Dubai has always been a city with big ambitions and none is bigger than hosting the World Expo (or World Fair) – the ultimate mega event. Held every five years, the World Expo attracts more than 20 million visitors and usually lasts six months. Its economic impact can prove immense, while its ability to place a city on the world stage is often crucial for further mega-event success.
Dubai, supported by the rest of the UAE, is now partway through the bidding process as a candidate city for 2020 World Expo. Expectations are running high for a positive result from the November 2013 final vote, which will be made by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the inter-governmental organisation created to supervise international exhibitions.
A World Expo in Dubai in 2020 would be the first within in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia) region and would also coincide with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee.