN Ports and Shipping. The largest annual Ports, Shipping, and Logistics Exhibition and Conference in Southeast Asia. May 30 – 31. Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta.

• Indomax 2012 (10th Indonesia Machinery Exhibition). May 31 – June 3. Hall B, Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Kemayoran, Jakarta.

• BritCham Business and Social Gathering. May 31. Reservation: events@britcham.or.id. Location: TBA on RSVP.

• The 9th Indonesia Cellular Show 2012. June 6-10. Jakarta Convention center. Information: www.dyandra.com.

• Jakarta Fair 2012. June 14 – July 15. All halls, The Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Kemayoran, Jakarta.

• INDOBUILDTECH 2012. June 27 – July 1. Jakarta Convention Center.

• Indonesia Banking Expo 2012 (IBEX). June 27- July 1. Jakarta Convention Center.

• Thailand Exhibition 2012. June 14-17. Balai Sidang, Jakarta Convention Center, Assembly Hall 1,2,3 Telephone: 021 31901363.

• The World Philatelic Exhibition (World Stamp Exhibition). June 18-24. Balai Sidang, Jakarta Convention Center, Cendrawasih room 1/1. Telephone: 021 3861788.

• Asean-Latin Business Forum 2012 Towards a Sustainabile Future. July 9 – 10. Shangri-La Hotel Jakarta. Connecting ASEAN and Latin American and Caribbean Countries Trade and Investment Opportunities. The one-and-a-half day forum will highlight top government officials and CEO’s from ASEAN and Latin America, Executive talks from business leaders, plenary sessions on Investment and Trade Opportunities, Food Security, Energy Security, Infrastructure, Telecommunication and Technology. For more information and registration please visit: www.asean-latin2012.com. Contact for further information: secretariat@asean-latin2012.com, secretariat@pa-csr.com.

• ICRA 2012 Interior and Craft Exhibition. July 18 – 22. Hall A and B, Jakarta Convention Center. Information: Agus Ariyanto Telephone: 08159929416.

• World Tobacco Asia. Sept. 19-21. Balai Sidang, Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta.

• The 20th Indonesia International Motor Show. Sept. 20-30. Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran, Jakarta, A,B,C,D,E, open space. Telp: 021 26645000.

• Organic, Green and Healthy Expo of Indonesia 2012. Oct. 5-7. Tebet Green Mall, Jakarta. www.internations.org.

• Indonesia Brand Forum. Oct. 27-28. Jakarta Convention Center, Cendrawasih Room 1/1.Telp: 021 4603717.

• Kongres PERSI and Hospital Expo 2012. Nov. 7-10. Jakarta Convention Center.

• Food and Hospitality Indonesia. Nov. 21-24. International exhibition on hotels, catering, restaurants, cafe equipment, supplies, storage, services and related technology. Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Jakarta.