Now we’ve proved it – a sneak peek of Expo 2020 Dubai is enough to convince anyone to return when gates open for an unmissable experience.

For the past six weeks, members of the public have been visiting Expo 2020 Dubai for an up-close look at the site which is set to welcome the world for an unforgettable 173 days from 20 October next year.

And, after seeing ‘The World’s Greatest Show in the Making’ first-hand, the 3,000-plus tour visitors have sent a clear message – they can’t wait to experience our once-in-a-lifetime celebration for themselves.

A post-tour survey revealed that, on average, visitors rated the likelihood of them coming to Expo 2020 as 9.7 out of 10. Satisfaction with the tour averaged 9.2 out of 10, and Expo’s relevance to each individual tallied at 8.9 out of 10.

The tours – booked out within three hours – began on Saturday, 20 July 2019 and concluded Saturday, 31 August 2019. The initiative connected Expo 2020 with people across the seven emirates, reflecting the spirit of hospitality and generosity that the UAE will showcase when it says ‘hayyakum’ (Arabic for ‘welcome’) to the world in 2020.

Manal Al Bayat, Chief Community Engagement Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “We were delighted with the success of the sneak preview bus tours, which have highlighted just how excited the nation is to say ‘hayyakum’ to the world at Expo 2020. Next month (October 2019) will mark the ‘One Year to Go’ countdown to our once-in-a-lifetime celebration, and we’ll have further opportunities for everyone in the UAE to be part of the Expo story as we journey together towards the World’s Greatest Show.”

Expo 2020 Dubai is set to welcome 192 participating countries and millions of visitors for the largest event ever staged in the Arab world, taking place in Dubai South from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021. Keep checking Expo2020dubai.com and our social pages for the latest news and updates.

Stats:

• 100-plus tours
• 3,000-plus tour visitors
• 5,200-plus registrations of interest (including tour visitors)
• 14,500-plus seats requested
• Visitors from 79 nationalities
• Top five nationalities by visitation (in order): India, Philippines, Pakistan, UK, UAE
• Employees from Expo’s Official Partners took the tour, including Emirates NBD, Siemens and Cisco, as well as the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, and school groups and senior citizens
• All seats were booked within three hours of being made available
• Additional seats were then released, and these were also fully booked within minutes

Sample testimonials (more quotes available on request):

“It was an amazing experience. The bus tour was well-organised and covered all the main milestones of the Expo developments. I cannot wait till the Expo.” – Ahmed, Jordan

“It was so much fun and so interesting. I really can’t wait to see what’s at the Expo. At first I didn’t want to go because I thought it would be too busy, but now I can’t wait to go!” – Oyin, Uganda

“It is nice to see even before it is finished. We can always say we were among the first to see the site.” – Karen, Canada

Related stories:

https://www.expo2020dubai.com/en/whats-new/expo-stories/20190717-expo-tour

https://www.expo2020dubai.com/en/whats-new/expo-stories/20190717-expo-tour-booked

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, predicted that Expo 2020 will be “the best edition yet” after visiting the site in mid-August.