The UAE hosts EXPO 2020 and invites Canadians to visit

Photo: Night sky at Sheikh Zayed Mosque (credit: EXPO 2020)

The United Arab Emirates will host EXPO 2020 Dubai from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, which will see over 190 countries participate, including Canada, and with 25 million people attending it will be the world’s largest EXPO in its 168 year history.

The UAE is one of the most safe and dynamic places to live, travel and conduct business in the world. In fact, according to the UK based travel magazine, ‘Which?’, the UAE is the world’s second safest place to visit after Iceland. The UAE is also extremely accessible for Canadian passport holders, who do not need to obtain a visitor’s visa prior to arrival.

Visitors to the UAE will be met with warm Emirati hospitality, in a prosperous country which is home to more than 200 different nationalities, (including about 40,000 Canadians), where almost everyone speaks English, and women are upheld as empowered and equal partners to men.

EXPO 2020 visitors will be able to explore innovative world pavilions, visit the expo rotating observation tower, treat their taste buds to dishes from every corner of the world – from street food to haute cuisine to family-friendly meals in the over 200 food and beverage outlets, and brush up on their art skills through interactive art installations.

The approximate $33 U.S. admission day ticket is extremely reasonable, (which is free to those 65 years and older), and includes 60 live events per day – featuring some of the world’s most famous singers and performers.

Outside of the EXPO site, Canadian families and individuals alike will be met with an abundance of things to do in the UAE. Home to some of the world’s largest amusement and water parks – from IMG Worlds of Adventure, Ferrari World, Warner Brothers, Yas Waterworld, Legoland, and Motiongate, to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and world-class museums, such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, UAE tourism offers something for everyone.

For those who like to shop, the UAE offers some of the world’s most opulent malls, which host everything from an enormous aquarium to indoor ski hill, as well as many exotic gold souks and traditional markets, and for those wishing to relax, sun-filled sandy beaches and world class spas are in abundance.

Accommodation in the UAE also offers something for everyone – from seven star luxury hotels, with helicopter launch pads on the roof – to hotels which cater to average income families, offering the same reasonable rates that you would find at home.

Dubai’s World Expo theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ echoes the powerful spirit of partnership and co-operation that has driven the UAE’s success in pioneering new paths of development and innovation, which also showcase UAE values of inclusion, tolerance and cooperation.

The unique opportunity for countries participating in EXPO 2020, as well as doing business in the UAE is our strategic location. Through being present in the UAE, one can outreach to the entire world with ease and efficiency.

Our geographic positioning translates to mean that one third of the world lives within a four hour flight of UAE, and this connectivity reaches more than 3.2 billion consumers in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, with a collective GDP of more than $60 trillion in emerging markets alone.

We are proud of the strong bilateral relations that the UAE and Canada already enjoy, and Expo 2020 Dubai will offer a unique opportunity to further increase this bond. The UAE stands as Canada’s largest trading partner in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region, with exported goods from Canada to the Emirati market exceeding the one billion dollar mark for the 11^th consecutive year, with total bilateral trade reaching almost $1.4 billion in 2018, and with UAE investing over $30 billion into Canada, it makes the UAE one of Canada's largest international investors.

Through our strong friendships we will make EXPO 2020 a great success. Come visit EXPO from October 20, 2020 and April 10, 2021 ~ and take advantage of all the UAE has to offer. We welcome you to come share in the excitement, the fun, and help us make history together!