Dubai braces for 25 million visitors in Expo 2020

DUBAI is hosting the much-awaited Expo 2020 and it is expected to attract 25 million visitors, mostly from other countries.

The expo, which will run from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, will be the first in the United Arab Emirates in which the majority of visitors will come from outside the UAE. It will also coincide with the country’s Golden Jubilee celebration and serves as a springboard from which to inaugurate a progressive and sustainable vision for the coming decades.

“Dubai’s World Expo is held under the theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, echoing the powerful spirit of partnership and co-operation that has driven the UAE’s success in pioneering new paths of development and innovation. Through this theme, Dubai Expo 2020 will serve as a catalyst, connecting minds from around the world and inspiring participants to mobilise around shared challenges, during a World Expo of unprecedented global scope, under the sub-themes of: Mobility, Sustainability and Opportunity,” according to organizers.

The UAE last year has won the right to host the World Expo in Dubai in 2020. This will be the first time that the World Expo is staged in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. It is one of the largest and most enduring global mega-events lasting six months and World Expos continue to attract millions of visitors who explore and discover pavilions, exhibits and cultural events staged by hundreds of participants including nations, international organisations and businesses.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, is the Chairman of the Expo 2020 Preparatory Higher Committee which is working with the Bureau of International Expositions, the governing body of the World Expo.

With this, Dubai is now bracing for an upsurge in job opportunities and the benefit of the expo in the economy and its people, including the expatriate community.

Mohammad Seidawi, a prominent and key official of an oil company in UAE, said Dubai’s hosting of the World Expo creates an atmosphere of prosperity for all the economic stakeholders, especially the Middle East and Asia.

Seidawi – who has been a working resident of UAE for more than two decades now – said with the hosting of the Expo 2020 Dubai, employment opportunities in various sectors and industries such as in the construction, hospitality, aviation, and support services, among others is expected to increase because it would attract more people to the UAE.

He said with the influx of more people, it will further strengthen economic demands and provide more opportunities and at the same time boost the local market and the economy. This is translated to the construction of additional malls to meet the growing demands of goods and services; more restaurants to cater to a growing number of clients and consumers by the millions and an increase in remittance businesses, more transport system, aviation, demands in housing and real estate, banking system, tourism, according to Seidawi.

Seidawi said Dubai is bent on upgrading its roads, public transport system, infrastructure, education and healthcare, and promotes its unique culture as well. The impact of these programs and projects is translated to economic opportunities for all sectors of society.

He said the system works best for UAE notwithstanding the growing number of workforce with more people and families living in UAE spend their money; get accommodations for thousands of incoming guests and expatriates, all of whom will eat in restaurants, purchase goods and other needs, send kids to schools, visit the hospitals when ill and the multiplier effect goes on and on.

“Given Dubai’s multinational workforce system, the impact will be felt as far as the Philippines, India, Pakistan and other Asian countries with increased remittance system offering families the opportunity of quality life,” Seidawi said.

With the Expo 2020 Dubai’s theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” the concept opens up new horizons that will create multi socio-economic milestones for UAE and all its stakeholders. This economic windfall will benefit the country and its people.

The Expo 2020 Dubai is a multi-billion investment package that would create vast opportunities practically in the business sector that promotes prominent respective bilateral ties among all countries involved.

This way the gross domestic product gets a good boost all these years bracing the economic impact en route to the event proper and even after it closes its doors. Given a good economic management, the concept will continue to build a more prominent economic culture for all.

UAE’s economy is the second largest in the Arab world after Saudi Arabia with a gross domestic product of $377 billion (AED1.38 trillion) in 2012. UAE has been successfully diversifying its economy with 71% of its total GDP comes from non-oil sectors.

According to Seidawi, the booming business industry is expected to draw more local and foreign investors that will further enhance a more prolific future for everyone. “And the cycle will go on and on,” he said.
Organizers said Dubai Expo 2020 is expected to attract 25 million visitors, mostly from other countries.

The expo, which will run from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, will be the in which the majority of visitors will come from outside UAE. It will also coincide with the country’s Golden Jubilee celebration and serves as a springboard from which to inaugurate a progressive and sustainable vision for the coming decades.