International exhibitions bring together exhibitors, business visitors, buyers, partners, and event professionals from different countries in the same venue. For companies coming to Indonesia from Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, and other markets, this creates an additional operational consideration: how easily can international visitors navigate the event and communicate with the local event team?
This is where multilingual ushers can make a practical difference.
Usher services are often associated with welcoming guests, directing visitors, and supporting registration. At an international exhibition, however, the role can go further. An English-speaking or multilingual usher can become an accessible point of contact for overseas visitors who need help finding a booth, meeting room, registration counter, seminar area, or other facilities.
For international companies exhibiting in Indonesia, having event staff who understand both the event flow and basic cross-language communication can make the visitor experience more seamless.
Why Language Matters at International Exhibitions
An exhibition may have an international audience, but the event itself is usually operated by a combination of local organizers, venue teams, contractors, exhibitors, and temporary event staff.
For an overseas exhibitor, this can sometimes create a communication gap.
A visitor may ask where a particular exhibitor is located, how to access a meeting room, where to collect a badge, or when a seminar starts. These questions are simple, but answering them quickly and clearly becomes more important when visitors and event staff do not share the same first language.
The United Nations recognizes multilingualism as an important part of communication between linguistically and culturally diverse groups, noting that it can support participation and more effective communication.
The same principle can be applied at an exhibition on a much smaller operational level.
A multilingual usher does not replace a professional interpreter. Instead, they provide a convenient communication point for routine visitor assistance.
For example, an English-speaking usher may help a visitor:
- Find a specific exhibition booth
- Locate the registration counter
- Find a seminar or conference room
- Navigate between exhibition halls
- Locate meeting rooms or VIP areas
- Understand basic event instructions
- Find toilets, lounges, exits, or other facilities
- Contact the appropriate event representative when a question requires further assistance
This becomes particularly useful in large Indonesian exhibition venues. Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD City, for example, is designed for national and international-scale events and includes multiple exhibition halls, meeting rooms, and other event spaces.
In a large venue, knowing the language is useful—but knowing the venue is equally important.
What Does a Multilingual Usher Actually Do?
A multilingual usher is not simply an usher who can speak another language.
For an international exhibition, the ideal event staff member needs to combine communication skills with practical knowledge of the event.
Their responsibilities may include the following.
1. Welcoming and Directing International Visitors
The first interaction with an event can influence how comfortable a visitor feels in the venue.
An usher stationed near the entrance or registration area can greet visitors, provide basic directions, and help them understand where they need to go next.
This can be particularly useful for overseas visitors attending an exhibition in Indonesia for the first time.
Instead of looking for a member of the organizing committee whenever they need assistance, visitors have a visible point of contact nearby.
2. Supporting Registration and Visitor Flow
Registration is often one of the busiest points at the beginning of an exhibition.
Visitors may need to collect badges, confirm registration details, find the correct registration counter, or understand where to proceed after registration.
An English-speaking usher can provide basic instructions and direct visitors to the appropriate registration personnel.
For larger exhibitions, ushers can also help manage queues and direct visitors toward different counters or halls.
3. Helping Visitors Navigate the Exhibition
International exhibitions can involve multiple halls, booths, meeting areas, seminar rooms, and networking spaces.
A visitor may know the company name they want to meet but not know where the booth is located.
This is where an usher who understands the venue layout becomes particularly useful.
Rather than simply saying “Hall 3,” the usher should ideally know the practical route and be able to provide clear directions.
For international visitors, simple and confident communication can make the difference between a smooth experience and unnecessary confusion.
4. Connecting Visitors with the Right Person
Not every question should be answered by an usher.
Visitors may ask about product specifications, pricing, partnership opportunities, meeting schedules, or other business matters. These questions should normally be handled by the exhibitor or designated event representative.
The usher’s role is to recognize the situation and connect the visitor with the appropriate person.
This is an important distinction when planning exhibition staff: the usher supports communication and visitor flow, but does not need to become a salesperson, interpreter, or exhibitor representative.
Which Languages Should Exhibition Ushers Speak?
English is usually the most practical additional language for international exhibitions in Indonesia because it can function as a common language among visitors from different countries.
However, the right language mix depends on the target audience.
For example, an exhibition that attracts a significant number of visitors and exhibitors from China may benefit from Mandarin-speaking staff in selected areas. An event targeting Japanese or Korean companies may have different requirements.
