(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Leading businesses welcomed the governments initiative and said the six-month-long event coinciding with the golden jubilee of the UAE offers big opportunities to private sector and they are ready to grab them.
Better city better life is over; feeding the planet energy for life is about to start but businesses are actually gearing up to realise the theme of Dubai Expo 2020 — “Connecting Minds Creating the Future” — as the government invited them last week to set up effective partnerships to make mega event a success for the country.
Leading businesses welcomed the government’s initiative and said the six-month-long event coinciding with the golden jubilee of the UAE offers big opportunities to private sector and they are ready to grab them.
Businessmen chief executives and top officials of private sector groups said Dubai will shine as a successful example of modern sustainable and smart city in next five years. They say public-private sector partnerships will be a win-win situation for all and make the event a “remarkable” growth story.
Yousufali M.A. managing director of the Lulu Group said Dubai is hosting the first World Expo in the Middle East Africa and South Asia and the successful event not only will benefit the emirate’s economy but also lift the whole region.
“We are an active supporter and participant of the Dubai Expo and will definitely explore the opportunities arising from the mega project” he said.
Firoz Merchant chairman and founder of the Pure Gold Group said DubaiExpo2020is a milestone in the history of the emirate in its journey towards new heights of achievements. The historic win has created renewed investor confidence in the UAE economy.
“[The call of] His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to private sector businesses to come forward to make the event a successful and memorable one will be well-received by all industry sectors as the event will bring more opportunities to businesses in the UAE with the influx of tourists and overall economic growth that it will herald.”
“We plan to invest Dh500 million to expand our local operations in the lead-up to DubaiExpo2020. While Dh425 million will be invested in Pure Gold Jewellers Dh75 million will be invested in La Moda Sunglasses our luxury sunglasses retail chain.We aim to create employment opportunities for around 1800 to 2000 people through the investments” Merchant told Khaleej Times.
Vishesh Bhatia chief executive of the Jumbo Group said it is predicted that the exhibition will attract up to 25 million visitors and reports have indicated that over a quarter of a million jobs will be created in the next five years. These figures all point towards the positive outcomes of Expo 2020 for the UAE and investors.
“I expect Expo 2020 to attract a sea of investments to all sectors in the UAE including retail enterprise real estate and hospitality. We are already seeing its impact with the multiple projects lined up by the government and the property sector picking up again. This is an enticing opportunity for national and international companies to take part in this surge in investments across these sectors. The prospects are indeed exciting” he said.
Bhatia said Jumbo Engineering is active in the construction industry undertaking MEP projects in both the industrial and commercial sectors.
“As Expo 2020 approaches we are eager to add to the retail sector’s efforts to provide quality products and services to visitors and residents and ultimately contribute to the progress of the UAE’s economy.”
Tanvir Khawaja president of Pakistan Business Council Dubai said the emirate has already installed an excellent infrastructure to welcome tourists from across the globe. He said new developments for World Expo 2020 will not generates hundreds of thousands of jobs but also help attract 25 million visitors that will play a key role in Dubai economy.
“I believe Expo2020will be a great success and offers good business openings. The council is ready to play its key part by involving Pakistani community through a series of seminars to enlighten its members about the opportunities” Khawaja told Khaleej Times.
“The PBC is also planning to have a close interact with Pakistani chambers so that we could update our Pakistan-based businessmen about investment opportunities arising from the Expo2020 project.”
Khawaja said Pakistan has been providing highly skilled manpower to the UAE and they can play an important role in the further development of the country.
“We are sure that this mega event will create more jobs for Pakistanis and the business community will have a good share.”
Niranjan Gidwani deputy chief executive of the Eros Group said Expo 2020will have an unprecedented affect for Dubai and the UAE.
“The work is already on and we have seen a buoyancy and renewed confidence in the country and economy which is great. The city as we know it is once again undergoing a remarkable metamorphoses and we are part of this change and of a history which will take the UAE into a new paradigm of growth and stability” he said.
“The Eros Group has always aligned itself with the objectives of the country and we are putting all efforts in synergising the organisation with the new vision and plans of the leaders of this country. We are excited and are committed to makingExpo2020a success and a landmark moment in the UAE history.”
Rajan Mathrani managing director of Elekta Gulf said the company is gearing up for Expo2020and will add value to Dubai’s offerings by bringing the latest technological innovations that will change the lifestyle of consumers.
“The way technology is progressing it will be a whole new world in2020and we have already started to bring some of those to the homes and offices of consumers now and also making them affordable” he said.
“By2020 the world and our lives will undergo lots of changes. New innovative products and services will change the way we live and work. The biggest contribution that a consumer electronics and household brand like Elekta can make is by offering the latest technological innovations at an affordable price.”
“As part of the UAE society we are aligning our business in line with the vision of the UAE government and we will be very much part of theExpo 2020success story” he added.
DubaiExpo2020facts and figures:
Dates and times
>> Opening day: October 20 2020
>> Closing day: April 10 2021
>> The year 2021 will mark the UAE’s 50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee celebrations.
>> Daily hours: 10am-2am
Site and Visitors
>> Location: DubaiExpo2020 — Jebel Ali within Dubai World Central.
>> Total site size: 438 hectares
>> Gated exhibition area: approximately 200 hectares
>> Expected attendance: 25 million total visits over event’s six months
>> 70% of visitors expected to be international visitors
>> Site will accommodate 250000 people per day
>> 30000 volunteers will be recruited and utilised
>> DubaiExpo2020 will be the first World Expo in the Middle East Africa and South Asia
Masterplan
>> The three sub-themes — Opportunity Mobility and Sustainability — converge at the central Al Wasl Plaza the figurative and literal heart of DubaiExpo2020
>> Al Wasl meaning ‘the connection’ is Dubai’s historic name.
>> Approximately 250 participants ranging from countries to corporations to civic organisations will take part in pavilions at DubaiExpo2020
>> One country one pavilion policy will be introduced — A first for World Expos
>> The average size of pavilions will range from one tennis court (250 sqm) to 16 tennis courts (4200 sqm).
>> DubaiExpo2020 will build a host of mega pavilions including: the hero UAE Pavilion one for each of the sub-themes of Opportunity Mobility and Sustainability as well as a dedicated Children’s Pavilion.
>> The iconic shade structure is one of the wow factors of the expo. The design resembles the feather of a falcon the UAE’s national bird and covers much of the site. The underside of the structure provides a canvas for projections and interactive technology for entertainment and attractions creating an engaging experience for visitors.
>> DubaiExpo2020 hopes to generate 50 per cent of the site’s energy needs over its six-month duration from renewable sources like solar power.
—
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.