Flight disruptions caused by the Mount Anak Krakatau volcanic eruption has affected Indonesia’s business events industry, prompting organisers to reschedule events, change venues, or make alternative travel arrangements.
Grace Jeanie, managing director of JP Pro Bali, said the eruption disrupted an event in Kendari, South-east Sulawesi. Several VIP guests and speakers from Jakarta were unable to attend, while some members of the show and registration teams were also grounded.
“We moved the speakers who could not attend to online sessions and used our local team to cover the show operations in Kendari,” she said.
For Gemalindo Kreasi Indonesia, this disruption meant finding a way to get participants from different parts of the country to Jakarta, after their flights were diverted to Surabaya.
CEO Irvan Muhidin Sukamto shared that around 10 to 15 participants were affected. “We arranged land transportation from Surabaya to Jakarta so they could still attend the event as planned,” Irvan said.
He added that the situation has made clients more cautious about hosting gatherings during natural disasters. “They are now discussing contingency plans as the situation becomes more concerning,” he noted.
The disruption has also led some corporate clients to reconsider event locations and formats. Heriyanto, CEO of Kaniki Action Partner, said one of his clients decided to postpone an event due to safety concerns, including the health risks posed by volcanic ash.
“They were worried, especially given all the uncertainty, so the client decided to reschedule,” he shared.
Heriyanto, who also serves as vice-chairman of the Association of Indonesian Experiential Learning (AELI), noted that similar adjustments are occurring across AELI’s network. Some outdoor events have been moved indoors, while others have been delayed or relocated to destinations near Jakarta accessible by road or rail.
“Corporate clients from Jakarta are choosing locations that aren’t too far away, such as Bogor, Bandung, and Yogyakarta, which can be reached by land transportation or train,” Heriyanto said.
He added that, fortunately, most of his own events in Jakarta were indoors and proceeded as planned.
