Expo plot to be re-developed by 80% post event

Eighty per cent of the Expo 2020 plot will be re-developed following the event. All Expo’s assets and transport infrastructure will be re-purposed for future use by a range of tenants and major private sector firms, said a senior government official.

According to Ventures Onsite, Siemens AG became the first firm to announce plans earlier this year, when it confirmed its global headquarters for airports, cargo, and ports logistics, will be based out of the Expo2020 site from 2021.

Expo 2020 Dubai will lay the foundations for a diversified and sustainable tourism industry through a series of initiatives designed to support the UAE’s plans for diversification to a knowledge-based economy, said Marjan Faraidooni, senior VP (Legacy Developments & Impact) Expo 2020 Dubai.

The strategy was revealed by Faraidooni during Expo 2020 Dubai: The Legacy, a session that took place on the Arabian Travel Market Global Stage, on April 24, at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

In addition to him, the panel featured Anita Mehra, senior VP (Communications & Reputation) Dubai Airport; Issam Kazim, the CEO of Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM); and Deirdre Wells, the chief executive of UKinbound.

The first high-level debate of Arabian Travel Market 2017 was chaired by UAE broadcaster and journalist, Richard Dean.

Faraidooni said that the Expo 2020 Dubai had been planned with two missions in mind.

“The first is to make sure the visitors have an unforgettable experience from the moment they step foot in Dubai until they leave,” he noted.

And the second mission is the legacy question, Expo 2020 is being built with legacy in mind and all assets will remain after the event including the buildings and transport infrastructure,” he added.

Last year, Expo 2020 Dubai awarded over 1,200 contracts, worth $544.5m and a further 47 construction contracts worth $3bn are due to be awarded in 2017.

Sharing lessons from the London 2012 Olympics, which saw an additional two million tourists arrive in the British capital for the games, Wells advised the Expo 2020 committee to also focus on post-event destination marketing.

“London is an established market, welcoming an average of 30 million visitors a year. We knew the 2012 Olympics would attract significant additional arrivals so the critical part of the planning was focused on legacy, with tourism a key component,” she stated.

“The Olympics is a major sports and broadcast event, so in terms of investment and planning around 60% of our $37m budget over four years was dedicated to post-event activities,” stated Wells.