Latest: Map shows how much of Expo City will be open this week
Expo City Dubai will welcome the first visitors through its gates from Thursday, September 1, before a full relaunch in October.
Visitors can gain access to two of the anchor pavilions, Mobility and Terra, as part of a phased launch of the legacy site, a successor to the six-month world's fair bonanza that closed in late March.
Organisers on Monday said the move was the "first chapter of Expo City Dubai’s journey".
Tickets will cost Dh50 per person, per pavilion, and are available at www.expocitydubai.com. They can also be purchased at four box offices at Expo City Dubai from Thursday.
Much of Expo City Dubai’s public realm will be open and is free to visit
Expo City Dubai statement
Garden in the Sky, with its 360-degree views, will also open on Thursday, with adult tickets priced at Dh30 each. Attractions are free for children aged 12 and under and People of Determination.
Alif and Terra will be open daily from 10am to 6pm, while Garden in the Sky will open from 3pm to 6pm, extending to 10am to 6pm from Friday, September 16 onwards.
The expanded Dubai Metro will serve visitors and staff.
Although some transitional work is still underway, "much of Expo City Dubai’s public realm will be open and is free to visit," organisers said in a statement on Monday.
Other Expo favourites – including Al Wasl Plaza, the Surreal water feature, the Women’s Pavilion and the Vision Pavilion, as well as children’s playgrounds and the carousel – will open from October 1.
Later this year, the Opportunity Pavilion will become the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum – a new addition highlighting the history and impact of World Expos.
In a statement, organisers said they were looking forward to the return of school trips, with the Expo School Programme preparing an "awe-inspiring and evolving array of immersive educational experiences, exhibits and interactive workshops, reflecting the themes of the pavilions".
Earlier this month, Al Wasl Plaza, the centrepiece of Expo, was longlisted for the Dezeen Awards 2022.
Timeline of Expo 2020 Dubai: in pictures
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'
Bournemouth 1
Wilson 44'
Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
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Honeymoonish
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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