Expo 2020 Dubai approaches 11mln visits, driven by musical events

Expo 2020 Dubai has recorded 10,836,389 visits as of January 2, driven by a new musical from Indian stars Shekhar Kapur and AR Rahman, plus a series of high-profile events as part of the first Global Goals Week to be held outside of the United Nations in New York.

Across the Expo 2020 Dubai site, visitors have safely enjoyed nearly 200 events staged every day, thanks to stringent Covid-19 precautionary measures.

Why? The Musical

A mesmerising show by renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and Academy and Grammy Award winner AR Rahman – opened at Al Wasl Plaza on January 20, featuring more than 100 performers, including Indian actor, dancer and comedian Jaaved Jaaferi. It will continue to wow audiences until February 27, with performances in English, from Thursday-Sunday (except February 4-5) at 8pm GST.

Global Goals Week, which ran from January 15-22 at the world fair in association with the United Nations, added to the range of compelling forums and panel discussions. The Theme Week advanced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a blueprint to achieving a better, more sustainable future for all, tackling global challenges such as poverty, inequality, health and education, and climate change.

Upcoming attractions

The headline attractions in the coming week include a concert by pop-rap megastars Black Eyed Peas at Al Wasl Plaza on January 25 – the fourth show in Expo 2020 Dubai’s six-month Infinite Nights series.

With Expo 2020 Dubai set to close its gates for the final time on March 31, visitors have only a few short weeks left to enjoy the site’s vast array of attractions.

As part of the ‘It’s Now or Never, Only Until March 31’ marketing campaign, the Season Pass Finale ticket is available now for Dh195, with a huge variety of entertainment and dining options.

Special offer for senior visitors

Visitors aged over 60 can now enjoy a number of enhanced services as part of the Senior Guests Programme. Open to any guest eligible for a free Expo Senior Citizen Pass, visitors can access dedicated priority parking spaces, use private buggies for up to five people for 90 minutes, gain fast-track entry to selected pavilions, and obtain a 30 per cent discount on lunch at select restaurants across the site.

The Expo is also hosting the Middle East’s first vegan food festival, running until the end of January.

Expo 2020 Dubai’s virtual visitation reached 72.5 million, driven by the range of entertainment available via Live@Expo, as well as extensive live coverage of the Global Goals Week sessions, which garnered 767,000 visitors across the planet.

Covid safety measures

Health and safety remain a key priority for organisers, with stringent rules in place across the site. All Expo visitors ages 18 and above must show either proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test result taken within the previous 72 hours, while on-site measures include mask-wearing – indoors and outdoors – for visitors, staff and participants, and PCR testing facilities for Country Pavilion staff, frontline workers, and entertainers.