KT Exclusive: Expo 2020 Dubai tickets will be affordable to all, says top official

Dubai - They can be bought directly from the Expo 2020 Dubai website, through the mobile app or through agents, starting mid-July.

Expo 2020 Dubai tickets will be affordable and accessible to every single visitor, the exhibitions Senior Vice President for Sales told Khaleej Times on Monday.

“When the ticket prices and categories are announced mid-July, we want to ensure that they will be available, accessible and affordable for every single visitor,” Kailash Nagdev said in an exclusive interview.

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People can either buy tickets directly from the Expo 2020 Dubai website, through the mobile app or through agents, starting mid-July.

Nagdev perhaps has one of the toughest jobs in the world: to sell an international exhibition at a time when the world is fighting a killer pandemic. But the official says there is no better time for the world to flock to Dubai — the city that has rolled out a successful vaccination campaign is open for tourists again.

“To say that we are well vaccinated as a country makes my job very, very easy. Dubai has again opened as a destination, thanks to the agility of our leadership to evolve from this crisis,” Nagdev said.

However, Expo 2020 Dubai is not out of tune with what is happening around the world, he added, referring to the devastating second wave of Covid in some countries and the loss of lives and hardships people have suffered as a result.

Since the decision to postpone the Expo last year, Nagdev said most of the event's messaging is focused on safety measures. “When we temporarily opened the Sustainability pavilion to domestic audiences and received 100,000 visitors from all walks of life, safety was our top priority.”

Organisers made sure all bookings had time slots; there were thermal scanners, sanitisers, volunteers to ensure social distancing, and signage.

Hailing it as a big success, Nagdev said the health and safety measures were rated as the second highest factor, after the content of the pavilions, in a visitation survey conducted after the initial opening.

“During the Expo, we will make sure that every single staff member is vaccinated. We are also inviting international participant staff to get vaccinated.

He said the mass testing, successful vaccination campaign, and high health and safety standards followed by Dubai — plus the recent safety seal the emirate received from the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) — have boosted the travel industry’s confidence in Dubai.

Expo 2020 Dubai is being touted as a mega exhibition, expected to attract 25 million visits, when it opens in October this year. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday said the city is ready to welcome the world.

“The success of Expo after the Covid-19 pandemic is a success for the world as it raises optimism for the recovery of global economic and cultural activity,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

“The aim is to make the event an incredible, unforgettable and safe experience for everyone. If there is one destination that people want to go this year, it is Expo 2020 Dubai," said the official. "It is your one ticket to the world. You buy one flight ticket, come to Expo and you get to experience 190 different countries. Which other destination can offer you that?”