Expo 2020 Dubai welcomes 2.35 million visits in October

Expo 2020 Dubai has welcomed 2,350,868 visits during October 1-31, featuring a host of events, entertainment and seminars attracting people from the UAE, region and beyond.

So far, 28 per cent of visits were made by people under the age of 18, with the figure expected to grow as the Expo School Programme expands during the months ahead. Meanwhile, as much as 17 per cent of the total visits came from overseas.

Read: Expo 2020 Dubai to offer curated programmes with free entry to all UAE school students

Expo recorded visitors spread across 185 nationalities, with the top five most popular overseas markets being India, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and the UK. The majority of guests intend to visit multiple times, with more than half (53 per cent) holding a Season Pass, more than a quarter (27 per cent) entering with a multi-day pass and 20 per cent entering on a one-day ticket, a statement said.

From a total of almost 3.6 million total journeys, more than 1.1 million trips were made to and from the site using the Dubai Metro.

The opening 31 days also saw the first two Thematic Weeks from Expo’s Programme for People and Planet, designed to inspire action to address the world’s challenges and opportunities. Meanwhile, the Climate and Biodiversity Week took place ahead of the COP26 global environment summit, and before Space Week. Eight further thematic weeks will be held between November and the end of March, with urban and rural development week currently underway until November 6.

A total of 1,938 government leaders, including ministers, presidents, prime ministers and heads of state, have visited the Expo to open their country’s pavilions, speak at official events or celebrate their nation’s Expo National Day, the statement added.

The Saudi Arabia pavilion, one of the largest on the Expo site, has already attracted half a million visitors. Also, a total of 5,610 official events have been staged across the Expo site during the first month of operations. Guests have enjoyed regional and international music artists, including Amr Diab, Kadim Al Sahir and Sami Yusuf; and appearances from sporting stars.

Bringing Expo 2020 Dubai to a global digital audience, the number of virtual visitors has equalled 12.8 million since October 1.

Expo 2020 Dubai runs until March 31, 2022, and is the very first world expo where every participating country has its own pavilion.

Read: Mobility: How Expo 2020 Dubai is beckoning a technology-led future

Each of the 192 country pavilions – spread across the three main districts of sustainability, mobility and opportunity – will have the chance to showcase their innovations and strategies.

Read: Opportunity: Expo 2020 Dubai is keen to usher in an inclusive tomorrow

Read more: Sustainability: Expo 2020 Dubai is keen to promote a viable future

Also read: Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions: UAE, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Poland, Luxembourg, Egypt

Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions: Ireland, Singapore, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Bahrain, Austria