Other analysts note that while Dubai increasingly has elbowed its way onto the world stage in recent months, that may have less to do with Expo's allure than the government's pandemic response and major reforms. "Bringing the world to Dubai and showcasing Dubai to the world has been one of the successes of this event," said Tarek Fadlallah, chief executive at Nomura Asset Management Middle East. Dubai has counted on the event to raise its international profile and offer a jolt to its economy as it bounces back from the pandemic. However, no companies or countries ultimately heeded calls by the European Parliament to withdraw their involvement in Expo over human rights concerns. Many low-paid Expo workers have told of plunging into debt to cover recruitment fees, having their passports confiscated and struggling to afford food while toiling at the multibillion-dollar fair. "I am coming here every day, even if I'm not volunteering, I'm coming with my kids."Īs the FIFA World Cup has for host Qatar, Expo has shined a light on the troubles of migrant laborers. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us," said 37-year-old Samiya Awan, a Pakistani resident of Dubai and Expo fanatic who volunteered at three national pavilions. K-pop stars, Bollywood singers and a beloved Iranian pop diva lured thousands. While concert lineups included just a few starry names, such as Coldplay and Alicia Keys, culturally specific crowd-pleasers succeeded in drawing diverse and rabid fan bases. Schoolchildren regularly descended on Expo for field trips. ![]() Public sector employees got six days paid leave to visit. The fair since has logged a staggering, albeit murky, total of 23 million visits - fueled by repeated visits of those already living in the city. "There were extremely optimistic assessments about Expo driving the next five to 10 years of growth in real estate and business, and Covid disrupted that."ĭubai raced to widespread vaccination so it could open its borders and relax virus restrictions - earning it a reputation as a party haven for tourists escaping lockdowns back home. "It definitely fell short of what officials would have wanted," said James Swanston, an economist at Capital Economics. But, in the end, the billions of dollars, frenzy of fantastical construction projects and barrage of publicity proved powerless against the coronavirus pandemic, which forced Dubai to postpone the event a year.
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