By Nancy Selim www.khaleejtimes.com
In a few days we will know who will host World Expo 2020. Over the past few months, the spirit of ‘Be part of it’, strongly attracted many countries, and individuals of different nationalities, cultures, languages, and social backgrounds, to show their support for the Dubai bid.
A recent online survey conducted by Zarca Interactive — using different social media platforms — has revealed that about 90 per cent of the survey’s participants strongly believe that Dubai will be the hosting city for Expo 2020, followed by Sao Paulo, Brazil (only 4 per cent). As for other countries such as Turkey and Russia, they are perceived as less likely to win the Expo bid, garnering just three per cent of the votes each.
“Dubai has dramatically advanced itself on a pioneering level, and has already reached a competitive level with the world’s other leading cities in such a short time. The city itself is a large, alive exhibition, hosting many events around the year, and it will not be surprising if such a city wins Expo 2020,” says Javed Farooqui, Zarca Interactive Executive Director & Head for the Middle East and Africa.
According to a majority of respondents, there are three leading factors for Dubai to win such a global event ahead of other prestigious competitors. The first is the global reputation and leading position the city enjoys hosting many global events, summits, exhibitions, etc. Dubai has successfully hosted major national and international events in different fields (business, IT, energy and non-energy, entertainment, etc.). These events have brought millions of visitors and investors each year to the city, significantly increasing the tourism rate which directly contributes to the city’s overall economy. The excellent infrastructure of the city, and the recent growing number of development projects in different sectors (construction, transportation, etc.) have given Dubai an international edge and made it fully prepared to host global events.
The “cosmopolitan”, modern culture of Dubai with the growing diversity of residents is considered to be the second factor for the city to win the bid. About 46 per cent of respondents view Dubai as a fusion of Arabic, Indo-Pak sub-continent and European cultures, while still having its own unique culture. The city is an amazing amalgamation of the traditional values of the East and the modern West. It acts as a melting pot of various nationalities and cultures living together in harmony. This blend gives the city an edge to grow its investments on a daily basis and allows continuous exchange of knowledge and experiences, with such a relatively crime-free/attractive environment to live in. This interaction will be maximised and is expected to increase during Expo 2020 as the city will attract more visitors and investors. More info