This does not necessarily mean every usher needs to speak multiple Asian languages.
A more practical approach is to map the visitor profile first and then determine where specific language capabilities are most valuable.
| Exhibition Situation | Potential Language Requirement | Suggested Usher Placement |
|---|---|---|
| International visitors from multiple countries | English | Entrance, registration, information areas |
| Significant Chinese visitor/exhibitor presence | English + Mandarin | Registration, main hall, business meeting areas |
| Japanese-focused exhibition | English + Japanese | Entrance, meeting area, VIP section |
| Korean-focused event | English + Korean | Registration, exhibition hall, seminar area |
| Mixed international and Indonesian audience | English + Bahasa Indonesia | Main visitor flow and information points |
The objective is not to create a multilingual team simply for appearance. It is to place the right communication capability where it can actually help visitors.
What Should International Companies Prepare Before the Event?
Hiring multilingual event staff is only one part of exhibition preparation.
Before the event starts, ushers should receive a proper briefing covering the information they are expected to communicate.
Venue Layout
Ushers should know the location of:
- Exhibition halls
- Registration counters
- Main entrances and exits
- Seminar rooms
- Meeting rooms
- VIP areas
- Toilets and prayer rooms
- Information desks
- Emergency exits
This is especially important for international exhibitions held at large venues in Indonesia.
Event Schedule
Ushers should have access to the latest event schedule so they can answer basic questions about seminar sessions, opening hours, networking activities, or other public-facing programs.
Key Exhibition Information
If a company has a specific booth, meeting area, product launch, or business session, the assigned staff should understand the basic information needed to direct visitors appropriately.
Escalation Procedure
A clear escalation process is equally important.
If a visitor asks a technical, commercial, or sensitive question, the usher should know who to contact rather than attempting to provide an answer outside their responsibility.
Cultural Awareness
For international exhibitions, communication is not only about vocabulary.
Professional greetings, appropriate body language, patience, and awareness of different communication styles can also influence how visitors perceive the event.
This is particularly relevant when an overseas company is participating in an Indonesian exhibition and wants its on-site experience to feel consistent with its international brand standards.
Why Consider Local Usher Services in Indonesia?
For overseas companies, event staffing in another country involves more than simply finding people who can speak English.
The team also needs to understand the local event environment, venue, working arrangements, event schedules, and communication with local organizers.
This is one reason international exhibitors may choose to work with a local event talent agency instead of sourcing temporary staff independently.
A local provider can help coordinate manpower based on the actual event requirements, including the number of ushers, working hours, language capabilities, and venue location.
Rettalent provides usher services across major cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya. Its English-language service information also highlights English-speaking talent and support for international clients, including USD payment and professional English communication.
For international companies, this can be particularly relevant when the event team is being coordinated from outside Indonesia.
Instead of managing every temporary staff requirement remotely, the company can work with a local partner that understands the manpower requirements of events in Indonesia.
When Do You Need Multilingual Usher Services?
Not every exhibition requires a large multilingual usher team.
The requirement depends on factors such as:
- Number of international visitors
- Countries represented by exhibitors and attendees
- Exhibition venue and number of halls
- Number of registration points
- Visitor flow
- VIP attendance
- Seminar or conference activities
- Number of booths
- Duration of the exhibition
For a smaller event, a few English-speaking ushers positioned at key visitor touchpoints may be sufficient.
For a larger international exhibition, a more structured team may be needed across registration, entrances, halls, seminar areas, and meeting zones.
The key is to plan manpower around the visitor journey rather than simply assigning the same number of staff to every area.
Multilingual Ushers as Part of the Visitor Experience
At an international exhibition, visitor experience is shaped by many small interactions.
A well-designed booth, strong branding, and an attractive exhibition space can create interest, but visitors still need to navigate the venue and communicate with people on the ground.
This is where multilingual ushers can support the overall event experience.
They are not interpreters, sales representatives, or event managers. Their value comes from making basic interactions easier: welcoming visitors, providing directions, answering routine questions, and connecting people with the right event personnel.
For international companies exhibiting in Indonesia, this can be a practical part of local event planning.
If you are preparing an exhibition, conference, corporate event, or brand activation in Indonesia and require English-speaking or multilingual event staff, Rettalent’s usher services in Indonesia can be arranged according to your event requirements.
With the right briefing, language capability, and placement strategy, ushers can become more than front-of-house staff—they can be an important part of creating a smooth experience for international visitors.
