SEA GAMES XXVI ALSO BOON FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 8 (ANTARA) - Realizing that the South East Asian Games  (SEA Games)  in Indonesia next  November is  also a potential market for small-scale enterprises,  the games' organizing committee has offered to cooperate with them for mutual benefit.          Indonesia is making preparations to host the 26th Southeast Asian Gemas (SEA Games) where 10 countries from the region are expected to compete in 44 sports branches  and vie for the 454 gold medals at stake from November 11 to 22, 2011.          The Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee (Inasoc)  and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) therefore agreed to cooperate in order to popularize the sports events and promote  small businesses in the country    "With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), we hope that the small businesses will be boosted evenly and the sports event can be promoted in various regions throughout the country," Kadin chairman for International Tourism, Arts and Sports Promotion Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono said after the signing of the cooperation     Therefore, both sides agreed to invite small industries to jointly produce souvenirs for the  biennial sports event that will be held on November 11-22, 2011 in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra.          "We hope to reap a profit of Rp50 billion from the sale of souvenirs throughout Indonesia. In Jakarta and Palembang, we hope the two hosts will earn Rp10 billion respectively," Iman Arif, Kadin chairman for sports development said.          He said that the souvenirs would be offered to state firms, hotels, tourist regions and the Kadin offices in the country's 33 provinces.          "In this cooperation, we are determined to play active roles in facilitating and opening communications with all stakeholders of the national sports," said Iman.          According to Ira Hermawan Bagus of Inasoc  at least 10 small firms in Jakarta, Bogor and Bandung were now in cooperation in the production of at least 20 types of souvenirs such as shirts, hats, bags and key holders.          Iman said that Indonesia should develop its sports industry potentials during the SEA Games events because Indonesia's position as host was beneficial.          Besides souvenirs, cooperation will also be carried out in the form of cultural activities such as a torch relay event.          Ibas, as Edhie Baskoro intimately called, said Kadin hoped the SEA Games would be able to generate the national economic development, particularly the development of economy in the regions.           "This is not only a matter of sports, the SEA Games event is an opportunity to develop other economic sectors like services industry, accommodation, restaurants and entertainment," Ibas said.          In the meantime, Inasoc Chairperson Rita Subowo said the success of the SEA Games would be measured with the empowerment of handicraftsmen in the production of souvenirs.           "We need promotion through the sales of souvenirs. That was why we asked Kadin to disseminate the souvenirs to 33 provinces in the country," Rita said.          Besides souvenirs, Kadin and the Inasoc will also hold cultural nights in eight cities during the torch relay procession. The eight cities that will host the cultural nights are Purwodadi and Magelang (Borobudur) , Semarang , Kupang , Jayapura , Makassar , Balikpapan , Jakarta  and Palembang.          The SEA Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra. South Sumatra's Industry and Trade Service official said the establishment of bazaar stands at the SEA Games' athlete home.          "We are proposing the establishment of a bazaar stand within the complex of the SEA Games athletes," Head of South Sumatra?s Industry and Trade Service Eppy Mirza. The stands are to be designed for athletes staying the athlete complex so that they could shop there.          He said, in conjunction with  the SEA Games, there would be exhibitions at hotels in Jakabaring. The Sriwijaya International Expo would accommodate  a total of  500 stands to be occupied by  participants from ASEAN and other countries which were invited.         It had the target to be visited by 30 thousand visitors. Each visitor was expected to spend Rp1 million for meals and souvenirs.          SEA Games XXV in Vientiane, Laos, was also used as an opportunity for small businesses to sell their goods. Just outside the venues there were  stands selling shirts and other souvenirs. SEA Games XXVI in Indonesia next November will be held in Jakarta and Palembang. Palembang will host 21 sports branches while the other branches will played out in Jakarta.           SEA Games XXVI will be comprised of the following 44 sport branches  1.Aquatics, 2. Archery, 3. Athletics, 4. Badminton, 5. Baseball, 6. Basketball, 7. Billiards & Snooker, 8. Bowling, 9. Boxing, 10. Bridge, 11. Canoeing, 12. Chess, 13. Cycling, 14. Equestrian, 15. Fencing, 16. Fin Swimming, 17. Football, 18. Futsal, 19. Golf, 20. Gymnastics, 21. Judo, 22. Karate, 23. Paragliding, 24. Pencak Silat, 25. Petanque, 26. Roller Sports, 27. Rowing, 28. Sailing, 29. Sepaktakraw, 30. Shorinji Kempo, 31. Shooting, 32. Softball, 33. Soft Tennis, 34. Table Tennis, 35. Taekwondo, 36. Tennis, 37. Traditional Boat Race, 38. Volleyball, 39. Vovinam, 40. Wall Climbing ,41. Water Ski, 42. Weightlifting, 43. Wrestling, and 44. Wushu.***6*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/23:50/H-YH) 08-10-2011 23:32:0