Expo 2020 Dubai records more than 24 million visits after late surge

Expo 2020 Dubai recorded more than 24 million visits in its six months after a surge to the world's fair in the final weeks.

The tally of 24,102,967 visits is short of the pre-event goal of 25 million, which looked likely with one million visits in three days on the final weekend.

The 200-plus pavilions spanning the site — including those representing 192 nations — proved to be the major attractions.

Long queues formed at some of the most popular pavilions in the closing weeks, as visitors relished the opportunity to explore the site once more.

Performances by Coldplay, Alicia Keys and Mehad Hamad, appearances by footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Formula One star Lewis Hamilton, and the annual World Government Summit helped to increase numbers.

A spectacular closing ceremony, star-studded concerts and firework displays brought down the curtain on the event on Thursday.

The celebration of cultures, innovation and ingenuity captured the imagination of people across the UAE and visitors from overseas.

Weekly visit numbers regularly topped 1 million in the second half of the six-month extravaganza, as fans made the most of their chance to soak up the carnival atmosphere.

Season pass boost

Figures released by Expo 2020 on Saturday revealed that one in every three visitors was from overseas. Organisers said there were visitors from 178 countries.

The most popular country for international visitors was India, followed by Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Russia, France and the US.

Expo said 49 per cent of visits were repeats, with 70 per cent entering the site using the Season Pass.

For the final 50 days of Expo, organisers introduced a Dh50 Season Finale Pass that proved to be popular with visitors.

Expo said 22 per cent of visitors used the one-day ticket, while eight per cent used the multi-day pass.

Children (under 18) made up 18 per cent of all visits. Almost one million pupils visited as part of the Expo Schools Programme, which was suspended for most of January because schools’ activities were halted temporarily as a precaution when coronavirus infections surged.

Organisers said senior citizens (above 60) made up 3 per cent of all visits, and the oldest visitor was 98.

People with disabilities accounted for 107,000 visits, while virtual visits reached more than 200 million.

Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion awards winners — in pictures

Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)

Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)

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EPL's youngest

Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
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15 years, 235 days old
Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
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Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
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Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers

Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'

Director:Michael Lehmann

Stars:Kristen Bell

Rating: 1/5

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

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Four-day collections of TOH

Day Indian Rs (Dh)

Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)

Friday 280.25m (14.12m)

Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)

Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)

Total 1.19bn (59.15m)

(Figures in millions, approximate)

Three tips from La Perle's performers

1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.

2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.

3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.