Hospitality players must capitalise on Expo legacy

Visitors check out a scale model and various components making up the Expo 2020 site at the Arabian Travel Market exhibition in Dubai.

The upcoming Expo 2020 event will mark a major milestone in Dubai's history, with various sectors across the country positioning themselves to make the most of the opportunities presented to them in the run-up and during the event.

The country's hospitality industry is well-positioned and on track to welcome the surge of visitors who are expected to attend the event, experts at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2017) said. The mega-event will present hospitality players in the region a chance to create a long-term sustainable tourism plan that will ensure a steady influx of international visitors.

However, while key industry players get ready for the event, they should also be ready to embrace the legacy they will be left with after the event.

Speaking at a panel session at ATM 2017, Marjan Faraidooni, SVP of legacy developments and impact, Expo 2020 Dubai, said that industry players need to think about a long-term approach that will see them utilising the various infrastructure developments that have been set up for the event.

"We planned the Expo 2020 event with two missions in mind: the first is to make sure that visitors have an unforgettable experience from the moment they set foot in Dubai till the moment they leave; the second focuses on the legacy. Expo 2020 is being built with legacy in mind and all assets will remain after the event, including the buildings and transport infrastructure," Faraidooni said.

Plans for the site after the conclusion of the event will see over 80 per cent of the plot re-developed with all Expo's assets and transport infrastructure re-purposed for future use by a range of tenants and major private sector firms. Siemens AG became the first firm to announce its plans earlier this year, when it confirmed that its global headquarters for airports, cargo and ports logistics would be based out of the Expo 2020 site from 2021.

Experts predict that many more firms, particularly international players, would follow in Siemens' footsteps, especially given the UAE's location as a gateway between the West and the East and its proximity to many emerging markets. Last year, Expo 2020 Dubai awarded over 1,200 contracts worth $544.5 million and a further 47 construction contracts worth $3 billion are due to be awarded in 2017.

One trend that will play a huge role in the success of the event and the performance of the country's tourism industry in the years following the expo will be social media, said Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing. User-generated content, in particular, will be responsible for how the rest of the world views the UAE and the GCC.

Kazim elaborated: "A lot of travel decisions are influenced by what people see on social media and their desire to re-create and share their own versions of the celebrity and influencer content. Social media is also key to understanding that we market the right elements from Dubai to the right markets at the right time to continue to drive visitor numbers. Most people are unaware of the depth of the cultural and historical attractions in Dubai and few understand there are 200 nationalities who have chosen to make Dubai their home. Leveraging social media, their posts help tell the world that story."

"The legacy that we will leave behind is bringing Expo to a truly global audience, to inspire visitors to return to Dubai time and time again," Faraidooni added.

- rohma@khaleejtimes.com

Rohma Sadaqat

rohma@khaleejtimes.com