Shanghai: Apart from growing bilateral trade and an increasing number of tourists visiting the emirate, Dubai sees a “huge partnership opportunity” with Shanghai, a top official from Dubai Expo 2020 said.
Manal Al Bayat, the vice-president of engagement for Dubai Expo 2020 told Gulf News in an exclusive interview “there is huge partnership opportunity a partnership perspective, from a business perspective, from a tourism perspective.”
Responding to a question on what Dubai 2020 team will benefit from participating in Dubai week in China last week, she added, “we are working closely with Shanghai business community and obviously they did an Expo before than here, and they have gained a lot of knowledge during their preparation and delivery of Expo.” Shanghai hosted a most successful Expo in 2010.
During the three-day event, Al Bayat and Gillian Hamburger, Vice-President of Expo Retail, offered an in-depth presentation of preparations for Expo, including a brief background of the previous exhibitions and the legacies they left behind.
Chinese business officials expressed their readiness to share their experience with Dubai, which will host the Expo in 2020, the mega-event in the Middle East
Starting from October 10 of 2020 to April 10 of 2021, Dubai is expected to receive 25 million visitors to the site, which covers an area of 4.38 square kilometres. Nearly 70 per cent of them are expected to be from outside the UAE, Al Bayat added.
“This will be the first time where nearly 70 per cent of the visitors are from outside the (hosting) country”, she said.
Also during Dubai’s Expo 2020, each participating country will “have its own pavilion to highlight its culture and show its progress,” Al Bayat explained.
The top Expo official said “engagement on all levels have started and [are] in full speed” in preparation for the world exhibition in Dubai. Discussion with participating countries and engaging with the youth are already underway.
Asked about the legacy Dubai hopes to leave after Expo 2020 closes its doors, she replied “I think when we talk about Expo, we are talking about two components. An exceptional event with the journey now and the impactful legacy. When we talk about legacy, part of it is physical legacy.”
Nearly 80 per cent of the Expo buildings will be kept intact. One section will be converted into a logistical centre and another to a scientific museum, she said.
“However, beyond that is (also) the social legacy, and that is why we are working very closely with the education regulatory authority to ensure that the amount of knowledge and experience that we are building through planning and delivery phase is transferred to the youth” she said.
In 2021, the UAE will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its formation, and “we want to make sure that the youth will deliver for the next 50 at the same rate of (our) progress if not further,” she added.
What Dubai is hoping to leave as a legacy and impact from holding such a mega event is a combination of physical, economic, social and reputational, Al Bayat explained.
Since “mega events got the attention of the world, we want to maximise to get positive stories out (to the world), explaining that the Arab world has many great stories and positive experiences to share.
Shanghai held the Expo from May 31 to October 1, 2010, in what had been described as the largest world fair on a site of 5.28 square km. Shanghai Expo had the largest, yet, participation with 2.79 million tourists from 192 countries and 50 registered organisation.
