Expo 2020 Dubai has seen 5,663,960 visits up to December 5, since it first opened on October 1, with recent figures buoyed by the UAE’s Golden Jubilee festivities, as well as a raft of sport, music and cultural performances.

 

During October and November, a total of 5,383 government leaders, including ministers, presidents, prime ministers and heads of state, have graced the Expo site to speak at official events or celebrate their National Day, with the Expo hosting 10,461 events in the first two months.

 

During his visit last week, French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Expo 2020 Dubai for “organising this exhibition and making it a success”.

 

Six out of 10 visitors (57 per cent) now hold an Expo Season Pass, with the number of repeat visitors in the first two months reaching 1.2 million.

 

UAE Minister for International Co-operation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai Reem Al Hashimy said: “We are delighted with the figures, and that so many people chose to celebrate the UAE’s 50th National Day with us here at Expo 2020 Dubai. 

 

"Two months in, these numbers are a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in Expo, from the hosting of events that make people want to visit again and again, to the bringing together of global changemakers on a platform for action and collaboration, and – crucially – to our Covid-19 measures, which allow us to accommodate such large numbers in a safe, reassuring manner.”

 

More than a quarter (28%) of November visitors came from outside the UAE, with the top visitor countries including India, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.

 

The Expo School Programme has attracted nearly 250,000 pupils from private and public schools across the UAE who have participated in 10,000 dedicated school journeys encompassing The Legacy of the UAE; World of Opportunities; The Universe in Motion; and The Sustainable Planet, while talented youngsters have delighted visitors from the stage, as part of Expo’s Young Stars and Rising Stars entertainment.

 

November saw some major crowd-pullers, including the end of Riverdance’s popular run; a performance from the Accademia Teatro alla Scala; Pakistani musician Javed Bashir; Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki; a KITE (K-Pop in the Emirates) concert and the family fun run with sprint king Usain Bolt.

 

Other highlights included the Golden Jubilee’s ‘Journey of the 50th’ – a show in Al Wasl dome that melded the tenacity of the past with the UAE’s visionary present and pioneering future – as well as the ‘The Boy and the Horse’, a 20-minute theatrical production that honoured Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

 

Expo’s Programme for People and Planet in November continued to attract changemakers from around the world, with two of Expo 2020’s 10 Theme Weeks – Urban & Rural Development Week and Tolerance & Inclusivity Week – as well as festivities and activities to mark World Children’s Day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities and International Volunteer Day pulling in the crowds.

 

In keeping with Expo 2020’s sustainability aims, many people have travelled to the site using RTA transport. During October and November, around 455,000 rides were made to and from the site using taxis, more than 600,000 trips were made on the free Expo Rider bus service, and 2.2 million users entered and exited Expo via the Dubai Metro.

 

The virtual visitation rose to 25 million, driven by the uptake of Live@Expo, which enables visitors to take a bespoke live virtual tour through the site. Virtualexpodubai.com was also honoured by the UK’s Favourite Website Awards (FWA) with the ‘Most Favourite Website Award’ for November 2021.-TradeArabia News Service