Destination Europe 2016

To increase the visibility and knowledge about the EU in Indonesia and ASEAN Countries, the EU-PDO organises a wide variety of activities and events. Undoubtedly, the most important event of all is Destination Europe, an innovative and unique fair that combines the travel and culture specialities of each one of the EU Members States. Organised for the second time in April 2016, the event attracted over 14,000 visitors in two days, repeating the success of the first event in 2014. This was achieved through a successful cooperative effort led by the EU Delegation, funding the event with some €400.000, and also with active cooperation of 22 EU Member States, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local businesses connected to European travel and culture (such as airlines, travel services and restaurants). Destination Europe 2016 combined information and entertainment with the promotion of travel to Europe, offering to visitors the opportunity to learn and experience more of Europe with games, quizzes, presentations, language classes, music, dance and gastronomy.
In total, 22 EU Member States took part in the fair, that is all EU Countries represented in Jakarta with an Embassy, as well as Latvia via the Consulate. The EU Countries were joined by three neighbouring countries (Georgia, Norway, and Switzerland). The main activities that took place in the fair were the following:
Fair Food:
The fair hosted 15 food related companies, selling specialties related to or from Europe. The food festival aimed at giving the fair an even more European feeling, and at inviting the visitors to literally taste Europe while enjoying the stage programme.
Travel information:
A total of seven travel agents joined the exhibition; Alia Wisata, Anta Vaya, ATS, Dwidaya, Avia, Mandiri Travel Centre and TX Travel. The agencies were asked to focus on travel packages to Europe. Additionally, eight other private travel related companies joined the event; Travel Experience (a bag selling company), ACA travel insurance, Indo Tactical Gear, Temkomsel, Sabre (who provided the booking system to Travel agents and Airlines), Indonesian Corner (selling Indonesian handicrafts), Mandiri Power Buy, and D’Luxor Hotel.
Activity Areas:
Three activity areas were included in the fair, in order to enliven potentially less active fair areas. In the back of the hall, France hosted a Petanque game, supported by Jakarta’s Petanque Club, introducing the game to a wider Indonesian audience. Germany, in collaboration with Berlin Tourism, hosted a football area, where medals could be won if a ball was successfully shot through a whole in a cardboard goal. A third area, implemented by the EU-PDO, was placed in the front, near the large main stage. Here children were invited to take part in drawing or colouring contests in two age groups.
Entertainment programme:
The fair was accompanied by an entertainment programme on a large main stage and a cooking stage in a presentation room. The Main Stage hosted several musical acts, and games, while on the cooking stage visitors were introduced to European dishes, by embassy staff or European restaurants. The stages were faced by the picnic area, where chairs and tables were set up, inviting visitors to enjoy the programme while tasting the food provided in the food festival.
A total of 14,049 visitors were counted by tickets sold and the free entries for Mandiri customers. Although the number does not reflect free entry tickets distributed or invited guests, visitor numbers have been significantly increased from 2014, when 11,569 people attended the fair. That signifies an increase of 2,480 persons or 21%. Also the fair had an important impact in the media and 84 journalists from 57 media joined the opening ceremony and a tour of the fair.