There have been almost nine million visits to Expo 2020 Dubai in the event’s first three months, organisers said on Tuesday.
A total of 8,958,132 visits were made between the start of October and December, with 47 per cent of those being made by season pass holders.
The event, which has passed the halfway mark, had 3.5 million repeat visits in the first half, with 675,000 journeys to and from the world’s fair made by public taxis.
More than a million trips were made using the free Expo Rider bus service and more than 3.4 million users entered and left the event using Dubai Metro.
Recently, parades and other attractions that cause people to gather were suspended to slow the spread of the new coronavirus variant Omicron.
Organisers hope to reach 25 million visits by the end of March.
“We enter a new year having built solid friendships that will enable us to drive urgent action on some of the greatest challenges facing us all,” said Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of Expo 2020 Dubai.
“Our latest figures are testament to the determination and hard work of everyone involved in Expo as we pass our halfway mark.
“And with the health, safety and well-being of everyone continuing to be of the highest priority, the numbers also reflect the strength of our ongoing stringent Covid-19 safety measures, which continue to protect visitors, staff and Expo participants alike.”
Almost one third, 30 per cent, of visitors came from outside the UAE. India, Germany, France, the UK, the US, Russia and Saudi Arabia were the most common locations.
Organisers estimated that around a third of the UAE’s school population made trips to Expo, with more than 334,000 visits from pupils over the course of 41 school days.
There have also been more than 50 million virtual visits made in the first three months of the event.
Visitors were also advised at Tuesday morning’s press conference to keep an eye on social media accounts for updates about which pavilions were still closed due to rain.
The National reported on Monday how a number of pavilions were forced to temporarily close to make repairs to damage caused by the heavy rainfall in recent days.
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin
Favourite film: Marvel movies
Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey