According to Antara news agency, the ministry’s marketing deputy II, Nia Niscaya, said the event would boast a Balinese beach setting, which would decorate the banks of River Thames, with the fair set against the backdrop of the Tower Bridge.

Wonderful Indonesia wants to improve Indonesia's tourism promotion not only for British people but also tourists from other countries who are visiting London, Nia said. According to recent data from VisitBritain, tourism to the UK is forecast to break through the 40 million mark for the first time in 2018.

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In the past three years, Indonesian Weekend has highlighted Indonesian tourism through dance, costume carnivals, martial arts displays and musical performances on the bank of River Thames, where thousands of people pass every day. 

This year, Indonesian Weekend is set to recreate Bali's beaches with 50 tons of white sand, complete with a bar and tropical drinks. Performances to fill the stage include those by dancers and pencak silat martial artists, including the Penglipur from Garut and Tapak Suci, as well as musicians playing traditional instruments, such as rebab, saluang and banji. 

Five dishes to be highlighted at the event include rendang, nasi goreng (fried rice), sate ayam (chicken skewers), soto ayam (Indonesian chicken soup with noodles and aromatics) and gado-gado (mixed vegetable salad with peanut sauce).

The dishes would be introduced with a cooking demonstration by chef Degan Septoadji, and visitors can have a taste in addition to other Indonesian food stalls offering local specialties from across the archipelago.

The tourism fair would also offer travel packages from airlines and hotels in Indonesia. (liz/wng)