Navigating Your First Foreign Trade Business Trip: Exhibiting Abroad in Jakarta
With the country’s doors now wide open, there’s a noticeable surge in both foreign trade missions and leisure travel abroad. The landscape of international business has become increasingly competitive, and simply sending out generic emails from behind a computer screen is no longer enough to secure clients.
After meticulous planning, our team embarked on a journey to participate in an exhibition this June. This was our first foray into such an event, and being part of a larger group meant many logistical details were taken care of for us. Since returning, I’ve been swamped with work, but I finally found a moment to reflect on the experience and share some essential tips and personal items that made the trip smoother.
❗❗In Indonesia, both visa on arrival and e-visa options are available, providing flexibility for travelers.
♥Preparation of Personal Items
1⃣. Passport + Visa: Ensure your passport is up to date. We had our visas arranged in advance by the tour organizer. Departing from Hong Kong, the tour leader helped us fill out the entry declaration forms before boarding, which mainly required personal information and the hotel address in Jakarta.
With the e-visa pre-arranged, the self-service entry process was seamless, and there were no additional fees. However, my boss opted for the manual channel and paid a small fee of 100 RMB to get the entry stamp, as he needed it for a future application.
2⃣. Print out all essential documents, including the itinerary, hotel reservation, flight information, and passport pages, ideally in duplicate for backup. I chose color printing for better clarity and presentation.
3⃣. Power bank and overseas data: Make sure your power bank does not exceed 20,000 mAh to comply with airline regulations. For overseas data, you can purchase a plan from Worry-Free Travel, provided your phone has international roaming enabled. If not, contact your operator at 10086 to activate it. I bought a 7-day plan for Indonesia, and the internet speed was impressive, with a reasonable price tag.
4⃣. Medicines: Pack essentials like cold medicine, fever reducers, and digestive aids. I used a special pill box, and it passed through customs without any issues.
5⃣. Credit card or US dollars cash: Jakarta, and most of Indonesia, do not widely accept Alipay and WeChat Pay, except in Bali. Our four-star hotel only accepted credit cards and cash. To avoid potential fraud, I exchanged US dollars at the Bank of China and then converted them to Indonesian Rupiah upon arrival. I brought ten US dollar bills, planning to use them during my next stop in Dubai.
6⃣. Clothing and sunglasses: For the exhibition, business or formal attire is recommended. The venue is quite chilly, so long pants or skirts, along with shirts, dress pants, jackets, and skirts, are ideal. Bring 2-3 sets of clothes that are easy to wash and dry. Disposable underwear and socks, along with a touch of light makeup, will help you maintain a professional and appropriate appearance.
❗Dubai is known for its environmental consciousness. The Hilton hotel we stayed at did not provide disposable slippers, so remember to bring your own.
7⃣. Kettle: Bringing a kettle is very convenient for boiling water and making tea. I packed it in my luggage, and it went through security without any problems.
8⃣. Power adapter and power strip, charging cables: Indonesia uses German standards, while Dubai follows British standards (I believe this is correct). You can easily find these adapters on Jingdong. They are essential for charging your computers, phones, cameras, and power banks.
The items to bring to Dubai are similar, with the added convenience of using Alipay and WeChat Pay.
