Millions Heading to World Expo in Dubai
The 2020 World Expo – postponed from last year because of the coronavirus pandemic – kicks off in Dubai, UAE, tomorrow. This is the first World Expo to be held on the continent of Asia outside of Japan and China. Spread over six months from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, organisers are hoping that the event will attract more than 50 million visitors.
Since the first World Expo in London in 1851, the event has been held 36 times on a timeframe of roughly every five years, except for an interruption during World War 2. It was originally expected that the Dubai event would surpass the record 73 million visitors who attended the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China, but that may not be possible now given the Covid-related travel restrictions that are in force in many parts of the world.
Aside from China, the only other World Expos to have been held in Asia were in Japan in Osaka in 1970 and Aichi in 2005. The Dubai event will involve more than 190 participating nations and will feature technology, culture, cuisine, and entertainment from around the world.
World Expos have always been popular with older travellers because they offer the opportunity to learn, see, and sometimes experience ways in which new technology is changing the world, and gain unique insights into the cultures of those countries participating.
Some of the country pavilions at the 2010 World Expo held in Shanghai, China. Image: © gary718
Officially, World Expos are “a global gathering of nations dedicated to finding solutions to pressing challenges of our time” but for the general public they are essentially very large exhibitions showcasing the achievements of different countries.
Many countries construct lavish pavilions to showcase their achievements, and often the pavilions themselves are used to demonstrate the application of the latest developments in architecture, construction techniques and building materials.
Although World Expos are primarily intended to educate the public and provide opportunities for scientists and inventors to share innovations, there is nothing ‘dry’ about these expositions. On the contrary, the use of cutting-edge audio-visual production techniques will have you thinking of your visit as an entertainment experience rather than a learning one.
And there will be plenty of ‘real’ entertainment on offer because many countries fly in top artists for special days that are held in each country’s pavilion, and some will have live entertainment on an ongoing basis. The expo organisers say the entertainment programmes will offer “a beautiful mosaic of global experiences” ranging from music and dance performances, to art displays and participatory sport.
The Terra Sustainability Pavilion at the World Expo site in Dubai. Image: © Creative Family
On top of the entertainment offerings, many countries offer samplings of their nation’s food specialities, and some will have special events to promote their country’s cuisine. There will also be plenty of other places to eat in and around the expo site ranging from street food stalls to haute cuisine restaurants to cater for the tens of thousands of visitors who will attend every day.
To ensure the safety of visitors to the World Expo, all of the expo staff have been vaccinated against Covid-19, and there will be mandatory wearing of face masks and social distancing, sanitation stations throughout the expo site, and a state-of-the-art ‘Smart Queue’ system to control waiting times at the entrances to the country pavilions.
Expo tickets can be booked through the World Expo’s website. A one-day ticket costs AED95, a multi-day ticket valid for 30 days costs AED195, and a season pass enabling you to attend throughout the six months of the Expo is AED245.
There’s also a list of travel agents on the World Expo website who are able to organise packages from most countries of the world that include flights, hotel accommodation and entry tickets. Many of these offer side-trips as well to make the trip to Dubai a more comprehensive one. This article provides a excellent overview of what older travellers may be interested to see and do in Dubai outside of the World Expo.
A night-time view of one of the entrance gates at World Expo 2020. Image: © Abie Davies
The new Dubai Exhibition Centre, which is next to the World Expo site, has about 150 events scheduled over the next six months to supplement the bespoke events and entertainment programmes inside the World Expo. A new metro extension called ‘Route 2020’ connects the expo and exhibition centre to Dubai’s efficient metro network.
Later in the year, two new attractions will be added to the already impressive list of places to visit in Dubai. On 21 October, the 210m Ain Dubai will commence operation as the world’s largest ferris wheel. It will be located on Bluewaters Island and provide 360-degree views of the Dubai skyline and landmarks such as Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah. There will be 19 cabins with a rotation time of 38 minutes.
And then before the end of the year, the architecturally impressive Museum of the Future is scheduled to open. This four-storey ultra-modern structure will showcase possible future developments from outer space resource exploration, the latest initiatives in bioengineering, and exhibitions and immersive experiences focusing on the planet’s ecosystems, and human health, wellness and spirituality.
If there was ever a time that was better than others to visit Dubai, the next six months is it. There will be so much going on in Dubai, so much to see and so much to do, it’s never been easier to justify a trip to one of the most glamourous and progressive cities of the 21st century.
Header image: © Creative Family
