Expo 2020 Dubai was the first World Expo held in the Middle East, attracting over 24 million visits across six months.
Key Facts
- Actual dates
- 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022
- Total visits
- More than 24 million visits
- Host city selected
- 27 November 2013 (BIE general assembly, Paris)
- Projected GVA contribution
- Dh154.9 billion ($42.2 billion) USD equivalent
- GVA projection period
- 2013 to 2042
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Dubai was awarded hosting rights by the Bureau International des Expositions on 27 November 2013. The expo was originally scheduled for October 2020 to April 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a one-year postponement. Organizers retained the 'Expo 2020' branding despite the delay for continuity in marketing.
Expo 2020 Dubai ran from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, marking the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region. The six-month event attracted participants from nations around the world and drew more than 24 million recorded visits to its site in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
According to an EY report, Expo 2020 Dubai was projected to generate approximately Dh154.9 billion ($42.2 billion) in gross value added to the UAE economy between 2013 and 2042, reflecting the long-term economic stimulus expected from infrastructure investment, tourism, and international business connections generated by the event.