A series of spectacular events took place across the festive season in December, and more world-class sport, music, and cultural performances are expected during the remaining three months of Expo 2020 Dubai.
8902 government leaders attended Expo from October to December 2021, including ministers, presidents, prime ministers, and heads of state. They spoke at numerous official events, including Expo National Days, which showcase a nation’s culture, achievements, pavilion, and program during the Expo.
The number of repeat visitors to Expo in the first three months reached 3.5 million, a reflection of the numerous experiences that require more than one visit. Nearly half of all visits (47 percent) were generated by Expo’s Seasons Passes.
Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said, “We enter a new year having built solid friendships that will enable us to drive urgent action on some of the greatest challenges facing us all.
“Our latest figures are testament to the determination and hard work of everyone involved in Expo as we pass our half-way mark. And with the health, safety, and wellbeing of everyone continuing to be of the highest priority, the numbers also reflect the strength of our ongoing stringent COVID-19 safety measures, which continue to protect visitors, staff, and Expo participants alike.”
A highlight of December was the jaw-dropping fireworks and electrifying New Year’s Eve sets from world-renowned DJs Armin van Buuren and Dmitri Vegas. An incredible month that began with the Golden Jubilee of the UAE included a show-stopping performance from Alicia Keys and a concert by ARRahman – his first in almost two years.
The remaining 87 days are filled with more amazing experiences. Almost one-third (30 percent) of all visitors between 1st October and 31st December came from outside the UAE, with India, Germany, France, the UK, the USA, Russia, and Saudi Arabia among the top international visitor countries.
As part of Expo 2020’s sustainability subtheme, many people are using RTA transport to get to the site.
Between 1st October and end-December, almost 675 thousand trips were made to and from the Expo site in taxis, over a million trips were made on the free Expo Rider bus service, and more than 3.4 million people entered and exited the Expo site via the Dubai Metro.
Expo 2020’s virtual visitation has surpassed 50 million, driven by Live@Expo, which allows visitors to take a bespoke virtual tour through the site, as well as headline acts that have attracted millions of viewers.
An estimated 334,110 students from private and public schools visited the Expo School Programme over 41 school days, representing a third of the UAE’s total student population. Visits to the programme’s virtual series, Expo Adventures, rose to 3.9 million up to 31 December, with students attending from more than 60 countries.
Expo 2020’s stringent COVID-19 safety measures are designed to protect all visitors and employees working on-site, as the most significant global gathering since the pandemic began. There will be mask-wearing – indoors and outdoors – for visitors, staff, and participants, as well as on-site PCR testing facilities for Country Pavilion staff, frontline workers, and entertainers.
Expo and International Participant staff, volunteers, contractors, and service providers must be vaccinated, while visitors ages 18 and older must present proof of vaccination or a negative PCR result within 72 hours.