With the launch of the long-awaited largest international event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), as the Official Culture Supporter of Expo 2020, announced its readiness to welcome the exhibition’s visitors at all its facilities and assets across the emirate.

The authority has prepared various cultural projects and initiatives that will enhance the emirate’s creative scene and enrich this leading global event’s cultural and creative content.

Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture, confirmed that Expo 2020 constitutes an ideal platform for the authority to introduce millions of visitors and residents to the city’s rich culture and creative economy, It would enrich their experience through various interactive events and activities and strengthen Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, a thriving hub for talent and as the global capital of the creative economy. Badri added, “Dubai is a city whose bright present is based on its authentic past and rich cultural content; the emirate is headed towards a more prosperous future. At Expo 2020, which brings together the world’s cultures and creativity to chart the features of a better future for humanity, we will celebrate this rich content and inspire the whole world with the extraordinary ambitions of our leadership and people.”

In line with the strategic roadmap 2020-2026, the authority is committed to making culture accessible to everyone through the historical, heritage and cultural assets that it manages in the emirate. Dubai Culture also enables and supports many annual events that have become an integral part of the emirate’s cultural agenda. It is keen to ensure that all facilities affiliated to the culture and heritage sector, such as museums, libraries, heritage sites, and art galleries, among others, are operating at optimal degrees of readiness to welcome visitors to Expo 2020.

Badri stressed that the authority was also keen to train all its teams to welcome Expo 2020 visitors and present an exemplary cultural experience.

Expo 2020 Dubai, taking place from 1st October, 2021, to 31st March, 2022, is the first international expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, and promotes the UAE. More than 25 million visitors are expected at the exhibition, which greatly benefits the UAE and the region.

Dubai Tourism hails partners: Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has highlighted the pivotal role played by global hospitality partners in accelerating the city’s tourism recovery.

At a meeting with the General Managers of Marriott International hotels in Dubai, Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Tourism shared a positive industry overview underlined by the steady growth in international visitation and high occupancy levels in the first seven months of 2021. He highlighted the fact that Dubai was ranked second globally ahead of London and Paris in terms of hotel occupancy with hotels enjoying 61 percent average occupancy levels from January - July 2021.

Kazim also emphasised the importance of leveraging all efforts to attract more international visitors, especially benefiting from the Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Kazim commented, “The growing industry momentum is the result of a robust strategy that was developed to manage the pandemic under the visionary leadership and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. We are also heartened by the commitment of our stakeholders and partners like Marriott International to stay the course and convey to the world that Dubai remains open and safe for global travellers. We are proud of the enormous contribution hotels have made with their own strategies and initiatives in the true spirit of collaboration during these extraordinary circumstances, and we are also grateful to their support in ensuring that the industry enjoys continued success.”

Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer - Middle East, Marriott International said, “All signs show there is a huge pent-up demand for travel and we believe Dubai will continue to be a top destination for tourism, especially with the upcoming EXPO 2020. We are honored be a part of the growth of this amazing destination and remain committed to supporting the efforts of Dubai Tourism.”

WAM