JAKARTA, Indonesia – More than 5,000 visitors attended the Destination Europe Travel and Cultural Fair at Balai Kartini, South Jakarta, on Saturday, highlighting the attractiveness of Europe to Indonesians both as a tourist and study destination.

“We had up to 5,000 visitors on Saturday and it looks like we have more people here on Sunday, so it is good to see the enthusiasm Indonesians have for Europe,” the European Union (EU) deputy head of delegation, Colin Crooks, said on Sunday.

Several booths of countries participating in the event offered various activities, attracting visitors with samples of authentic delicacies and products.

Crooks said the event’s organizers were carrying out surveys on what Indonesians were most interested in about Europe.

Based on The Jakarta Post’s observations, the EU booth had consistently attracted visitors during the two-day event while Western European countries such as the UK, France, and Germany had seen many visitors inquiring about tourism.

Many visitors, such as Haby Prasetya, a public relations consultant, were interested in opening their eyes to the possibility of traveling and studying in Europe. Haby said he had not delved much into the possibilities of the region before.

“This fair will really help me understand more about what the countries have to offer, to get more references for studying there,” Haby said, adding that he might pursue further studies in Scotland.

Destination Europe featured 70 participants from 24 EU member countries and non-EU states such as Georgia, Norway and Turkey, presenting information on tourism and the wide variety of cultures of the continent. The event also presented cooking demonstrations, musical performances and language classes.

For some European countries who have recently established diplomatic missions in Indonesia, the fair is a show of interest and enthusiasm for their country’s culture and what they have to offer.

Countries such as Ireland and Georgia, who have recently established their embassies in Indonesia, have seen a continual increase of Indonesian tourists to them.

“By expanding into Indonesia, Ireland is opening up a new market for tourism and will also collaborate with Indonesia on trade projects, particularly in the field of aviation and construction,” Irish deputy ambassador to Indonesia, Tom Redmond, said on Sunday.