Business Traveller (India)

Updates on Expo 2020 Dubai

Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect at Expo 2020 Dubai

- WORDS RIAAN JACOB GEORGE

This October onwards, all eyes will be on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as Dubai intensi es its campaign, one year before it hosts the Expo 2020 following a bid that it won in November 2013. e run-up to the world fair, christened — Expo 2020 Dubai, has seen massive visibility campaigns across di erent platforms — huge hoardings across the UAE, social media campaigns and even the massive branding across the Emirates’ A380 and B777 eet. is, no doubt, is going to be the most talked-about and widely-publicised event in the Middle East next year, with Dubai establishi­ng itself as a hotbed of activity for the coming six months. A total of 190 countries from around the world will participat­e, and for the rst time in the World Expo history, each participat­ing country will have its own pavilion. At Expo 2020 Dubai, pavilions will be organised according to the Expo’s key sub-themes, instead of being organised geographic­ally.

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES

As with every Expo, which takes place once every ve years, there is a central theme, around which participat­ing stakeholde­rs choose to express themselves. Expo 2020 Dubai’s theme is Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, which is particular­ly signi cant given that it is the rst World Expo to be hosted in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. is edition has also highlighte­d some sub-themes of Opportunit­y, Mobility and Sustainabi­lity and will feature more than 200 participan­ts that include countries, corporatio­ns, MNCs as well as academic institutio­ns.

2020 Dubai expects to attract 25 million visits, with over 70 per cent projected to come from outside the UAE.

e mission of this event is to strengthen existing industries by catalysing economic diversi cation, while acting as a platform for the developmen­t of new sectors, with a focus on inspiring small and medium-sized enterprise­s (SMEs). Expo 2020 Dubai is also working with partners, participan­ts and government entities to contribute to new business generation, GDP growth and job creation across the region. is event has been designed to stimulate both inward and outward investment.

Expo 2020 Dubai has ushered in a new generation of businesspe­ople by encouragin­g job creation, fostering entreprene­urship and supporting businesses of all sizes

MISSION SUSTAINABI­LITY

With sustainabi­lity being the word on everybody’s lips these days, how is Expo 2020 Dubai doing its part? e Expo 2020 Dubai team is working to deliver one of the most sustainabl­e World Expos in history. For starters, there is an entire pavilion dedicated to sustainabi­lity, which in itself, is a model for buildings to be self-sustainabl­e. All the expo-built buildings have been designed to meet or exceed LEED Gold standards for water and energy use. e venue is also committed to segregatin­g 85 per cent of all waste including municipal solid waste, constructi­on waste and decommissi­oning waste. On a broader level, all visitors of the expo will be made aware of issues relating to sustainabi­lity. Keeping in mind, this vision of sustainabl­e practices, the site will be immediatel­y transforme­d into District 2020, a well-connected and integrated urban developmen­t area. is area is also earmarked to cater to Dubai’s MICE segment in the years to come.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Not only is Expo 2020 Dubai going to boost visitor numbers in the UAE but also its economic impact that will be seen across di erent segments. Expo 2020 Dubai has ushered in a new generation of business people and has gone beyond tourism into industries such as logistics, transport, constructi­on and real-estate by encouragin­g job creation, fostering entreprene­urship and supporting businesses of all sizes. e idea, here, is to boost local and regional economies. Co-located with Expo 2020, the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) will also make a signi cant contributi­on to the long-term economic impact of the Expo. With 45,000 sqm of programmab­le space that can be con gured for all types of MICE events, the facility will allow delegates to access a global gathering of nations, companies, multilater­al organisati­ons and educationa­l institutio­ns, throughout the duration of the event. expo2020du­bai.com

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 ?? Illustrati­on of the Dubai skyline ??
Illustrati­on of the Dubai skyline
 ??  ?? Aerial shot of Expo 2020 Dubai site
Aerial shot of Expo 2020 Dubai site

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