Although delayed, Expo is still highly anticipated in Dubai and around the world.
Dubai has long pushed boundaries and challenged notions of impossibility; Expo 2020 is a concentration and amplification of these tendencies. The economic disruption caused by an unforeseen pandemic does not diminish Dubai’s feats. As Dubai and the world take some time to adjust, Expo 2020 was put on hold for one year at the time of printing this edition. Nonetheless, the journey to Expo continues, even if at a different pace and unexpected timeline.
The reason for delay is largely the limited abilities for other countries to complete their pavilions due to the near-full stop of people and goods. On the other hand, the theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” is now more relevant than ever. The same is true for the subthemes of opportunity, mobility, and sustainability while celebrating life, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Exploring opportunity, mobility, and sustainability is now also the aim of creating a post-pandemic world.
To quantify things, 84% of our interviewees this year made note that Expo 2020 is playing a major role in enhancing Dubai’s innovative mindset. In dollar figures, EY estimates the total economic impact of the quickly approaching Expo, from winning the bid in 2013 through Expo’s legacy until 2031, at AED122.6 billion. What’s more, Expo is engaging some 22,000 companies, a good portion being SMEs.
Dubai’s infrastructure feats helped the Emirate win the bid in the first place. The Al Wasl Dome, an ode to structural complexity and beautiful aesthetics, will be an addition to Dubai’s portfolio of iconic buildings. And in a virtuous cycle, the buildup to Expo has stimulated the real estate and construction sector. Expo 2020’s infrastructure specifically will largely be transformed into District 2020 to generate long-term, sustainable value for the Emirate and the businesses and people hosted in this space. Adding to the architectural diversity are the nearly 200 country pavilions. France and Jordan shared with TBY the importance of Expo and details of how their pavilions use architecture to portray Expo’s subthemes and their countries.
More important than the buildings are the people who will visit and engage with them. Welcoming visitors will be 30,000 volunteers, an unprecedented demand for event-focused human resources and representative example of humanity’s diversity. Al Wasl Plaza, the focal point of the Expo site, gets its moniker from the Arabic for connection. In line with this, it is expected that Dubai’s Expo will attract 70% of visitors from outside the UAE, in complete contrast with the average of 80% domestic visitors for previous Expos. This will have incredible knock-on effects for the hospitality and retail industries.
Though not a silver bullet, the vast majority of economic stakeholders in Dubai are optimistic and excited for Expo 2020 to be the catalyst for the next era of economic growth. Erik Linquier, Commissioner General of Cofrex responsible for French presence at exhibitions, observes, “Expo is just one piece of the jigsaw in Dubai’s development.” A critical piece nonetheless. Executive Director of the Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali emphasizes, “Expo 2020 is something truly historic, not just for Dubai and the UAE, as we approach our nation’s Golden Jubilee, but for the entire world.” ✖