Dubai: Sultan Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, says: “The UAE’s geographical location, its proven credentials in areas of global strategic importance and Dubai’s status as the most connected city in the world have placed it as a clear front-runner in the race to Expo 2020. Our optimism on a winning bid is certainly high. The UAE has impressed the Expo inquiry missions with its theme, public support and financing plans for the event. There is an overwhelming confidence based on the well laid out strategy under the direction of the country’s leadership and the concerted efforts being undertaken at all levels across the country to successfully host the Expo.
Over the years, the UAE has shown its competitive edge in global development indices. Significantly, in the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Competitiveness Index, the UAE ranks highest among the countries which have cities bidding for the World Expo 2020. The possibility of Dubai emerging the winner is certainly high now that the UAE has already raised the benchmarks for the Expo bid.
It is difficult to pick out any particular sector that will benefit most from the Expo. Previous events elsewhere have shown that the benefits are felt across the economic spectrum. In the case of Dubai, we expect that such a high-profile event will support all pillars of its economy, particularly sectors such as construction, tourism, hospitality and transport.
There is no doubt that a successful bid for the Expo will infuse the local economy with new energy in the coming years. The Expo has never been held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, and therefore a successful bid will translate into long term benefits for not just the UAE but the region as a whole. We expect that the event will spur significant employment generation as well as trade and investment opportunities across the region.
The World Expo 2020 represents the Ministry of Economy’s focus on collaborative efforts to achieve true advancement. In line with Dubai’s Expo bid theme — Connecting Minds, Creating the Future — the Ministry will be at the forefront to support the initiative as a celebration of innovative new partnerships to create enduring benefits for future generations.
The Expo is a rare opportunity for the UAE to showcase its potential as a centre of innovation and a host nation for mega global events. It offers a perfect platform to present the UAE as a unique destination; a safe haven untouched by social, economic and political turbulence.
Hilal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, is cautiously optimistic when asked to weigh up Dubai’s chances of winning the bid for Expo 2020. He, however, does not hesitate to outline the reasons that detail why Dubai is in a good position to triumph when voting begins on November 27th.
Speaking to Gulf News, he said, “Dubai has many advantages that would make it an ideal host for the World Expo: it is within an eight-hour flight of two-thirds of the world’s population and has a fully integrated transport and infrastructure network including Dubai Metro, the first metro in the GCC. It is home to Dubai International, the world’s second-ranked airport in terms of international passenger traffic and two world-class airlines, Emirates and flydubai; this level of connectivity is something that makes it a unique location.
The positives, according to Al Marri, do not end there. One can gauge that he is just warming up when he adds, “Dubai also has an extremely strong meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market and an equally robust tourism industry. In the first half of this year, DTCM enjoyed its busiest first-half ever with more than 5.5 million visitors coming to Dubai, an 11.1 per cent rise on the same time the previous year.
Al Marri is of the opinion that “Hosting Expo 2020 in Dubai would certainly have a positive impact on all sectors of Dubai’s economy, including tourism and would also facilitate global partnerships that will have lasting benefits for future generations.”
The bid’s sub-themes are Sustainability: intelligent sources of energy and water; Opportunity: new paths of economic development; and Mobility: new systems of logistics and transportation. As these sub-themes are globally relevant, Expo 2020 in Dubai will explore the drivers of growth and aim to find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges through discussion, innovation and collaboration.
“An Expo 2020 in Dubai would be the first time this event will be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region,” he continued. “Not only would this be enormously exciting, and a privilege for the UAE, but it would also have a positive impact and create opportunities for countries and people far beyond our borders.
“Studies also indicate than 277,000 jobs are forecast to be created by Dubai Expo 2020 and for each one of these an additional 50 jobs are expected to be sustained across the wider region. Dubai Expo 2020 will leave a powerful legacy, both in terms of the Expo site itself and also as an inspiration for future generations.
One thing all stakeholders in Dubai, including DTCM, are doing is supporting the UAE’s bid by working together to ensure they showcase the very best Dubai has to offer.
Al Marri endorsed this fact stating, “For Dubai, the UAE and the region, hosting an Expo is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of a dynamic international agenda aimed at establishing global partnerships to work together to boost economies; bridging geographical divides by increasing connectivity and trade; and encouraging sustainable growth and development.
“World Expo 2020 is an incredible opportunity for the UAE to host a global event of this scale to showcase the country’s success, innovation and growth.
“The UAE’s strategic position as a bridge between East and West, and North and South, provides a powerful platform for the world to come together and unlock the potential of the future. The country is also the focus of aspiration for millions of people from around the world. It stands out as a symbol of hope - where people from around the world come to live, work and realise their dreams.
As an Emirati, Al Marri is part of a diverse diaspora that is witnessing the rapid changes and progress recorded in the country and especially Dubai. “The UAE is also set to see further economic development, enhanced infrastructure and a host of new employment opportunities along with an even stronger global reputation,” he endorsed. “As a monumental gathering held once every five years, Expos are among the largest and most prestigious events in the world and will serve to attract new opportunities, new endeavours and offer enormous potential for all who live and work here.”
Al Marri concludes by stating that an Expo in Dubai is not just for the people of this emirate alone, or for that matter, for the UAE. “The most important thing to bear in mind is that a World Expo in Dubai would truly be an Expo for the world, as people from more than 202 nationalities already live and work here in peace and security. The UAE is also within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world’s population and within an eight-hour flight of two-thirds. This means that for the first time in the event’s history, the vast majority (70 per cent) of World Expo’s millions of visitors will come from outside the host country’s borders.”
