Expo 2020 will give rise to Dubai's District 2020
City within a city is designed to connect, create and inspire ideas
In less than three years, Dubai will be at the forefront of the global economic stage as it hosts for the first time World Expo 2020 with unparallel vision for the future.
The first World Expo in history to be hosted in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), will create new business opportunities for investors from more than a hundred countries and will offer a glimpse of what life may look like in the future to millions of international tourists who will participate in the mega global event with the theme “Connecting Minds, Building the Future.”
Spread over 2 million square meters of land, the Dubai Expo 2020 site boasts of the latest innovations in technology, environment, architecture, education, science and healthcare and is designed to be a labyrinth for innovators, original thinkers and pioneers, who will shape the world’s future.
The UAE government poured in billions of dollars for the site which will be transformed into a futuristic city within Dubai called District 2020 after the six-month event.
Designed to be environmentally progressive and sustainable, District 2020, is an ideal property investment for everyone looking for a modern home or offices with collaborative work-spaces, social and cultural attractions, parks as well as business and leisure amenities.
It will facilitate modern ways of living, blending work and recreation in an ecosystem that fosters closer connections both physically and digitally.
It will be home to iconic structures such as Al Wasl Plaza, the Sustainability Pavilion, which will live on as Children and Science Centre, and the falcon-shaped UAE Pavilion. All have been designed by some of the world’s most renowned architects.
The conference and exhibition center is also being developed by Dubai World Trade Center to build on Dubai’s standing as the Middle East’s premier destination for major events, conferences and exhibitions.
Positive Outlook
With unmatched economic foresight in the region, the UAE is also heavily investing on innovative modes of transportation such as the world’s first flying taxi and high-speed train Hyperloop One that could bend distance and time using new technology. All of which and more are set to be unveiled during Expo 2020.
This early, the mega event is already making a lot of positive impact on many sectors, freight and logistics in particular, with strong growth this year.
Business Monitor International forecasts the UAE’s air freight market to expand by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8 percent over the 2017-2021 period. Dubai International Airport handled 2.6 million tons of cargo in 2016, up by 3.8 percent compared to 2015. Abu Dhabi also grew its cargo volumes with nearly 800,000 hauled last year.
With so many things needed to build various facilities and infrastructure in the Expo site, freight and logistics companies will be in high demand before, during and after the mega event to transport and haul stuff.
For meals alone, about 85,000 per hour are needed to be served across 30,000 sqm of front-of-house space for F&B. In addition to this, an estimated 5 million meals will be needed to keep the event’s workforce fed during the six months of its running.
The Expo 2020 Dubai eSourcing Portal details upcoming tender opportunities for local, regional and international businesses in freight and logistics and other industries.
Proponents of the project say the event was envisioned to create opportunities for small and medium enterprises in the UAE, the GCC as well as investors from other countries.
Conservatively, more than 20 million international tourists are expected to visit Dubai during the mega-event’s six-month stint – October 20, 2020 through April 10, 2021.
