The most important of the three themes that Dubai has promised to live up to if it wins the right to host Expo 2020 is that of opportunity.
Following the impact of the global economic crisis, Dubai is seeking to look for avenues which could offer a fresh flow of financial and intellectual opportunities, especially those that encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. Mutually beneficial associations are sought after and partnerships are then formed. This ultimately results in a legacy of innovation.
Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, is an ardent advocate of these principles in his field of expertise.
“The UAE approaches all its long-term plans in a very structured manner,” Al Mansouri said. ‘We always look, first and foremost, into what kind of future we wish to perceive.
“The current reality on the ground is very positive,” he added. “We continue to grow at an average of 4-5 per cent annually and there will be an added positivity felt in the region if Dubai wins its bid today. There will be a lot of ideas being generated to make Expo 2020 one of the most unique and successful Expos ever.”
Hard work, commitment
According to Al Mansouri, hard work and commitment are the key ingredients for the realisation of short and long-term goals. “It is important for us to put our heads together so that we can achieve the targets that we have in our blueprint,” he stated. “Needless to say, this will definitely be an Expo that the world will remember for a long time should Dubai get the right to host it.
“Firstly, I think that this has been a great experience for all of us as a team. The sense of teamwork has been constructed at the federal and local levels and aimed solely at winning the right to bod for and host Expo 2020,” Al Mansouri added.
“Secondly, it is the first time that a city like Dubai has gone through an experience where there have been suitable challenges from other competitors. We have learnt a lot as a result of this, especially on how to compete in a clean and fair manner.
“Thirdly, we must assess the gains that we can made from it. We look at it from the point of view of what has been achieved on the ground by Dubai and the UAE and also what are the economic gains that we can expect.”
Travel and tourism and along with that a boost to the retail sector are the immediate gains that Al Mansouri can foresee in the future.
“The rising number of travellers who will come to Dubai during the Expo is important for us. It will assist in the utilisation of the infrastructure that we are constantly setting up: the hotels, transportation, roads and malls, for example.
“Secondly, the people will focus on what they have seen and spread the word about Dubai. This means that if we are targeting 25 million visitors today and they begin to spread the word, then we are looking at 100 million visitors tomorrow.”
